Seen, verified. Nimhans meet in Bengaluru moots framework for mental-health apps

Bengaluru: With hundreds of mental-health apps offering limited information and leading up the users on a blind alley, key stakeholders have proposed a repository of apps that provides simple, descriptive summaries relevant to Indian users and support informed decision-making.Many apps have safety vulnerabilities and less than 10% of them have clear evidence backing their programmes. Hence, creation of a repository was one of the key recommendations made on Friday at the concluding session of a three-day national-level consultative meeting here. The meeting deliberated on Digital Technologies for Mental Health: Evolving Policy and Regulatory Recommendations for Safe Use. It was convened by Nimhans-ICMR Centre for Advanced Research (CAR) on Digital Interventions for Mental Health Care in collaboration with the SHUT Unit at Nimhans."The purpose of an end-user-friendly repository of mental health apps is to provide summaries of apps accessible to Indian users. This is not intended as a certification or approval mechanism. Rather, it's an informational resource presented in an easy-to-understand format," said Seema Mehrotra, professor, Nimhans-ICMR CAR.She added, "Our systematic review of mobile apps available on Google Play Store and Apple App Store has highlighted both opportunities and concerns. Users face confusion due to the fragmented and crowded app ecosystem. We observed privacy and safety vulnerabilities, non-compliance with regulations, and limited evidence — only about 5%-11% of apps have clear evidence backing them. There is also a lack of collaboration between mental health and technology experts. Many apps lack crisis support and escalation pathways. Another concern is the ‘dead-end funnel', where users receive disclaimers instead of meaningful guidance for help-seeking."She added that a pilot repository was already initiated through ICMR and Nimhans, based on a systematic review of publicly available apps, and currently includes around 350 apps. The repository is available at https://centrefordigitalmentalhealth.in/ and includes several filters such as platform, mental health concern, therapeutic approach, primary focus and cost.The ICMR-CAR made other recommendations, including constitution of a high-powered committee to develop a national, tiered governance framework for mental health applications, and establishing a national directory for voluntary listing of apps that meet minimum requirements, similar to accreditation models. They proposed launching a digital mental health literacy course by Nimhans for mental health service providers, and disseminating stakeholder-specific guidelines after due approval from the health ministry.APP AND ABOUTAssess app credibility and understand privacy implicationsTreat apps as adjuncts rather than substitutes for other sources of helpStay alert to signs of continued distress or dependencyDiscuss app usage with healthcare providersMSID:: 130334412 413 |Get real-time updates and result insights on the CBSE 12 Result 2026.