Table 2.
Mental health interventions for adolescents in India: recommendations of the reviewed policies and programs
| Platforms | Content | Delivery agents |
|---|---|---|
| Community | Preventive 1. Educating adolescents about mental health concerns through Sablaa and NYKSb teen clubs—(RKSK, NYP) 2. Peer Education (PE) program to build awareness about mental health and other adolescent health concerns—(RKSK) 3. Awareness generation on ill—effects of drug/substance abuse (NYP) |
ANM, ASHA, Peer educators, youth volunteers—(RKSK, NYP) |
| Treatment | ||
| 1. Conducting individual and group support/guidance sessions for youth and their families—(YS) | Yuvasamalochaka and Yuvaparivarthakas—(YS) | |
| Digital | Preventive 1. ‘Saathiya Salah’ mobile app acts as cost-effective information platform for the adolescents (RKSK) |
– |
| Treatment 1. Providing telephonic guidance (Individual and group) for youth and their families—(YS) 2. Saathiya Helpline (in the app) as an e-counselor (RKSK) |
– | |
| Family | Preventive 1. Conducting group/individual sessions with parents to sensitize them on adolescent health needs—(RKSK) |
Medical Officer or ANM—(RKSK) |
| School | Preventive 1. Life skills education—(NMHP; SSA; and RKSK) 2. Educating adolescents about mental health concerns through classroom teaching as per curriculum—(RKSK) |
Teachers and skilled trainers—(NMHP; SSA; and RKSK) |
| Treatment 1. Screening children for mental health problems and other health problems (RKSK) |
Doctors, ANM, pharmacist—(RKSK) | |
| Healthcare facility | Treatment 1. Providing counselling services at AFHC and providing referrals to specialist whenever required—(YS and RKSK) |
ANM, ASHA, dedicated counsellor, Yuvasamalochaka and Yuvaparivarthakas (YS), and Medical officer—(RKSK) |
| 2. Treating new and referral cases and emergency cases at district and specialist hospitals | Psychiatrist, Pediatrician—(RKSK, NMHP) |
aSabla is a centrally sponsored program of Government of India which was initiated to enable adolescent girls for self-development and empowerment by provision of various facilities like health checkup and referral services, nutrition and health education, counseling/guidance on family welfare, life skill education
bNehru Yuva Kendra Sangathan (NYKS) is an autonomous organization of the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, India. It is the largest grass root level apolitical organization in the world, catering to the needs of more than 8 million non-student rural youth enrolled through 2.95 lakh village based youth organizations called Youth Clubs in the areas covering education and training, awareness generation, skill development and self-employment, enterprise creation, thrift and cooperation, besides development of the body through sports and adventure and mind through sustained exposure to new ideas and development strategies