It has been decided to form a coordination committee in all the districts of Tamil Nadu to monitor and develop mental health activities at the district level. Aforesaid committee will be named as District Mental Health Coordination Committees. The District Collector will be the chairman for the committee and the members are Joint Director of Health Services, Deputy Director of Public Health, District Rehabilitation Officer, Two representatives from NGOs working in the field of mental health and one relative of a mentally ill person. Following are the guidelines for formation of the District Mental Health Coordination Committees.

1. District Mental Health Coordination Committees: The Tamil Nadu State Mental Health Authority shall cause the appointment by the State Government, District Mental Health Coordination Committee in each district in Tamil Nadu to oversee, guide and coordinate mental health related activities in their respective districts to achieve the objectives of the Mental Health Act,

2. Aim and Objectives District Mental Health Coordination Committees

• To advice regarding improving and strengthening the infrastructure, man power and organizational settings of various mental health care providing centres in the respective districts, both in Government and private sectors.
  

• To make periodic inspection of places where mentally ill persons are detained and ensure human rights of mentally ill
  
• To bring together Community leaders, Mental Health Professionals, and government functionaries in a common forum so that ideas and experiences could be shared and resources pooled to evolve Mental Health Programmes that is affordable and accessible to all sections of people in the area.
  
• To promote awareness about mental health in the districts?
  
• To coordinate between governmental and non-governmental organization in propmotion of mental health in the district.
  
• To take effective steps that will integrate mental health programme with other Programmes?
  
• To raise resources from Non- Governmental Sector with an objective to upgrade the Mental Health Services in the Region

3. Constitution of District Mental Health Coordination Committees

• The District Mental Health Coordination Committees will have the following members:

  • The District CollectorChairman
    
  • Joint Director of Health ServicesOfficial Members
    
  • District Psychiatrist
    
  • Inspector for Psychiatric Hospital or?Nursinghome appointed under the provisions of Mental Health Act
    
  • Deputy Director of Health services
    
  • Deputy director of Public Health
    
  • District Rehabilitation Officer
    
  • District Social Welfare Officer
    
  • Two representatives from Non-Governmental Non-official members Organization working in the field of mental health
    
  • One relative of a mentally ill person

4. Appointment of non-official members:

The Government shall appoint a non-official members once in three years based on recommendation of the District Mental Health Coordination Committees made after its first meeting.

5. Secretary to District Mental Health Coordination Committees:

One of the psychiatrist members shall be appointed as the part secretary, by the chairman, as soon as a new committee is constituted,

6. Functions of the Secretary to District Mental Health Coordination Committees: The Secretary shall Co-ordinate the functioning of committee implement resolutions and decisions of the committee and do all such executive duties to realise the objectives of the committee. He shall maintain minutes of the meetings, and also prepare reports of activities for presentation during committee meetings.

7. Term of Office: Term of office of the secretary shall be for three years, In case the secretary for personal reasons or for the reason of being transferred by government or resigns, the chairman shall appoint a new secretary from among psychiatrist-members of the board for the remaining portion of three-year tenure,

8. Meetings of District Mental Health Coordination Committees:

The District Mental Health Coordination Committees shall meet at least twice in a year Further meetings shall be held as and when needed as decided by the Chairman on the basis of request by members

9. Report of the District Mental Health Coordination Committees

Minutes of the meeting and half yearly performance report in triplicate should be sent to the Tamil Nadu State Mental Health Authority