National  Tele Mental Health Programme (Prelims – Polity & Governance)

Why in News?

The Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry will be covered under the National Mental Health Programme and offer Tele MANAS service.

Background

• India comprises around 18% of the global population and significantly contributes to the global burden of mental disorders. 
• Evidence suggests that suicide deaths increased by 40% from 1990 to 2016 making it the third leading cause of death in several Indian states. 
• Recent national-level studies have highlighted that 15% of the adult population in India have mental health issues requiring intervention and a wide treatment gap of 70-92% exists for a range of mental disorders. 
• Thus, a large segment of the population requires assistance for mental health and well-being.

The Government of India’s (GoI) recent mental health initiatives include the following:

• National Mental Health Policy, 2014, that envisages the provision of universal access to mental health care 
• The National Mental Health Policy, 2017, that recognises mental health as one of the policy thrust areas. 
• The new Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, enshrines access to mental health as a statutory right and an entitlement, including its provision through primary healthcare.

The Government of India launched the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in 1982, in response to the heavy burden of mental illness and critical need of mental health care infrastructure in the community.

The District Mental Health Program (DMHP) was added to the NMHP in 1996 to overcome the shortcomings of the programme and declared the districts into administrative and implementation units for NMHP. 

The Government of India (GoI) in its Union Budget 2022, announced the National Tele Mental Health Programme of India, Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele MANAS) and entrusted the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) to guide its overall implementation.

About Tele-MANAS:

To provide universal access to equitable, accessible, affordable and quality mental health care through 24X7 tele-mental health services as a digital component of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) across all Indian States and UTs with assured linkages. Tele MANAS initiative was announced in the Union budget 2022-23.

• Tele MANAS is a comprehensive mental health care service.
• Tele-MANAS will be organised in a two-tier system:
  • Tier 1 comprises state Tele-MANAS cells- trained counsellors and mental health specialists.
  • Tier 2 – specialists at the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio-visual consultation.

• Tele MANAS aims to provide comprehensive mental health services through a digital platform namely telephone-based counselling services, psychotherapy, psychiatric consultations and referral services including emergency.
• Tele MANAS is a 24/7 on-demand service available free of cost with ease of access via phone calls, bridging the gap in seeking appropriate mental health assistance.

•  It is available in 20 Indian languages to cover the diverse needs surpassing cultural and regional differences of the country. 
• The vision of the program is not only to help persons suffering from psychiatric disorders but also cater to the needs of those who are facing day-to-day challenges in their personal, professional, and social life. 

Tele MANAS is inclusive of addressing mental well-being and psychological distress thereby covering the umbrella of promotive, preventive, and curative mental health care.