UNIFORM MENTAL HEALTH POLICY
A UNIFORM MENTAL HEALTH POLICY MANDATES THAT EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ADOPT A COMPREHENSIVE POLICY BASED ON THE UMMEED DRAFT GUIDELINES, MANODARPAN INITIATIVE, AND NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION STRATEGY
THE NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION PROVIDES A FRAMEWORK FOR MULTIPLE STAKEHOLDERS TO IMPLEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR PREVENTION OF SUICIDES IN INDIA.
IT SETS THE STAGE FOR FACILITATION AND COORDINATION OF EFFORTS OF ALL RELEVANT SECTORS AND STAKEHOLDERS.
THE OVERALL VISION OF THIS STRATEGY IS TO CREATE A SOCIETY, WHERE PEOPLE VALUE THEIR LIVES AND ARE SUPPORTED WHEN THEY ARE IN NEED. THIS NATIONAL STRATEGY AIMS TO REDUCE SUICIDE MORTALITY BY 10% IN THE COUNTRY BY 2030. THE APPROACH TOWARDS IMPLEMENTATION INCLUDES MULTISECTORAL COLLABORATION, EFFECTIVE AND SUSTAINABLE ACTION, INCLUSIVENESS AND INNOVATIONS.
THE STRATEGY ALSO GIVES SPECIAL FOCUS TO PREVENTING SUICIDES DURING COVID-19 PANDEMIC. THE PANDEMIC HAS BROUGHT UNPRECEDENTED TIMES WITH VARIOUS DISRUPTIONS. THESE DISRUPTIONS AND UNCERTAINTIES HAVE AN IMPACT ON PEOPLE’S MENTAL HEALTH. IT IS IN VIEW OF THIS SITUATION THAT SPECIFIC ACTIONS HAVE ALSO BEEN HIGHLIGHTED TO PREVENT SUICIDES DURING THE PANDEMIC.
THE NATIONAL STRATEGY INCLUDES AN ACTION FRAMEWORK WITH PROPOSED ACTIONS WITH KEY STAKEHOLDERS, IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK AND MECHANISM, THUS PROVIDING A PATH FORWARD FOR PREVENTING SUICIDES. THIS WILL PROVIDE GUIDANCE TO EVERY STAKEHOLDER FOR SETTING TARGETS, IMPLEMENTING, MONITORING AND TAKING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS, TOWARDS ATTAINING THE AIM OF THE STRATEGY.
- Institutions Adopt And Implement A Uniform Mental Health Policy, Drawing Cues From The UMMEED Draft Guidelines, The MANODARPAN Initiative, And The National Suicide Prevention Strategy. This Policy Shall Be Reviewed And Updated Annually And Made Publicly Accessible On Institutional Websites And Notice Boards Of The Institutes.
- Institutions Undergo Mandatory Training To All Teaching And Non-Teaching Staff At Least Twice A Year, Conducted By Certified Mental Health Professionals, On Psychological First-Aid, Identification Of Warning Signs, Response To Self-Harm, And Referral Mechanisms.
- Institutions Shall Ensure That All Teaching, Non-Teaching, And Administrative Staff Are Adequately Trained To Engage With Students From Vulnerable And Marginalised Backgrounds In A Sensitive, Inclusive, And Nondiscriminatory Manner. This Shall Include, But Not Be Limited To, Students Belonging To Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), LGBTQ+ Communities, Students With Disabilities, Those In Out-Of-Home Care, And Students Affected By Bereavement, Trauma, Or Prior Suicide Attempts, Or Intersecting Form Of Marginalisation.
- Institutions has Established committees and guidenance cell under expert supervision Robust, Confidential, And Accessible Mechanisms For The Reporting, Redressal, And Prevention Of Incidents Involving Sexual Assault, Harassment, Ragging, And Bullying On The Basis Of Caste, Class, Gender, Sexual Orientation, Disability, Religion, Or Ethnicity. Every Such Institution Shall Constitute An Internal Committee Or Designated Authority Empowered To Take Immediate Action On Complaints And Provide Psycho-Social Support To Victims. Institutions Shall Also Maintain Zero Tolerance For Retaliatory Actions Against Complainants Or Whistle-Blowers. In All Such Cases, Immediate Referral To Trained Mental Health Professionals Must Be Ensured, And The Student’s Safety, Physical And Psychological, Shall Be Prioritised. Failure To Take Timely Or Adequate Action In Such Cases, Especially Where Such Neglect Contributes To A Student’s Self-Harm Or Suicide, Shall Be Treated As Institutional Culpability, Making The Administration Liable To Regulatory And Legal Consequences.
- Institutions Regularly Organise Sensitisation Programmes (Physical And/Or Online) For Parents And Guardians On Student Mental Health. It Shall Be The Duty Of The Institution To Sensitise The Parents And Guardians To Avoid Placing Undue Academic Pressure, To Recognise Signs Of Psychological Distress, And To Respond Empathetically And Supportively. Further, Mental Health Literacy, Emotional Regulation, Life Skills Education, And Awareness Of Institutional Support Services Shall Be Integrated Into Student Orientation Programmes And Co-Curricular Activities
- Institutions Maintain Anonymised Records And Prepare An Annual Report Indicating The Number Of Wellness Interventions, Student Referrals, Training Sessions, And Mental Health-Related Activities. This Report Shall Be Submitted To The Relevant Regulatory Authority, Which May Be The State Education Department, University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council For Technical Education (AICTE), Central Board Of Secondary Education (CBSE), Or As Otherwise Indicated.
- Institutions Prioritise Extracurricular Activities, Including Sports, Arts, And Personality Development Initiatives. Examination Patterns Shall Be Periodically Reviewed To Reduce Academic Burden And To Cultivate A Broader Sense Of Identity Among Students Beyond Test Scores And Ranks
- Institutions Provides Regular, Structured Career Counselling Services For Students And Their Parents Or Guardians. These Sessions Shall Be Conducted By Qualified Counsellors And Shall Aim To Reduce Unrealistic Academic Pressure, Promote Awareness Of Diverse Academic And Professional Pathways, And Assist Students In Making Informed And Interest-Based Career Decisions. Institutions Shall Ensure That Such Counselling Is Inclusive, Sensitive To Socioeconomic And Psychological Contexts, And Does Not Reinforce Narrow Definitions Of Merit Or Success.
COUNSELLOR-
PSYCHOLOGIST-
CONTACT NUMBER
- MENTAL HEALTH SERVICE
- LOCAL HOSIPTAL
- SUICIDE PREVENTION HELPLINES
- SUICIDE HELPLINE NUMBER
- TELEMANAS
- NATIONAL SERVICE ETC
IMPORTANT LINKS
- HTTPS://WWW.UMMEED.ORG
- HTTPS://MANODARPAN.EDUCATION.GOV.IN/
- HTTPS://WWW.MHINNOVATION.NET/RESOURCES/INDIAS-NATIONAL-SUICIDE-PREVENTION-STRATEGY
Pdf – 2
Annual report
Steps
Teaching and non teaching staff training
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