OUR CONCERNS
Mental Health Manpower Concerns
5% to 8% of the 40 million affected persons currently receive treatment provided by about 4000 mental health professionals including 2000 psychiatrists as against UK that has 1 psychiatrist per 25,000 population, the US has 1 per 10,000, Denmark and Iceland have 1 per 2000-3000, and Eastern Europe has 1 per 10,000. There is neither a National Mental Health Plan nor a manpower policy to improve this serious anomaly.
Minimum Standards and Licensing - Concerns
# Many institutions and homes for the mentally ill persons are run without licenses mandatary under The Mental Health Act, 1987. This is mainly on account of unrealistic legal norms like 1:10 Psychiatrist to patient ratio for a country like India where the current ratio is 1:20000!
# Brain drain among Psychiatrists is an added concern!
Concerns about legal Anomalies
# Lack of legal orientation to human rights issues of the affected persons.
# Lack of institutional and legal support to the largest stakeholders viz. the family caregivers
# Lack of legal norms that are practical and user friendly to families and affected persons.
# Lack of consolidated code of civil rights and inconsistancies therein with other laws.
Concerns of Families
# Lack of access to treatment centers in close proximity.
# No right to appoint guardians of their choice under Mental Health Act, 1987.
# No support provided in Emergencies for crisis management of patients.
# No affordable means of rehabilitation and long term care.
# No safety for the patients especially girls to live in the community after the death of the family caregivers.
Concerns of Consumers(or affected persons)
# Lack of Emergency support in crisis.
# Lack of public empathy resulting in humiliation and low self esteem.
# Non-availability of maintenance allowance that is guaranteed to all disabled ( and paid to others ) under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995
# No reservations in government jobs for those can work
# Denial of equal opportunities in civil rights like any other citizen.
http://www.acmiindia.org/concerns.html