Lok Sabha Question No. 661 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-09
Subject: Mental Health Policy
Ministry: HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE
Asked by: Maneka Sanjay Gandhi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 661 TO BE ANSWERED ON 9 TH  DECEMBER, 2022

## MENTAL HEALTH POLICY

## 661. SHRIMATI MANEKA SANJAY GANDHI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  rolled  out/  proposes  to  roll  out  a  Mental  Health  Policy  to promote  awareness  and  develop  policies  regarding  mental  health  and  if  so,  the  details thereof along with the achievements made in this regard;
- (b) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  include  mental  health  under  the  Ayushman  Bharat Yojana; and
- (c) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (DR. BHARATI PRAVIN PAWAR)

- (a)  The Government has launched the National Mental Health Policy of India on 10 th October, 2014 to promote awareness and to develop policies regarding mental Health. However, to address  the  burden  of  mental  disorders,  the  Government  of  India  is  implementing  the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP). The Government is supporting implementation  of  the  District  Mental  Health  Programme  (DMHP)  under  NMHP  in  704 districts of the country with the objectives to:
- (i) Provide suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills training and counselling in schools and colleges.
- (ii) Provide mental health services including prevention, promotion  and long-term continuing care at different levels of district healthcare delivery system.
- (iii) Augment  institutional  capacity  in  terms  of  infrastructure,  equipment  and  human resource 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  and Communication  (IEC)  activities  are  an  integral  part  of  the  NMHP.  At  the  District  level, funds 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 the DMHP various IEC activities such as awareness messages in local newspapers and radio,  street  plays,  wall  paintings  etc.  are  taken  up  by  the  States/UTs.  Further,  funds upto  Rs.  12  lakhs  per  annum  are  provided  to  each  district  supported  under  DMHP  for targeted interventions with the following objectives:

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

Besides  the  above,  the  Government  has  launched  a  'National  Tele  Mental  Health Programme'  on  10 th October,  2022,  to  further  improve  access  to  quality  mental  health counselling and care services in the country.

- (b) & (c) Govt. has already included mental health under the Ayushman Bharat Yojana. Under the  PMJAY  health  assurance  scheme,  persons  with  mental  illnesses  are  eligible  for free treatment. Mental  health has also been included in the 12  packages of Comprehensive  Primary  Health  Care  Packages  under  the  AYUSHMAN  BHARAT Health and Wellness Centers Scheme. As part of this, the Community Health Officers are trained to provide basic follow-up and counselling services for those with mental ailments at their doorsteps.

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