SHILLONG:
Health Minister James Sangma, on January 13, launched the State Mental Health Assistance helpline number 14410, is a toll-free helpline designed to increase access to affordable and quality mental health care.
The helpline number will be run by a team of 50 counsellors from Monday to Friday between 10 AM to 5 PM, and callers can select Khasi, Garo, Pnar, Hindi, or English as their language of choice for availing the services. Eventually, the helpline will be available 24 X 7
and integrated with the Centre’s Tele-MANAS Network (Tele Mental Health
Assistance and Networking Across States).
Callers will be connected to mental health specialists like psychiatrists, social workers, nurses, and psychologists as required. In case the caller requires an in-person service, he/she will be referred to a health and wellness centre or primary healthcare or tertiary healthcare.
This initiative is in line with the Meghalaya Mental Health and Social Care Policy, which was launched in November last year, making the state the third in the country to have a mental health policy.