National Mental Health Programme
Govt of India integrated mental health with other health services at rural level. It is being implemented since 1982 and Maharashtra was the first state to implement NMHP.
Objectives
Basic mental health care to all the needy especially the poor from rural, slum and tribal areas
Application of mental health knowledge in general health care and in social development
Promotion of community participation in mental health service development and increase of efforts towards self help in the community
Prevention and treatment of mental and neurological disorders and their associated disabilities
Use of mental health technology to improve general health services
Application of mental health principles in total national development to improve quality of life.
Targets of NMHP
WITH IN ONE YEAR
1.Each state of India will have adopted the present plan of action in the field of mental health
2.Government of India will have appointed a focal point within the Ministry of Health specifically for mental health action
3.A national coordinating group will be formed comprising representatives of all state senior health administrators and professionals from psychiatry, education, social welfare and related professionals
A task force will have worked out the outlines of a curriculum of mental health for the health workers identified in the different states as most suitable to apply basic mental health skills and for medical officers working at PI-IC level
WITHIN FIVE YEARS
l . At least 5000 of the target non medical professional will have undergone 2 week training in mental health care
2.At least 20% of all physicians working in PHC centers will have undergone 2 weeks training in mental health
3.Creation of the post of a psychiatrist in at least 50% of the districts
4.A psychiatrist at the district level will visit all PHC settings regularly and at least once in every month for supervision of the mental health program for continuing education
5.Each state will appoint a program officer responsible for organization and supervision of the mental health programme
6.Each state will provide additional support for creating or augmenting community mental health components in the teaching institutions
7.On the recommendation of a task force, appropriate psychotropic drugs to be used at PHC level' will be included in the list of essential drugs in India.
8.In psychiatric units with in patients, beds will be provided at medical college hospitals in the country Various activities planned in NMHP
Community mental health program at primary health care level
Training of existing PHC personnel for mental health care delivery , with no additional staff
Development of a state level Mental Health Advisory Committee and identification of a state level program officer
Establishment of Regional Centers of community mental health
Formation of National Advisory Group on Mental Health
Development of a task force for mental hospitals
Prevention of mental illness and promotion of mental health
Task force for mental health education for under graduate medical students
Voluntary agencies to be included in mental health care
Priority areas identified as child mental health, public mental health education and drug dependence
Mental health training for at least 1 doctor at every district hospital during the next 5 years
Establishment of department of psychiatry in all medical colleges and strengthening the existing ones
Provision of 3-4 essential psychotropic drugs at the PHC level
Re-strategized NMHP
It is formally launched in 22nd Oct 2003 with the following features
Redesigning DMHP around a nodal institution, which will be a zonal medical college
Strengthening medical colleges to improve psychiatric treatment facilities with adequate man power
Streamlining and modernization of mental hospitals
Research and development in the field of community mental health
Provision of comprehensive community based mental health services with a closely networked referral system
Promoting intersectoral collaboration and linkage with other national health programmes
Provision of essential psychotropic drugs, family support
Developing self help groups and provision of funds for their activities
Short term training courses for professionals and paraprofessionals
Organizing public mental health education
Involving private sectors and voluntary organizations in provision of mental health care services
Services focus on high risk populations
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