Bengaluru, 6 June

The State government approved establishment of care centres for mentally challenged in Chitradurga, Yadgir, Kolar, and Bidar districts, with a grant limit of Rs 6 crore.

The centres will be established in collaboration with NGO Aaladamara Foundation, said an order issued by the health department on Friday.

It was declared in the Budget 2025, care centres for mentally ill persons will be established at district-level hospitals in the state in collaboration with NGOs.

The order issued on Friday stated that in the remaining 27 districts, too, care centres will be established at district-level hospitals in collaboration with NGOs.

According to the Mental Health Care Act 2017, it is the duty of a police officer to protect persons found wandering aimlessly on the streets, as these individuals are at risk of causing harm to themselves or others or creating public nuisance due to their mental state.

The Act also prescribes that it is essential to initiate community-based, human rights-friendly care, support, assessment, and treatment for these individuals.

“Due to challenges in accessing nearby mental health services, thousands of mentally ill persons leave their homes and become homeless every year. Identifying mentally ill persons among the homeless and bringing them to a safe place is a key function of the system,” added the preamble to the order.