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, is a not-for-profit that was established as a charitable society in 1923.

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.

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:

  • Policy Change: Working with governments to promote evidence-based policy reform and implementation for mental health and suicide prevention.
  • Implementation Research: Partnering with communities to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative & sustainable real-life solutions to improve mental health, suicide prevention, and social outcomes.
  • 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

PARTNERS

Who logo
SCARF
Sage bionetworks
Quicksand
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
Anjali
Department of Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Gujarat
BCCP LOgo- Spirit
SNEHA -Spirit
Hospital for MH -Spirit
Trimbos -Spirit
Department of Health & Family Welfare, Govt. of Chhattisgarh
Fields of View
World Health Organization, South East Asian Regional Office (WHO-SEARO)
Sangath
Hasiru Dala
ACF (Ambuja Cement Foundation)
Thumbi labs
Sangath ARG

FUNDERS

GCC Supported
wellcome trust vector logo
Comic Relief
MHI
TFF
NIMH
Indian Council of Medical Research
European Union Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Program
APF (Azim Premji Foundation)