Blitz Bureau
TELE MANAS offers 24/7, free mental health support through phone-based services, ensuring that individuals across India can easily access the help they need. The service is structured in a two-tier system to optimize care delivery and enhance support.
Tier 1 comprises state Tele MANAS cells staffed with trained counsellors and mental health specialists. These professionals provide immediate support through tele-counseling and tele-consultation. Counsellors assist individuals dealing with psychological distress, addressing day-to-day challenges such as relationship conflicts, financial stress, workplace pressure, and exam anxiety. The service is available in 20 Indian languages.
When necessary, mental health professionals provide consultations. They help diagnose and manage conditions such as depression, anxiety, psychosis, addiction, and dementia. This tier also addresses emergency situations requiring immediate intervention.
In-person services
Tier 2 comprises specialists from District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) facilities and medical colleges, offering additional resources for physical consultations and audiovisual consultations via e-Sanjeevani. This tier also facilitates in-person services provided by mental health professionals at public health facilities, including DMHP and mentoring institutes.
In addition to supporting individuals with psychiatric disorders, Tele MANAS focuses on enhancing mental wellbeing for those facing everyday stressors. It offers guidance on issues like sleep disturbances, technology overuse, substance misuse, and more. By offering promotive, preventive, and curative mental health services, Tele MANAS strives to empower individuals to take control of their mental health and break through the barriers of stigma.
On World Mental Health Day, October 10, Tele MANAS launched its mobile app and video consultation services to enhance access to mental health support. The Tele MANAS app serves as a comprehensive platform offering mental health resources, including self-care tips, stress management strategies, and tools to recognise early distress signals.
User-friendly experience
It engages users through interactive activities like mind challenges, games, and mindfulness practices, ensuring a user-friendly experience. The app provides free, confidential counseling 24/7, connecting users to trained mental health professionals across India.
Video consultations add another layer to the existing audio call services, allowing mental health professionals to conduct more thorough assessments by observing the caller directly. This feature supports history taking, clarifying concerns, and enables brief physical or Mental State Examinations (MSE) when necessary. Tele MANAS has reached a significant milestone by effectively handling over 14.7 lakh calls since its launch, demonstrating its vital role in providing mental health support across India.
The key achievements of the programme include: establishment of 52 Tele MANAS cells across various states; collaboration with 23 mentoring institutes that enhance the programme’s capacity and outreach; and creation of five Regional Coordinating Centres to streamline operations and facilitate coordination among Tele MANAS cells, ensuring efficient service delivery. These accomplishments highlight the programme’s commitment to improving mental healthcare access and its effectiveness in addressing the needs of individuals seeking support.
