Our mission is to strengthen and transform the mental health of our communities to be holistic and responsive in addressing individual and collective well-being. Founded in 2007, the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy (CMHLP) is based in Pune at the Indian Law Society (ILS). ILS, our parent body, a not-for-profit established as a charitable society in 1923. We facilitate pathways that enable people to lead healthy and fulfilling lives. To apply a rights-based approach, we collaborate with stakeholders from multiple disciplines including policymakers, mental health professionals, researchers, civil society organisations, persons with lived experience and the media. We work nationally & internationally, with a specific focus on vulnerable & marginalised populations across low- and middle-income settings. Our work addresses the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We focus on: 1. Policy Change: Working with governments to promote evidence-based policy reform and implementation for mental health and suicide prevention. 2. Implementation Research: Partnering with communities to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative & sustainable real-life solutions to improve mental health, suicide prevention, and social outcomes. 3. Capacity Building: Working with diverse stakeholders using participatory learning to promote a shift in knowledge, attitudes, and practice towards mental health for all. Our work is centred around 7 strategic themes: 1. Law & Policy Reform 2. Community-based Mental Health 3. Suicide Prevention 4. Strengthening Health Systems 5. Peer Support 6. Youth Mental Health 7. Training & Education We are currently working on 10 projects which are all at different stages of implementation. Please check our website for more details on each of these projects.
