The Northeastern state of Meghalaya introduced a policy addressing Mental Health and social care. The Meghalaya cabinet after intense deliberation approved the policy that is aimed at increasing mental health awareness and well-being and facilitating appropriate access and care for common and uncommon mental health concerns.
This individual-centric policy seeks to address the social determinants of mental ill-health and ensure cultural security with collaborative engagement with the communities it intends to serve.
Also Read: Mental Health Still Not an Important Issue in India; Child Abuse at Its Peak Due To This Mentality
Meghalaya the third state after Kerala and Karnataka, developed a culture-rooted policy seeking to bust myths linked to mental health.
“It is a community-centric initiative and will improve recognition, rehabilitation, and reformation, necessary for creating awareness and building support systems, Meghalaya Health Minister James PK Sangma said. The policy as informed by a senior official from the cabinet was constituted following feedback from the civil society members that led
to their incorporation in the draft policy.
The first national policy on mental health was formulated by the centre in 2014. According to outlines laid for mental health after COVID-19, support for mental health must be integrated into every component of national responses to COVID-19.
A mental health policy is an official statement by the govt or health authorities that provides direction for mental health by defining a vision, values, enlisting principles and objectives and by establishing a broad model for action to achieve that vision. According to WHO, Mental Health is as important as physical health. And precisely after the COVID-19 pandemic the world has seen a drastic rise in mental health issues like anxiety, substance use disorders and depression as the social and economic uncertainties.
