NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION, INDIA This would help in increasing the manpower required for addressing mental health issues. Further, AYUSH services need to be integrated in the conventional medical services and thus leading to formation of an inter-sectoral working group which would encourage the flow of knowledge and experience among different domain experts in treating patients effectively. iii. Promoting research in preventive medicine: It is suggested that there is a need to promote research in preventive medicine which would play a huge role in preventing mental health disorders in the first place. In this regard, interventions from the domain of Ayurveda, Siddha, Unani and Homeopathy must be encouraged and advocated. iv. Community based care for providing affordable healthcare services: Burden of mental illness contributes significantly to the treatment gap in India. The costs of long term treatment, including consultation and medication costs, travelling costs to treatment centres and stay in hospital all contribute substantially to the economic burden of mental illness. It is suggested that community based care could be promoted in order to provide substantial benefits to the patients and families by providing affordable healthcare services, thereby reducing the economic burden of mental illness. v. Taking up mental health issues at Gram Sabha level: It is suggested that mental health issues may be taken up in the Gram Sabha meetings in order to understand mental health issues at this level. This would further help in generating awareness and reducing stigma associated with mental health diseases. vi. Advocacy and sensitization programmes: Advocacy and sensitization programmes must be organised for community workers, panchayats, faith healers, teachers, police, ASHAs and Anganwadi Workers who are key resource people at village level and act as community gatekeepers. vii. Incorporation of mental health in training curriculum: Incorporation of mental health in training curriculum of Police Training Centres and District Institute for Education and Training (DIETs) under Education Department can organise training of school teachers as Nodal teachers for Mental Health. viii. Continuous mentoring and supervision of trained professionals in the mental health domain: The professionals including law enforcement officials, mental health professionals and other health professionals should be mentored, and supervised at regular intervals. In order to do so social capital needs to be tapped effectively. ix. Optimum usage of digital technology in delivering mental health services: Digital technology should be leveraged in far flung areas and in a context where access to qualified psychiatrists is difficult. x. Addressing the Shortage of manpower in the domain of Mental Health: To address the shortage of qualified mental health professionals it was thought necessary to ANNUAL REPORT 2019-20 91