Are you underpaid as a Mental Health Professional? - Understand the Root of Where the Financial Issue is Coming From
The Union Budget 2025 of India has allocated ?79.6 crore to the National Tele Mental Health Programme, reflecting a modest increase from the ?65 crore allocated in the previous fiscal year and 37,226.92 crore has been allocated to the National Health Mission (NHM) (Union Budget, 2025). This increment underscores the government's recognition of the growing importance of mental health services.
Despite this increase, the overall allocation for mental health remains a small fraction of the total health budget. In the 2024-25 budget, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare received ?90,958.63 crore, with mental health allocations constituting approximately 0.1% of this total. This proportion is notably low, especially considering that an estimated 15% of India's population requires mental health care (Adler & Alexandar, 2023).
The National Tele Mental Health Programme aims to enhance accessibility to mental health services, particularly in underserved and rural areas. By leveraging technology, this initiative seeks to bridge the gap between mental health professionals and those in need, offering services such as teleconsultations and remote counseling.
However, the current funding levels may not suffice to address the extensive mental health challenges faced by the country. The limited allocation restricts the expansion of services, recruitment and training of mental health professionals, and public awareness campaigns necessary to destigmatize mental health issues.
If you are wondering, how does this affect my payment as a mental health professional. Let's break the numbers down.
Numbers Don't Lie: Let's break it more concretely
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India's population is approximately 1.4 billion. With 15% of the population needing mental health care, this translates to 210 million individuals requiring assistance. Given the ?90 crore allocation to the National Tele Mental Health Programme, the per capita expenditure amounts to approximately ?0.43 per person in need.
This minimal per capita allocation highlights the significant disparity between the resources allocated and the actual demand for mental health services. Such limited funding per individual is insufficient to provide meaningful support, including access to therapy, medication, or community-based interventions.
While the increased allocation to the National Tele Mental Health Programme in the Union Budget 2025 is a step in the right direction, it remains inadequate when compared to the vast mental health needs of the Indian population. Substantial investment is essential to develop a robust mental health infrastructure, train professionals, and implement widespread awareness campaigns. Addressing mental health challenges effectively requires a comprehensive approach backed by sufficient funding to ensure accessible and quality care for all individuals in need.
Unless - we change things at the system level, it won't have much impact at the gross root level. This highlights a need for systemic change and refining/revamping of the country's approach to mental health!
Sources:
RCI MPhil Clinical Psychology trainee
2 周Found out about this a couple years ago and it is disappointing