National Tele Mental Health Programme (Tele MANAS) and Tele MANAS App

• Launched in: 2022
• The programme was introduced as a toll-free helpline (14416) available nationwide, offering a wide range of mental health services.
• Aim: To provide universal access to equitable, affordable, and quality mental health care through a 24×7 tele-mental health service.
• It forms a key digital component of the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP).
• Key objectives include:
  • Expanding Access: Provide 24×7 tele-mental health services across all States and UTs for universal reach.
  • Building a Comprehensive Mental Health Network: Offer counseling, medical and psychosocial support, e-prescriptions, and specialist consultations.
  • Inclusive Care: Focus on vulnerable and hard-to-reach populations to ensure no one is left without support.
• It offers guidance on issues like sleep disturbances, technology overuse, substance misuse, and more.
• It extends support to parents and caregivers of children and adolescents with developmental disorders such as intellectual disabilities, autism, and ADHD.
• Tele MANAS strives to empower individuals to take control of their mental health and break through the barriers of stigma, by offering promotive, preventive, and curative mental health services.
• It ensures that everyone has the right to access affordable, high-quality mental health care.
• The service under the programme 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
  • Tier 2 includes specialists from DMHP facilities and medical colleges who provide both in-person and audiovisual consultations through e-Sanjeevani.

About Tele MANAS mobile app

• Tele MANAS mobile app serves as a comprehensive platform offering mental health resources, including self-care tips, stress management strategies, and tools to recognize early distress signals.
• 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.
• The app has new feature of Tele MANAS App Enhancements (Multi-lingual UI, Chatbot, Accessibility, Emergency Module).
• Tele MANAS App is now available in 10 regional languages, in addition to the English and Hindi languages.
• The app now includes accessibility features to make the interface more user-friendly for visually impaired users.
• The app has a feature of chatbot feature (‘Asmi’) allowing users to engage with the app and seek information or help regarding mental health.
• Emergency response content has been incorporated to ensure timely guidance and support during emergencies.