Tele-MANAS Launched on World Mental Health Day 2022 - UPSC Notes

Tele-MANAS Launched on World Mental Health Day 2022 – UPSC Notes

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On the occasion of World Mental Health Day, Dr. K. Sudhakar, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, and Ms. Thawar Chand Gehlot, the Hon’ble Governor of Karnataka, launched the Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative of the Union Ministry of Health & Family Welfare virtually at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru.

Government of India launched National Tele Mental Health Programme (NTMHP) in the Union Budget 2022–23, recognizing the mental health crisis following the COVID–19 pandemic and the urgent need to develop a digital mental health network that can survive the hurdles intensified by the pandemic. Tele-MANAS seeks to offer 24/7 free tele-mental health services all around the nation, with a focus on those who live in isolated or underserved locations. A network of 23 centers for excellence in tele-mental health is part of the program, with NIMHANS serving as the nodal organization and the International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIITB) providing technical assistance. The technical assistance would be given by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHRSC) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bengaluru.

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Tele-MANAS Initiative: Overview

Tele-MANAS pursues to offer 24/7 free tele-mental health services all around the nation, with a focus on those who live in isolated or underserved locations.
Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States is the full name of Tele-MANAS.
A network of 23 centers for excellence in tele-mental health is part of the program, with NIMHANS serving as the nodal organization and the International Institute of Information Technology-Bangalore (IIITB) providing technical assistance. The technical assistance would be given by the National Health Systems Resource Centre (NHRSC) and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bengaluru.
The country has established a toll-free, round-the-clock hotline number (14416) that enables callers to choose their preferred language before receiving assistance. The service help line is 1-800-91-4416. Calls would be forwarded to Tele-MANAS cells in the appropriate state and union territory.

Tele-MANAS Initiative: Implementation

Tele-MANAS will be organized in two tier system
- Tier 1 is made up of state Tele-MANAS cells, which have qualified counselors and mental health professionals.
- Tier 2 will include professionals from the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio visual consultation.
- There are currently 51 State/UT Tele MANAS cells and 5 regional coordination centers.
By connecting Tele-MANAS with other services like the National Tele-Consultation Service, e-Sanjeevani, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission, mental health professionals, Ayushman Bharat health and wellness centers, and emergency psychiatric facilities, the program is intended to provide specialized care.
This will eventually incorporate all systems that offer mental health treatment and cover the whole spectrum of mental health and illness. Nine hundred Tele MANAS counselors from the majority of States and UTs have received training from NIMHANS

Tele-MANAS Initiative: Key Facts

The Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative, launched by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, is a 24-hour mental health service that seeks to improve access to mental healthcare throughout India.
The Tele-nationwide MANAS’s network of counselling, specialist consultations, and e-prescriptions will increase access to mental healthcare across the nation.
It aspires to bring mental healthcare services to even the most inaccessible and difficult-to-reach regions of the nation.
The COVID-19 epidemic has aggravated India’s mental health issue, which was acknowledged when the project was first launched by the Central Government during the 2022–23 Budget.
The program will first be made available in 20 states and union territories. Later, it will be extended to incorporate all of the nation.
You can reach this mental health service by dialing the hotlines 14416 and 1-800-91-4416.
A qualified counsellor in their region will then take the call after the callers have interacted with the interactive voice response system (IVRS).
Callers will be connected, as needed, to mental health professionals such as clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, psychiatric social workers, and psychiatric nurses.
The caller will be sent to a health and wellness center, primary care facility, or tertiary care facility if an in-person service is required.
The National Mental Health Programme and District Mental Health Programme’s digital component will be the Tele-MANAS program.
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience is the nodal center for its execution (NIMHANS).
IIT Bombay will offer this initiative technical help.
The effort would also engage 23 mentoring institutions, including PGIMER, AIIMS, and the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences in Delhi, as well as five regional coordination centers.

National Institute of Mental Health & Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS)- Key Points

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the treatment of patients and intellectual inquiry in the area of mental health and neurosciences.
The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences has its headquarters in Bengaluru, India.
The nation’s premier center for instruction in mental health and neuroscience is NIMHANS.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is the parent ministry for the NIMHANS Institute, which functions independently.
The NIMHANS, Bangalore Act of 2012 designates NIMHANS as an Institute of National Importance and sets up the procedures for its incorporation and related issues.
Prior to this, in 1994, the Central Government designated NIMHANS as a “Deemed University in recognition of its distinguished academic position, growth, and contributions.