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(THE GIST OF PIB) Tele-MANAS

(JUNE-2024)

Tele-MANAS

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) to facilitate collaboration between the two ministries in operating a special cell of Tele MANAS.

About Tele-MANAS:

The Tele Mental Health Assistance and Networking Across States (Tele-MANAS) initiative was launched by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in October 2022.
It aims to provide free tele-mental health services all over the country round the clock, particularly to people in remote or underserved areas.
Tele-MANAS will be organised in a two-tier system:
Tier 1 comprises state Tele-MANAS cells, which include trained counsellors and mental health specialists.
Tier 2 will comprise specialists at the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP)/Medical College resources for physical consultation and/or e-Sanjeevani for audio-visual consultation.
Currently, there are 51 operational Tele-MANAS cells functioning across all 36 States and UTs, offering services in 20 different languages.
A toll-free, 24/7 helpline number (14416) is available as part of the initiative, allowing callers to select the language of choice for availing services. The service is also accessible at 1-800-891-4416.
This call will be an Interactive Voice Response system (IVRS) based audio call only, with a timely auto-call back approach.
Through the automated callback service, the caller will first be attended to by a trained counsellor.
Based on the level of care required, the counsellor will either provide the care needed within their capabilities or refer the caller for specialist care.
If the caller requires specialized care, the call will be handled by a mental health specialist (clinical psychologist, psychiatric social worker, psychiatric nurse, or psychiatrist). This level of service will contain both audio- and video-based options.