TN Mental Health Authorities List Minimum Standards for Deaddiction Centers

A center of off-circle in Madurai GRH. File | Image source: G. Moorthy

Tamil Nadu National Mental Health Authority outlines the minimum standards for off-circle centres in the state, which include a ban on physical, mental and sexual abuse or violence. It also specifies conditions where physical constraints can be used.

“If this is the only way to prevent immediate and direct damage to the person concerned or to others, it should be approved by a psychiatrist. In the case table, the limit duration should be recorded in the case table and a separate register is retained for this purpose.”

Authorities also designated minimum qualifications for those who will participate in the work center. These include qualified doctors (MBBs), psychiatrists (DPM, MD or DNB psychiatry), social workers (MSWs in medicine and psychiatry), psychologists (psychology or their equivalent), and registered staff nurses (nurturing degree or diploma).

CCTV camera

A provision by Tamil Nadu National Mental Health Care (De-Inddiction Centers Penters) says that in 2025, the minimum standard for mental health care in Tamil Nadu state, CCTV cameras should be installed in entrances and exits, shared areas, restaurants and general wards, and digital video recording and retrieval must be retained.

As for admission procedures, the regulations say that individuals with drug use disorders (SUD) can only be sent to the off-circle center after evaluation by psychiatrists. It said that with the person’s consent, the admission to the school entrance center should be carried out by a registered doctor.

The degumming center is classified as a comprehensive cancellation work center and rehabilitation center with SUDS population, and the authority has listed the human resources and equipment requirements for each category. It says detoxification services include detoxification and rehabilitation.

While detox treatment is a medical intervention that can safely manage a person through the process of acute withdrawal, rehabilitation treatment involves ongoing therapeutic services to promote recovery of patients with substance abuse designed to address long-standing mental, social and behavioral problems.