Mental Health Crisis in Jharkhand: Urgent Need for Support and Resources for Girls Under 18

Ranchi: Jharkhand is grappling with a shortage of mental health support, including lack of trained staff, insufficient accommodation facilities, and weak outreach beyond the urban centres, for girls under 18, experts said.

District legal service authority secratary Ravi Bhaskar said, “The state continues to lag in providing inclusive and accessible care despite increasing awareness of mental health challenges.”

“No institution in the state has the capacity to accommodate girls, below 18 years, suffering from mental illnesses. Though treatment is provided in mental health facilities, many girls find themselves abandoned after recovery as their families often refuse to take them back,” he added.

Also, there are no dedicated accommodation facilities for persons with mental illnesses, who are orphans or homeless. Hence, some children with mental health conditions are housed in general shelters (balashrams) along with other children.

Rinpas director Dr Amool Ranjan, said, “The institution promotes strong community mental health programmes. But most schools and local initiatives are not equipped to deal with adolescent emotional or behavioural issues.”

Dr Nishant Goyal of the Central Institute of Psychiatry said, “The state lacks adolescent mental health comprehensive action plan, leading to inconsistent implementation and limited accountability in service delivery. There is a significant shortage of psychiatrists, making it difficult to provide mental health support, particularly in rural and remote areas.”

According to a recent study by the PMC (National Institutes of Health), state's mental illness prevalence stands at 11.1%, exceeding the national average. The study also notes rising cases of depression, anxiety disorders, suicide, and substance dependency, especially in tribal and rural areas, where mental health literacy remains critically low.

Institutions such as the Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences (Rinpas) and the Central Institute of Psychiatry (CIP) manage severe psychiatric cases, but early intervention and community-based services for common mental disorders are scarce. Rinpas rolled out District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) for mental health support across the 24 districts.







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