716 districts to implement District Mental Health Programme: MoS Health informs Rajya Sabha

Delhi: The Government of India is supporting the implementation of the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) under the National Mental Health Programme in 716 districts of the country for the detection, management and treatment of mental disorders/ illness.

The confirmation of this has been given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar during a Rajya Sabha session on 14th March 2023. She was responding to the questions of Mr Niranjan Bishi who asked whether the Government has undertaken research to assess the connection between the growing suicide rate and stress among students in schools and universities.

He further asked whether the Government has prepared an action plan to tackle stress and depression amongst the students and affordable mental healthcare to them and whether Government has formalized a plan to include mental healthcare in the curriculum of schools and universities to de-stigmatize mental health.

Addressing the questions, Dr Pawar stated that the government is considering introducing District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) in 716 districts and it will include the major components of counselling in schools and colleges, workplace stress management, life skills training, suicide prevention services and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities for the generation of awareness and removal of stigma associated with Mental Illness.

She referred to the Rashtriya Kishor Swasthya Karyakram (RKSK) which is functional since 2014 and stated that through its interventions namely Adolescent Friendly Health Clinics (AFHC), Peer Education Programme and Adolescent Health and Wellness Days (AH&WD), it has been focusing on creating awareness on mental health issues and providing counselling services.

She also talked about the existing Ayushman Bharat School Health & Wellness Programme that incorporates “Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health” as a dedicated module. Health and Wellness Ambassadors (Teachers) are trained on mental health along with other thematic areas of the programme to support and provide awareness to school children on mental health and well-being.

Moreover, NCERT has developed a comprehensive package titled “Training and Resource Material: Health and Wellness of School-going Children”. The Ministry of Education has taken up a proactive initiative, named, ‘Manodarpan’, covering a wide range of activities to provide psychosocial support to students, teachers and families for Mental Health and Emotional Wellbeing during the COVID outbreak and beyond.

A National Toll-free Helpline (8448440632) was introduced for a country-wide outreach to students from schools, colleges and universities to provide them tele-counselling to address their mental health and psychosocial issues. NCERT has started ‘NCERT Counselling Services for School Children’ in April, 2020 to help school students across the country share their concerns and this includes Live interactive sessions on ‘SAHYOG: Guidance for Mental Wellbeing of Children’ are telecast on 12 PM eVidya DTHTV channels for classes 1 to 12.

All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) has also launched three weeks students Induction Programmes for providing proper life skill for AICTE approved institutions at UG and PG level. Besides the above, the Government has launched a “National Tele Mental Health Programme” on 10th October, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country.

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