Centre for Psychosocial Support in Disaster Management

NIMHANS has been involved in psychosocial support and mental health services (PSSMHS) for survivors of disasters in the past four decades. This includes providing psychosocial first aid, care, support, rehabilitation, reconstruction, preparedness, capacity building, hazard vulnerability risk reduction and mitigation. Further, human resource development, research, program developments and policy initiatives have been in the forefront. NIMHANS has been recognized by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GOI, as a nodal centre for Psychosocial support in (PSS) in disaster in 2005, as a ‘Centre of Excellence’ by the National Disaster Management Authority in 2010, and a Nodal centre for Psychosocial support and Mental Health services for the COVID 19 pandemic in 2020.

Recognizing the need for furtherance of the objectives of PSSMHS, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, GoI sanctioned the Centre for Psycho Social Support in Disaster Management at NIMHANS in August 2019. Since its enhancement it has been striving to upkeep the vision and mission not only at the national level but the international level in the specialized crosscutting theme of psychosocial support and mental health services in promotive, preventive and curative aspects.