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Voice of ACMI is the Voice of advocacy. By advocacy we mean, activities and strategies that can impact legislation, policies and programs. The results of this impact can create a framework of support across all sections of the population, cutting across barriers of geography, and of social and economic status.
OUR CONCERNS
Mental Health Manpower Concerns
5% to 8% of the 40 million affected persons currently receive treatment provided by about 4000 mental health professionals including 2000 psychiatrists as against UK that has 1 psychiatrist per 25,000 population, the US has 1 per 10,000, Denmark and Iceland have 1 per 2000-3000, and Eastern Europe has 1 per 10,000. There is neither a National Mental Health Plan nor a manpower policy to improve this serious anomaly.
Minimum Standards and Licensing - Concerns
Many institutions and homes for the mentally ill persons are run without licenses mandatary under The Mental Health Act, 1987. This is mainly on account of unrealistic legal norms like 1:10 Psychiatrist to patient ratio for a country like India where the current ratio is 1:20000!
Brain drain among Psychiatrists is an added concern!
Concerns about legal Anomalies
Lack of legal orientation to human rights issues of the affected persons.
Lack of institutional and legal support to the largest stakeholders viz. the family caregivers
Lack of legal norms that are practical and user friendly to families and affected persons.
Lack of consolidated code of civil rights and inconsistancies therein with other laws.
Concerns of Families
Lack of access to treatment centers in close proximity.
No right to appoint guardians of their choice under Mental Health Act, 1987.
No support provided in Emergencies for crisis management of patients.
No affordable means of rehabilitation and long term care.
No safety for the patients especially girls to live in the community after the death of the family caregivers.
Concerns of Consumers(or affected persons)
Lack of Emergency support in crisis.
Lack of public empathy resulting in humiliation and low self esteem.
Non-availability of maintenance allowance that is guaranteed to all disabled ( and paid to others ) under the Persons with Disabilities Act, 1995
No reservations in government jobs for those can work
Denial of equal opportunities in civil rights like any other citizen.
| Do not believe the social myths about the mentally ill persons. They are neither dangerous nor vicious. Mental Illness is an illness of the brain that is treatable. Unfortunately because the symptoms of the illness are not socially acceptable, the mentally ill are labeled and stigmatized. It is only the family members who can fight this stigma.
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INTERNATIONAL SITES ON HUMAN RIGHTS
http://www.un.org/Overview/rights.html
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_cescr.htm
http://www.unhchr.ch/html/menu3/b/a_ccpr.htm
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