Strategic mental health psychosocial responses in times of COVID-19 in India

Abstract

The magnitude of the mental health problems and the treatment gap has been an unaddressed concern in the Indian public health system. With the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic, India is at the brink of a mental health crisis. An overburdened health system will have to cater not just to the existing mental health needs, but also to the added psychosocial adversities arising due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The following article aims to describe the mental health needs of the nation at a time of an infectious epidemic. It further outlines the modalities and the process of service delivery using cross-sectoral, multi-tiered, transdisciplinary human resources, and technological interventions.