Mental Health Unit

Mental Health Programme

Introduction

National Mental Health policy 2020-2030 of the Ministry of Health has been established in 2021 to provide comprehensive community based mental health services that will promote the mental health wellbeing & improve the services for treatment, prevention & rehabilitation of people with mental disorders.

Objectives of Mental Health Policy

• To strengthen leadership, legislation, stewardship, research and management functions of the mental health services.
• To strengthen the delivery of comprehensive, socially and culturally acceptable mental health services and support, in order to reduce the burden of mental disorders and promote mental health.
• To strengthen human resources, infrastructure and financing for mental health services.
• To empower communities in promoting their mental well being and reducing stigma and discrimination.

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Major Strategies of Mental Health Programme

• Strengthen leadership, governance and inter-sectoral collaboration for mental health services at national and subnational levels
• Protect and promote human rights of persons with mental disorders, psychosocial disabilities and vulnerable groups including people with intellectual / cognitive disability, people in custody and institutionalized persons
• Strengthen the mental health management information system
• Monitor and evaluate status of mental health service delivery at all levels
• Promote research in the field of mental health to generate evidence for advocacy and facilitation of best practices
• Promote mental well being and strengthen preventive strategies based on evidence based best practices
• Provide best available and locally adaptable treatment and rehabilitation services at all levels of care to all persons
• Reduce rates of suicide and deliberate self harm
• Strengthen services for prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of those with alcohol and other substance use disorders
• Facilitate optimal mental health care for people in custody, institutionalized persons and vulnerable groups, such as people with intellectual disability
• Develop mechanisms to provide mental health and psychosocial support in disasters and emergencies and to enhance resilience
• Provide human resources, medical supplies and infrastructure for multidisciplinary care to deliver quality mental health services at all levels of service provision
• Govern and expand the financial allocations to mental health services at national, provincial and district levels
• Empower communities in optimizing their own mental well being by improving mental health literacy, especially by addressing commercial determinants of mental health and development of skills for promotion of mental health
• Empower service users, families and carers to ensure their fullest participation in policy development, implementation, service development, provision and reception of care
• Engage multiple sectors to improve dignity and reduce stigma and discrimination among persons with mental disorders
• Enhance the capacity of persons with mental disorders to achieve functional stability and be inclusive to the society

Priority Areas for Prevention and Mental Health Promotion

• Alcohol and other substance use prevention
• Child and adolescent mental health
• Maternal mental health
• Suicide prevention
• Prevention of violence
• Forensic and correctional mental health including prison mental health
• Elderly mental health
• Occupational mental health
• Mental health and psychosocial support in disasters and emergencies

To achieve these strategies, mental health units are doing great service with the help of the RDHS office of Gampaha.

Community Mental Health Programme

Follow up community care services are available to the clients with mental health problems by the psychiatric nurses, psychiatry social workers and counselors. There are five community support centers in Gampaha District to help the community when they have mental health problems.

Human Resources

There are nine consultant psychiatrists and two child & adolescent psychiatrists in Gampaha District. There are fifteen MO Psychiatry and eleven MO-Mental health, fifty-three staff nurses and 3 community psychiatry nurses, 4 occupational therapists and 4 psychiatric social workers.

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Activities Done for Enhancing Mental Health Wellbeing

• Training workshop for Medical officers on the Guideline for assessment, diagnosis and management of persons with mental disorders and substance use disorders at primary medical care Institutions in Gampaha District.
• Awareness programs for staff of MOH in Gampaha District on Mental Health.
• Establishment of Psychosocial Forums in Divisional Secretariat Areas of Gampaha District.
• Training programmes for field officers on promotion of mental health wellbeing, suicide prevention, Alcohol & substance prevention & prevention of violence.
• Educational programmes for teachers & parents on development of mental wellbeing.
• Life skill programme for newly married & about to marry couples on development of social & mental wellbeing.
• Workshop & awareness programmes for upper grade school children on substance abuse.
• Religious activities such as Bakthi Gee, Carol, Sil & Bhodhi Puja.
• Celebration of World Mental Health Day.
• Mental Health promotion programmes for Commemoration of suicide prevention day.
• Home visits of psychiatric patients.