**Summary:**
The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) to strengthen mental healthcare services across India. A key component, the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP), has been sanctioned in 767 districts, providing support through the National Health Mission. The DMHP offers outpatient services, assessment, counseling, psychosocial interventions, continuing care, medication, outreach, and ambulance services at Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs), with a provision for 10-bed inpatient facilities at the district level.
To enhance tertiary care, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase postgraduate training capacity in mental health specialties and improve treatment facilities. Additionally, 19 government medical colleges/institutions have received support to strengthen 47 postgraduate departments in mental health. The Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI) has approved 69 institutions/universities for Clinical Psychology courses and 9 for Rehabilitation Psychology courses and has introduced B.Sc. and M.A. programs in Clinical Psychology from the 2024-25 academic session.
To address manpower shortages in underserved areas, the government is providing online training to healthcare professionals. Awareness campaigns are being conducted in communities, schools, and workplaces to reduce stigma associated with mental illness.
Mental health services have been integrated into the Comprehensive Primary Health Care package at over 1.77 lakh upgraded Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) now designated as Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Training manuals and operational guidelines for Mental, Neurological, and substance use disorders (MNS) at these centers have been released.
The National Tele Mental Health Programme, launched on October 10, 2022, aims to improve access to mental health support. As of July 17, 2025, 36 States/UTs have established 53 Tele MANAS Cells, handling over 23,82,000 calls via a helpline. The Tele MANAS Mobile Application, launched on October 10, 2024, offers a comprehensive platform for mental health support and includes a video consultation facility.
The information was provided by the Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha on August 1, 2025.
Key Entities Referenced
National Mental Health Programme (NMHP): A government program implemented in the country to address mental health issues.
District Mental Health Programme (DMHP): A component of the NMHP implemented in 767 districts, providing support to States/UTs through the National Health Mission.
Tele Mental Health Programme: A national initiative launched on 10th October 2022 to improve access to mental health counselling and care services.
Tele MANAS: A tele-mental health service with cells established in 36 States/UTs, handling over 23,82,000 calls, and a mobile application launched for mental health support.
Centres of Excellence: 25 centers sanctioned under the tertiary care component of NMHP to increase student intake in PG departments in mental health and provide tertiary level treatment facilities.
Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI): An organization that has approved 69 institutions/universities to conduct courses in Clinical Psychology and 9 institutions/universities to conduct courses in Rehabilitation Psychology.
Ayushman Arogya Mandirs: Upgraded Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) where mental health services have been added as part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care under Ayushman Bharat.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India, where a written reply regarding mental healthcare improvements was provided.
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Steps taken to Improve Mental Healthcare
District Mental Health Programme component of the
NMHP has been sanctioned for implementation in
767 districts
Under the tertiary care component of NMHP, 25
Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to
increase the intake of students in PG departments in
mental health specialties and to provide tertiary level
treatment facilities
36 States/UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells
and have started tele mental health services; More
than 23,82,000 calls have been handled on the
helpline number
Posted On: 01 AUG 2025 2:27PM by PIB Delhi
The Government is implementing the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) in the country. The
District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) component of the NMHP has been sanctioned for
implementation in 767 districts for which support is provided to States/UTs through the National Health
Mission. Facilities made available under DMHP at the Community Health Centre (CHC) and Primary Health
Centre (PHC) levels, include outpatient services, assessment, counselling/psycho-social interventions,
continuing care and support to persons with severe mental disorders, drugs, outreach services, ambulance
services etc. In addition to above services there is a provision of 10 bedded in-patient facility at the district
level.
Under the tertiary care component of NMHP, 25 Centres of Excellence have been sanctioned to increase the
intake of students in PG departments in mental health specialities as well as to provide tertiary level treatment
facilities. Further, the Government has also supported 19 Government medical colleges/institutions to
strengthen 47 PG Departments in mental health specialties.
As per information received from Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), at present, 69 institutions/universities
have been approved by RCI to conduct courses in Clinical Psychology such as M.Phil., Professional Diploma,
Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology), and 9 institutions/universities have been approved by RCI to conduct coursesin Rehabilitation Psychology such as M.Phil. (Rehabilitation Psychology). The Council has also launched two
more programmes in Clinical Psychology, i.e. B.Sc. (Clinical Psychology) and M.A. (Clinical Psychology)
from the academic session 2024- 25.
The Government is also augmenting the availability of manpower to deliver mental healthcare services in the
underserved areas of the country by providing online training courses to various categories of general
healthcare medical and para medical professionals through the Digital Academies.
To generate awareness among masses about mental illness, Information, Education and Communication (IEC)
activities and awareness generation activities in the community, schools, workplaces, with community
involvement are an integral part of NMHP.
The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) is implemented under the National Mental Health
Programme in 767 districts of the country to detect, manage and treat mental illness with the major
components of counselling in schools and colleges, work place stress management, life skills training, suicide
prevention services and Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities for generation of
awareness and removal of stigma associated with Mental Illness.
The Government is also taking steps to strengthen mental healthcare services at primary healthcare level. The
Government has upgraded more than 1.77 lakh Sub Health Centres (SHCs) and Primary Health Centres
(PHCs) to Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Mental health services have been added in the packages of services
under Comprehensive Primary Health Care provided at these Ayushman Arogya Mandirs. Operational
guidelines and training manuals for various cadres on Mental, Neurological, and substance use disorders
(MNS) at Ayushman Arogya Mandirs have been released under the ambit of Ayushman Bharat.
Besides the above, the Government has launched a “National Tele Mental Health Programme” on 10th
October, 2022, to further improve access to quality mental health counselling and care services in the country.
As on 17.07.2025, 36 States/ UTs have set up 53 Tele MANAS Cells and have started tele mental health
services. More than 23,82,000 calls have been handled on the helpline number.
The Government has also launched Tele MANAS Mobile Application on the occasion of World Mental
Health Day - October 10, 2024. Tele-MANAS Mobile Application is a comprehensive mobile platform that
has been developed to provide support for mental health issues ranging from well-being to mental disorders.
The Government has also launched the video consultation facility under Tele-MANAS, as another upgrade to
the already existing audio calling facility.
The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written
reply in the Lok Sabha today.
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MV
HFW/PQ-Steps taken to improve mental healthcare/01 August2025/4
(Release ID: 2151235)