Mental Health Counseling

New Delhi, 10 December 2021: The Ministry of Women and Child Development implements Swadhar Greh, Ujjawala and Child Protection Services Schemes for providing, inter-alia, medical care including mental health counselling, to the women and children who are in difficult circumstances or are without any social and economic support. Details of such Schemes are given below:

• Swadhar Greh: The Scheme caters to women victims of difficult circumstances in need of institutional support for rehabilitation so that they can lead their life with dignity. The details of total number of homes under Swadhar Greh Scheme, State-wise is at Annexure I.
• Ujjawala: This is a comprehensive scheme for prevention of trafficking and rescue, rehabilitation, reintegration and repatriation of victims of trafficking for commercial sexual exploitation. The details of total number of homes under Ujjawala Scheme, State-wise is at Annexure II.
• Child Protection Services: This scheme aims at supporting the children in difficult circumstances. The scheme inter-alia provides for setting up of Child Care Institutions (CCIs) by the States/UTs either by themselves or in association with voluntary organisations. The scheme supports 24×7 outreach helpline service for children in distress. This service is available through a dedicated toll free number, 1098, which can be accessed by children in crisis or by adults on their behalf from any place in the geographical location of India. Ministry has signed an MoU with National Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) to establish a National Initiative & Integrated Resource Centre for Child Protection, Mental Health, and Psychosocial Care named “SAMVAD” (Support Advocacy & Mental Health Interventions for Children in Vulnerable Circumstances and Distress) in NIMHANS, at Bangalore. SAMVAD is working in 4 key thematic areas, namely Mental Health, Care & Protection, Education and Policy & Law. During the period of June 2020 to June 2021, the Initiative has reached out to a total of 87,391 persons in 28 States through various training and capacity building programs and/or public discourse series conducted via Virtual Knowledge Network Systems. The number of homes and open shelters assisted under the Child Protection Services scheme, State-wise is at Annexure III.

Under Ujjawala, scheme provides for the periodic inspection by State Government/UT Administration. The Secretary in-charge of Social Welfare/Department of Women and Child Development in the State Government/UT Administration is the chairperson of the State/UT level Monitoring Committee for the Scheme. The other members of the Committee would be nominated by the Secretary. The Committee at the State Level / UT Administration shall meet at least twice a year and monitor the project.

Under Child Protection Services, Section 53 of the JJ Act, 2015 provides for setting up of Management Committee in every CCI to manage the institution and monitor the progress of every child. The JJ Model Rules provide for constitution of Management Committees in every institution for the management of the institution and monitoring the progress of every child. The Management Committees are required to set-up a complaint redressal mechanism in every CCI. A Suggestion Box for children is to be placed at a place easily accessible to children, away from the office set-up and close to the rooms or dormitories of children.

The monitoring mechanisms, as mentioned above. are mandated to do holistic monitoring including the mental health counselling.

This information was given by the Minister of Women and Child Development, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

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Annexure I

Details of total number of homes under Swadhar Greh Scheme, State-wise

Annexure II

Details of total number of homes under Ujjawala Scheme, State-wise

Annexure III

Details of the number of homes and open shelters assisted under the Child Protection Services scheme, State-wise