Community Mental Health Services

1. Community Mental Health Services are developed to extend the services provided at the institution to the community.

2. This is done so to reduce the treatment gap, increase access to patients to services and to make the services more patient centric.

3. Ministry of Health directive, General Circular No 01-04/2003 dated 08.04.2003 issued by the

Director General of Health Services recognises the work done by the Community Mental Health

Team under the directive of the Consultant Psychiatrist and authorization of the Director to be considered as part of their routine institutional duties.

4. Community Mental Teams are recognised as follows.

5. When working in a TEAM please remember ―Together Everyone Achieves More‖

6. Medical Officers - Psychiatry (Duty list as per General Circular No 02-27/2013 dated 17.01.2013 by the Director General of Health Services) and Medical Officers - Mental Health (Duty list as per

General Circular No 01-03/2005 dated 18.11.2004 by the Director General of Health Services ) are expected to engage in Community Mental Health Work as part of their fiduciary duties.

7. Community Psychiatry Nursing Officers (CPN) are officers assigned to perform mental health care services including mental health promotion, prevention, curative care and rehabilitation to the targeted community under the clinical guidance of the Consultant Psychiatrist/ Medical Officer -

Psychiatry/ Medical Officer - Mental Health (CPN Job Description, Ministry of Health, 2017)

8. Psychiatric Social Workers, Occupational THerapists are also considered part of the Community

Teams. 9. Community Mental Health Teams carry following activities under the supervision of the Consultant

Psychiatrist. a. Home Visits b. Community Domiciliary Visits and Depot Program c. Outreach Clinics d. Community Based Rehabilitation e. Community Based Psychosocial Evaluation and Aid f. Default Tracing g. Supporting the 1990 Suwasariya teams for admission of patients to NIMH

10. NIMH shall also have a Community Mental Health Center as a coordinating center for all community based activities which shall be maintained by the CPN Coordinator.

11. Community Mental Health Teams must function as an extension of the relevant Psychiatry Unit under the leadership of the Consultant.