Manulife Hong Kong and mental health charity Mind HK have expanded their partnership with the launch of a Wellbeing Consultation Hub in Mong Kok, offering free one-on-one consultations for adults in Hong Kong. The hub, announced on April 9, is funded by Manulife and operated by Mind HK. It adds a permanent, community-based service to an existing relationship between the insurer and the non-profit.
The facility will provide 45‑minute individual sessions under the “Manulife x Mind HK Free In-Person Wellbeing Check-in” programme for Hong Kong residents aged 18 to 65. Consultations are delivered by Mind HK’s trained iACT Wellbeing Practitioners. The sessions are intended to help participants understand their mental health status and emotional needs, and to discuss possible next steps. After each session, practitioners may direct individuals to community resources or, when suitable, refer them to low-intensity psychological interventions for additional follow-up.
Services are available in Cantonese, English, and Mandarin. The hub offers face-to-face consultations at the Mong Kok location, while participants may also choose to have their sessions online. The mix of in-person and virtual formats is designed to reach people who may not be able to attend on site. For privacy reasons, the exact address of the hub is shared only with confirmed registrants. Members of the public can sign up through an online registration system, where Mind HK also provides programme details and responses to frequently asked questions.
The new hub follows earlier joint research by Mind HK and Manulife that pointed to significant levels of emotional distress, alongside low rates of professional help‑seeking, in Hong Kong. In a previous survey, the organisations estimated that 36% of Hong Kong residents had symptoms consistent with mild to moderate depression, and 28% had symptoms of mild to moderate anxiety. Only 3% of respondents, however, said they would place professional psychological support among their priorities, with cost cited as one of the main reasons for not seeking help.
As part of their work together, Mind HK earlier organised a Wellbeing Check-in Day for Manulife employees and their family members and friends. During that initiative, Wellbeing Practitioners conducted 45‑minute one-on-one consultations in both in-person and online formats. Follow-up questionnaires showed that nearly 90% of participants said the coping strategies discussed had helped improve their mental health, and more than 90% said the sessions increased their awareness of their own mental wellbeing. The partners used those findings in planning the Mong Kok hub, which will operate on an ongoing basis and is open to the wider community.
Manulife is linking the hub to the Manulife Longevity Institute, a company initiative focused on research and community activity related to aging and long-term wellbeing. The move comes after the release of the Manulife Asia Care Survey 2025, which examines views on health, wealth, and longevity across Asian markets. The 2025 survey, which included 1,000 respondents from Hong Kong, reported a gap between people’s ideas of what a fulfilling life involves and their day‑to‑day behaviour. Many respondents described health in terms of maintaining independence and being able to carry out important activities, rather than avoiding illness altogether. In Hong Kong, 77.3% of people surveyed across age groups viewed illness as a normal part of aging. The survey described longevity in three dimensions – physical, mental, and financial – and said these areas interact to shape people’s quality of life. That framing aligns with efforts to link protection products with wellness tools, mental health support, and financial planning services.
The Asia Care Survey also reported that mental health is now seen as a significant factor in how long and how well people live. According to the findings, 77% of respondents agreed that mental health has a major impact on longevity. The survey noted that mental wellbeing is affected not only by emotions but also by relationships, financial circumstances, lifestyle, and environment. Younger adults in the study tended to view depression as one of the more difficult conditions to prevent, even as general awareness of mental health issues is rising. At the same time, 54% of respondents said they did not believe mental health problems are preventable. The report suggested that education, early intervention, and access to support services may help strengthen mental wellbeing over the life course. These patterns are relevant to the design of health and protection products, workplace benefits, and support services, as regulators, employers, and customers pay closer attention to mental health within broader risk and wellbeing frameworks.
The Mong Kok hub represents one example of how life and health insurers are working with community organisations on mental health initiatives that sit alongside traditional insurance coverage. Such partnerships may influence how insurers engage with customers and employer groups, and how they position non-claim services within propositions that address physical, mental, and financial aspects of risk. Celia Ling, chief marketing officer of Manulife Hong Kong and Macau, said the initiative is linked to a wider view of health. “Caring for emotional wellbeing is an important first step towards holistic health. When we learn to listen to our inner selves and attend to our emotions, we are better equipped to care for our physical health, mental wellbeing, and everyday lives. Through our long-term partnership with Mind HK, we hope to empower more members of the public to take that first step in seeking support when needed, and to work together to build a healthier and more resilient community,” Ling said. The development sits within a broader trend of integrating mental health into product design, underwriting, corporate wellness programmes, and community investment, as mental wellbeing becomes a more explicit part of how customers understand and plan for longevity.
