Lok Sabha Question No. 2926 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-12
Subject: Mental Health Awareness
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2926 TO BE ANSWERED ON 12 TH MARCH, 2021

## MENTAL HEALTH AWAREN ESS

## 2926. DR. MOHAMMAD J AWED:

Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a)  whether  the  Government  has  launched  specific programmes  to  create  mental  health awareness amongyoung people;

- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether dedicated suicide prevention helplines are available for young people;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, whether the Government proposes to set up suicide prevention helplines?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)

(a) &(b): To address the burden of mental disorders, the Government of India is implemen the  National  Mental  Health  Programme  (NMHP)  since  1982.  The  Government  is  supporting implementation of the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) under NMHP in 692 di stricts of the country with the objectives to:

- (i) Provide suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills train counselling in schools and colleges.
- (ii) Provide mental health services including prevention, promotion and long - term con tinuing care at different levels of district healthcare delivery system.
- (iii) Augment institutional capacity in terms of infrastructure, equipment and human reso for mental healthcare.
- (iv) Promote  community  awareness  and  participation  in  the  delivery  of  mental healthcare services.

To generate awareness among masses about mental illnesses Information, Education an Communication (IEC) activities are an integral part of the NMHP. At the District level, upto  Rs.  4  lakh  per  annum  are  provided  to  each  District under  the  DMHP  under  the  Non -communicable Diseases flexi - pool of National Health Mission for IEC and awareness generation activities  in  the  community,  schools,  workplaces,  with  community  involvement.  Under DMHP various IEC activities such as awareness messages in local newspapers and radio, street plays, wall paintings etc. are undertaken by the States/UTs. Further, funds upto Rs. 12 annum are provided to each district supported under DMHP for targeted interventions with following objectiv es:

- (i) To provide class teachers with facilitative skill to promote life skill among their s
- (ii) To  provide  the  class  teachers  with  knowledge  and  skills  to  identify  emotional  con scholastic and substance use problems in their students
- (iii) To  provide  clas s  teachers  with  a  system  of  referral  for  students  with  psychologi problems to the District Mental Health Team for inputs and treatment.
- (iv) To involve other stakeholders like parents, community leaders to enhance development adolescents etc.

(c) to (e): The Government has not established a dedicated suicide prevention helpline, howev the  Government  has  set  up  a  24/7  helpline  through  National  Institute  of  Mental  Healt Neuro- Sciences  (NIMHANS),  Bengaluru,  to  provide  psychosocial  support  by  mental  he alth professionals to the entire population, divided into different target groups viz. child elderly,  women  and  healthcare  workers.  The  other  two  Central  Mental  Health  Instituti namely, Lokopriya Gopinath Bordoloi Regional Institute of Menta l Health (LGBRIMH), Tezpur and Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP), Ranchi along with various States/UTs are now a -board to extend such services in regional/ local languages.