ACMI has a cumulative experience of more than a decade working with the direct stakeholders in the field of mental illness. Besides, the proven track record , our core competency lies in promoting the four pillars of advocacy- political; legal; social and media. ACMI has achievements to its credit in all the four dimensions.

Political Advocacy
  • Lobbying with the State Govt for Karnataka Mental Health plan of Action ( which has now become a Writ Petition)
  • Introducing the Disability Measurement scales for MI into execution in Karnataka with practical suggestions that are implemented by the govt.
  • Campaigning for BLR Rural District Medical Board
  • Membership in KA Sub-Committee for Mental Health Plan.
  • Erstwhile membership in other task groups set up by the Govt. like the Residential Care Project Estimate Committee etc.
  • Currently, we are engaged in lobbying with GOI for legislative amendments . We have set up a volunteer core in Delhi made up of care givers called ROSHNI volunteers for ACMI who are joining hands with us to promote this.
  • Spearheading Income Tax rebate in the Finance Bill of 2005 for MI persons and their family benefactors.
  • GO letter 9/2004-05 dated 18.01.05 was issued to provide maintenance allowance for all persons with MI in the State on par with other disabled persons.
  • Campaigns for User Friendly WHO Essential Drug List. DL In the course of ACMI’s endeavors to protest against Patents and royalties affecting the prices of psychiatric drugs, we came across the 1fact that the 13th WHO EDL (Essential Drug List) that has dropped all the atypical antipsychotic drugs.This has serious implications for a country like India that goes by WHO drug list as a primary reference point. ACMI has pursued the matter with the World Fellowship of Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (WFSAD), an international apex body of family support groups, SHGs and consumer lobbies located at Toronto, Canada. WFSAD has represented the matter to WHO and is proposing to submit its application for inclusion of atypical drugs in its next EDL to WHO. Before June 2006. It is learnt that WFSAD has submitted the letter.
Social Advocacy
Our current projects known as KSHEMA , KUSHALA and Uthama Sahaya are currently in progress at Anekal , Kanakapura in rural BLR under the aegis of NIMHANS. ; and thru telemedicine from Narayana Hrudayalaya , Bangalore addressing consumers and care givers in 5 districts of Karnataka at Chamrajnagara, Chitradurga, Mandya , Bidar and Karwar. The most unique family to family program KSHEMA at NIMHANS run by AMEND self help group has crossed 500 families since its inception in 2003.

Legal Advocacy:
Legal activism has become the flagship of ACMI . Our initiative has led to the crystallization of an unique model of team work between ACMI, GOK and the legal experts in the state of Karnataka.
  • ACMI held the first Legal Literacy workshop for Family and patient empowerment in BLR on May 5th and 6th, 2006. 60 participants across the country attended. we have brought out a White Paper and a Report. The purpose of the Workshop was to achieve legislative amendments to Mental Health Act 1987 for rights of the persons with MI.
  • As a follow up on the above, ACMI completed a credit course on Law and Mental Illness in NLSUI for undergrad students of Law.
  • Supreme Court Case WP No. 562 of 2001 :
    • ACMI’s case in SC ( see website for the full case ) came up for hearing on the 28th of October, 2005 . Hearing was postponed to February 2006; came up for haering in August 2006 with an Order passed that there will be no further postponement.The three bench judge headed by Chief Justice Saberwal was categorical on no further postponement and had also asked the GOI to respond to the pleas in the intervention made by ACMI.
    • Legal Notice - A second legal notice was on 21-09-05 sent to the Ministry of Health and Family welfare as to why the National Rural Health Mission does not include Mental Health? Surprisingly, a reply was received on 26.11.05. Since it was not convincing enough, we have filed a separate affidavit along with the above.
  • KA High Court case
    Legal activism in Karnataka has helped us achieve many things that reflect our concept of advocacy in spirit and letter. Besides influencing the mental health policy , ACMI has been responsible for budget allocations for mental health in the State. Other achievements as a result of legal activism of the High Court of Karnataka are listed below.
  • Full time Joint Director appointed for mental health.
  • Budget allocation of Rs 210 lakhs in the State
  • Supply of Psychiatric drugs to all districts
  • 14 out of 27 districts have Psychiatrists
  • 9 Clinical Psychologists and 26 PSWs posts created and dept. recruitment sanctioned.
  • Setting up of Medical Boards in all 27 districts of Karnataka for activation of ID cards to be given to MI persons with more than 40% disability in every district.
  • Psychaitry OPD Camps to be held in traditional healing centres where MI persons are kept.
  • State hospital at Dharwad becomes family friendly mental health institute and converted from “closed’ to “open’ ward system by facilitating the stay of family members with patienst as care givers in the hospital. Criminal wards separated form other wards.
  • Planning training schedules and budget for it
  • User friendly drug policy introduced
  • Budget allocation applied for 4 long term residential care homes and 9 self help groups in Karnataka .by the Directorate . of Welfare of the Disabled in WCD Dept. of GOK.
© 2004 Action for Mental Illness, Bangalore, India