Chandigarh, Nov 2 (PTI) Haryana is planning to introduce a structured mental health support system for students of Classes 6 to 12 under its proposed SAATH Project, aimed at the early identification of psychological difficulties, including examination stress, depression, social isolation and excessive screen use.
Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Sumita Misra, shared details of the proposed initiative, which envisages a coordinated mechanism involving the health and school education departments, teachers, parents, student volunteers, counsellors, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists.
The proposed framework identifies 122 counsellors from the health department as part of the professional support system.
It also envisages the involvement of psychology-qualified teachers and specialised mental health services to ensure students needing professional assistance receive timely support.
The initiative will adopt separate approaches for students of Classes 6 to 12 and Classes 9 to 12, keeping in view their distinct developmental and psychological needs, she said on Monday.
For students of Classes 6 to 8, the focus will be on emotional awareness, self-confidence, puberty-related changes, examination anxiety, bullying, peer rejection and communication difficulties with parents.
Teachers will be sensitised to identify early warning signs such as persistent sadness, irritability, social withdrawal, loss of interest in routine activities, poor concentration, declining academic performance and reluctance to attend school.
The programme will also address concerns arising from excessive gaming, social media dependency, inappropriate online content, sleep deprivation and prolonged screen exposure.
Family conflicts, parental pressure, comparison among siblings, bereavement and exposure to violence or neglect will also be covered as possible factors affecting children's mental well-being.
For students of Classes 9 to 12, the programme will place particular emphasis on board examination pressure, competitive entrance examinations, career uncertainty, fear of failure, peer pressure and emotional exhaustion.
Awareness will also be created about anxiety, depression-related symptoms, body-image concerns, unhealthy eating patterns, relationship difficulties and substance-use risks.
Special attention will be given to recognising warning signs of self-harm and suicidal thoughts. Teachers and designated personnel will be sensitised to identify such situations and ensure urgent referral to appropriate mental health professionals.
Parent-teacher meetings will serve as an important platform for mental health awareness. Parents will be guided on recognising changes in children's behaviour, mood, sleep patterns, academic performance and social interaction. They will also be sensitised to communicate with children in a supportive manner without creating fear or stigma around psychological difficulties.
The project also proposes the creation of student health ambassadors in participating schools.
A senior student health ambassador will be designated as the SAATH coordinator to facilitate awareness activities and communication between students and designated school personnel. Their role will remain limited to peer awareness and supportive communication, without undertaking any diagnosis or treatment.
According to Misra, the proposed framework envisages a multi-stage support and referral mechanism, beginning at the classroom level and extending to specialist psychiatric care wherever required.
Firstly, class teachers will observe behavioural or emotional changes, interact supportively with students and record relevant school-level interventions in a class-wise SAATH assessment and counselling register.
Next, the student ambassadors and the SAATH coordinator will facilitate peer awareness and help students approach designated school personnel for assistance.
Then health department counsellors and designated psychology-qualified teachers will provide counselling, screening, assessment and guidance within their respective professional competencies.
Students requiring specialised psychological assessment will be referred to designated clinics, where clinical psychologists will assess their needs and provide appropriate interventions.
Subsequently, students requiring psychiatric evaluation or treatment will be referred to mental health clinics for assessment by psychiatrists, followed by treatment and clinical follow-up as advised.
The referral mechanism is intended to ensure that students requiring professional intervention receive continued support rather than being left to manage psychological difficulties through school-level assistance alone.
The health department has trained 122 counsellors to strengthen the implementation of the SAATH project (the mental health awareness initiative) across Haryana. These counsellors will coordinate with two designated teachers in each of the 200 government schools identified under the initiative, creating a network of approximately 400 trained teachers.
Dr Brahm Deep, Director, Mental Health, Haryana, said that early identification and timely intervention can prevent psychological difficulties among children from developing into serious mental health conditions.
(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)