Govt mental health body has inconspicuous presence and functioning even after five years: House panel

More than five years after its establishment, the Central Mental Health Authority has a “largely inconspicuous presence and functioning” while corresponding state bodies are poorly staffed limiting their effectiveness, a Parliamentary panel has found, while recognising the growing burden of mental illness and rising trend of suicides.

The House panel also suggested creating dedicated cadre of school counsellors and describe student suicide a “national crisis”.

The report from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health – tabled last week – comes amidst 20 suicides in the last eight months among students at Kota, known for its coaching centres.

As a part of the Indian Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 the Union government in November 2018 formed the authority with mandated tasks like maintenance of a register and supervision of all mental health establishments, drafting norms for the quality and provision of services, and maintaining a register of mental health professionals in the country.

Five years down the line, the CMHA had a largely inconspicuous presence and functioning, the House panel noted, suggesting the government to develop a dedicated website for the authority and prepare annual reports on its objectives and achievements.

Similarly every state formed their own state-level authorities for keeping a state-level register of mental health facilities and doctors, besides receiving complaints.

While such authorities were formed by most of the states, "Appointment of CEOs, officers and other staff, development of mechanisms for complaints redress and establishment of State Mental Health Authority funds need further push in most of the states,” the Standing Committee said in its report tabled last week.

Moreover, the Mental Health Review Boards have not been constituted in the majority of states to hold regular review on the status of mental health care establishments.

Considering the vulnerabilities of young children, the Committee recommended creating a dedicated cadre of school counsellors in all schools. Besides, the lawmakers have suggested that the Union Health Ministry should call up students who fail in competitive examinations and discourage them from taking their own lives.

The panel of lawmakers headed by Bhubaneswar Kalita recommended that the Union Health Ministry should use its 24/7 helpline to connect with youths who fail to qualify for competitive exams like UPSC-CSE, NEET, SSC and JEE by a few marks.

According to National Mental Health Survey 2015-16, the annual suicide incidence rate in India was 10.6 per 1 lakh, but as per the National Crime Records Bureau's Accidental Deaths & Suicides in India Report 2021, the suicide rate in India rose to an alarming 12 per 1,00,000 population.

The panel suggested conducting the second edition of the National Mental Health Survey to assess the mental health burden post Covid-19 to generate data on children, adolescents and caregivers so that specific interventions can be worked out. “Student suicides be termed as national crisis,” it added.