Chandigarh: In an effort to elevate mental healthcare standards and ensure robust statutory compliance, the state administration has appointed eleven non-official representatives to the State Mental Health Authority. The move establishes a representative framework designed to make mental health services more transparent, accountable, and accessible.
The State Mental Health Authority serves as the apex body responsible for setting clinical standards, registering professionals, regulating healthcare establishments, and advising the government on long-term policy. The addition of non-official members brings together field experts, medical practitioners, caregivers, and civil society organizations working in mental health and rehabilitation. Independent Mental Health Review Boards, headed by judicial officers at the district level, will continue to function alongside the central authority to inspect facilities and address grievances.
Welcoming the development, senior psychiatrist Dr. Satyen Sharma declared that the rights-based approach will help deliver trustworthy services to communities across all districts. Senior mental health professional Dr. Satish K. Thapar maintained that strengthening the regulatory mechanism provides a solid foundation to address specific regional challenges while safeguarding patient dignity. The newly appointed body is scheduled to convene its inaugural meeting next week to align regional mental health and de-addiction programs.
