Maha panel to oversee Mental Healthcare Act
According to the mandate of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017, the Maharashtra government has set up a state mental health authority. The 15-member committee will be responsible for ensuring implementation of the Act in the state, as well as to address public grievances related to violations of the Act.
The committee includes psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, former patients and caregivers from the private sector. Additionally, various district mental health review boards will be set up, which will function under the under the state-level committee.
Dr Ajit Dandekar, a city-based psychiatrist and one of the committee members, said he is yet to understand the exact role of the committee. “The committee is yet to have its first meeting,” he said.
The Mental Health Care Act, in a first, decriminalised suicide and stated that every person with a mental illness should have the right to avail mental health care and treatment from governmentrun facilities.Moreover, for the first time, it made a provision for creating advanced directives, under which a person can state what treatment they would want for the illness. People can also nominate representatives to take decisions, in case they become unfit to do so.
According to a state official, the committee will need to ensure that mental health medical services are integrated across primary, secondary and tertiary health care facilities.
Dr Milan Balakrishanan, a city-based psychiatrist, said the move to constitute a panel is a positive start and paves the way for further implementation of the act. “But, there is a long way ahead. The government will have to figure out the financial logistics to implement the act,” he said.
MUMBAI: