DPSSDM NIMHANS

NIMHANS has been involved in psychosocial support and mental health services (PSSMHS) for survivors of disasters for over last four decades. This included providing psychosocial first aid, care, support, rehabilitation, human resource development, research, policy measures and program developments. NIMHANS has been recognized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, as a nodal centre for Psychosocial support (PSS) in disaster in 2005 and as a Centre of Excellence by the National Disaster Management Authority in 2010. Recognizing the need for the furtherance of the objectives of PSSMHS, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI sanctioned the Centre for Psychosocial Support in Disaster Management at NIMHANS in August 2019 and later centre has become the department of psychosocial support in disaster management. Since its inception, the department has been involved in providing psychosocial support and mental health services to survivors of varied disasters, capacity building, human resource development, carrying out prevention, mitigation and preparedness activities at various levels, such as individual, family, community, society, hospitals, and organizations. DPSSDM has a multidisciplinary team consisting of Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatric Social Workers, and Psychiatric Nurses. The department is well equipped with human resources, infrastructure, and technology to carry out capacity, research, and service-related activities in a holistic manner across the country. Also, the department has been running the national helpline sanctioned by MoHFW, Gol to provide tele-counselling services to the general public and disaster survivors across the country. This facility is available in 13 languages and a total of 600 mental health professionals from different states are connected with it. It has reached nearly 400,000 people in crisis during the pandemic and about 50,000 individuals are provided continued care. The centre has recently completed a major project in 6 major cities covering 5 States on Psychosocial Support disaster preparedness, risk reduction, and resilience building in communities with multi-sectoral government and non-government organizations under the Ministry of Home Affairs, UNDP, and US Aid funding. The centre is also involved in the vision of the National Guidelines on Psychosocial Support and Mental Health Services in disasters for the National Disaster Management Authority, Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India.

For more information, please reach us

Department of Psychosocial Support in Disaster Management,

III, IV & V Floor, DPSSDM Building, Behind SBI Bank,

NIMHANS, Bengaluru - 560029

Website link : nimhans.ac.in/pssdm