Historical Background/Periodical Development
The National Mental Health Programme was initiated by the Government of India to integrate Mental Health with other Health services at rural level. It is being implemented in the state of Maharashtra since 1982, Maharashtra was the first state to implement the National Mental Health Programme.

State level Mental Health Cell is established at Directorate of Health Services Mumbai vide Public Health Department G.R.No.MHP–1090/CR–185/Arogya–3 Dt.20/07/1990. Additional Director Health Services (Mental Health) is Programme Officer.

Since last 3 decades Occupational Therapists and Psychiatric social workers are working in full strength towards rehabilitation and counselling. Over a period of last 5 years as per the Supreme Court guidelines there is a revamp in the living condition of the inmates, so as to meet the protocal of human rights of mentally ill patients. After enactment of Mental Health Act the Board of Visitors and guidelines of State Mental Health Authority are strictly followed. All other various services in the field of Gynaecology, ENT, Dentistry are also made available with the help of Medical Officers of the Hospital. Liasion services with help of District General Hospital, District Tuberculosis Officer, District Leprosy Officer help us in giving further specialised health services to our inmates.

Objectives of National Mental Health Programme

• To take (outreach) Mental Health Services to remote village along with other health Services.
• To delegate – assign different tasks – responsibilities in Mental Health Services properly.
• To take Mental Health an indispensable component of General Health Services.
• To integrate all these schemes with other Community/Social development schemes.
• To enlist people’s participation in Mental Health Services.

Strategy
Use of Mental Health Professionals within the hospital namely the Psychiatrist, Psychiatric Nurses, Psychiatric Social Workers and Occupational Therapist under the guidance of Director of Health Services and Additional Director of Health Services (Mental Health) Mumbai. The idea is to treat acutely ill/Violent/unmanageable/mentally ill patients within the institute and make them managable at home level and send them back in the society in such way so as to make them earn their own bread with due respect. To treat the chronic managable patients and chronic silent patients on OPD basis as a part of maintainance therapy.

Activities
District Mental Health Programme
Three type System

• State Mental Health Cell.
• Regional Mental Hospital.
• District Mental Health Centre at District Hospital.

Activities of 4 Regional Mental Hospital
Indoor

• Active pharmaco therapy.
• Necessary medical therapy.
• Modified electro convulsive therapy.
• Counselling.
• Occupational therapy for rehabilitation.
• Counselling of de–addiction.
• Art therapy/Music therapy.
• Agricultural activities.
• Celebration of all the festivals irrespective of caste & creed through out the year for hospital inmates.
• Annual sports and cultural events is celebrated in the month of February and Independance Day is also celebrated.
• Special ward for physically ill patients one each for male and female.
• Special section one each from male & female side for epileptic patients.
• One criminal ward for criminal mentally ill patients on male side.

Outdoor

• Pharmaco therapy.
• Counselling.
• Modified Electro Convulsive Therapy.