Organisations

The State Authority shall-

• Register all mental health establishments in the State except those referred to in section 43 and maintain and publish (including online on the internet) a register of such establishments;
• Develop quality and service provision norms for different types of mental health establishments in the State;
• Supervise all mental health establishments in the State and receive complaints about deficiencies in the provision of services;
• Register clinical psychologists, mental health nurses, and psychiatric social workers in the State to work as mental health professionals, and publish the list of such registered mental health professionals in such manner as may be specified by regulations by the State Authority;
• Train all relevant persons including law enforcement officials, mental health professionals, and other health professionals about the provisions and implementation of this Act;
• Discharge such other functions concerning matters relating to mental health as the State Government may decide.

Regulatory Role

• Making guidelines for ensuring a minimum standard of quality for Mental health facilities providing mental health services like Long Stay Home (LSH) and Half Way Homes (HWH), General Hospital Psychiatric Unit (GHPU), and De-Addiction centers
• Initiate setting accreditation standards and processes for capacity building and training mental health professionals of different competencies, such as counselors, general practitioners, etc. Facilitate and encourage the delivery of mental health training by the NGO sector.

Development of services

• Large-scale awareness drive and sensitization about mental health problems and remedial measures; public awareness about issues like legal rights, mental health and illness, and other related subjects
• Strengthening role in bringing about an attitudinal change among various stakeholders on the subject and treatment of mental health problems;
• Focusing on the role of NGOs in addressing the homelessness problem of the mentally ill with support from government bodies, legal authorities, and police agencies;
• Strengthening role of NGOs as nodal agencies in monitoring, evaluation, and continuously updated surveys of mental health issues;
• Facilitating legal assistance to mentally ill patients and providing legal aid in conjunction with agencies like Legal Services Authorities
• This is a sensitization/orientation drive for police, judicial officers, and others regarding mental health legislation and the Mental Healthcare Act of 2017.
• Increase awareness and support advocacy for civil and political participation of people with mental illness in the everyday process of society.
• Help the State Government draft a comprehensive State Mental Health Plan that includes mental health services, human resource development, and a long-term system of ongoing analysis and monitoring of mental health needs and services in the State.

The Authority's main functions are to Supervise all mental health establishments in the State and receive complaints about deficiencies in service provision, develop quality and service provision norms for different types of mental health establishments in the State, and register all mental health establishments and Mental health professionals in the State according to the provisions of the Act.