The government of Jammu and Kashmir has granted approval for the establishment of a Mental Health Authority to oversee the proper functioning of all mental health facilities in the region.
Under this initiative, all mental health facilities and professionals operating in the field will be required to register with the newly created Mental Health Authority, following the approval from the Jammu and Kashmir government.
The Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department issued an official notification regarding this development. The rules and regulations for the new Mental Health Act have also been put in place, known as the Jammu and Kashmir Mental Healthcare (Mental Health Authority) Rules, 2023.
According to the notification, these rules will take effect from the day they are published in the official gazette.
The Mental Health Authority will have its Chairperson, and its membership will include the Head of the Department of Psychiatry at Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and GMC Jammu, as well as the Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Jammu and Kashmir, for selection purposes. This committee will be responsible for nominating and selecting non-official members of the Jammu and Kashmir Mental Health Authority.
Each non-official member selected or nominated under Rule 6 will serve a three-year term and will be entitled to allowances such as sitting allowance, traveling allowance, daily allowance, and other applicable allowances for non-official members of similar commissions or committees in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Mission Director of the National Health Mission, Jammu and Kashmir, will serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Mental Health Authority, while a senior MBBS doctor with a Master’s degree in Health Administration or Hospital Administration will be nominated as the Medical Advisor to the CEO.
The Mental Health Authority, with the government’s approval, will determine the number, nature, and categories of officers and employees required for its functioning.
These rules have been established for the effective implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act 2017 in Jammu and Kashmir. They will enable auditing and inspections of mental health establishments in the region to ensure transparency, with the Mental Health Authority responsible for maintaining records of its income, expenses, and an online register.
These rules have been enacted through the powers conferred by Sub-Section (2) of Section 121 of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.
