E-Learning Course on Mental Healthcare Act 2017
The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (“MHCA”) is a landmark law that regulates the mental healthcare and treatment of persons with mental illness in India. In particular, it (i) protects the rights of persons with mental illness by placing duties on mental health professionals and mental health establishments, and (ii) provides for the right to access mental healthcare and treatment by placing corresponding obligations on the government to provide appropriate services and facilities.
The MHCA has been enacted in compliance with India’s obligations under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCRPD). It has the potential to transform mental healthcare in India, as it not only guarantees the right to access mental healthcare and treatment, but also ensures that such care is provided in accordance with the will and preferences of persons with mental illness.
It is crucial that mental health professionals and mental health establishments are trained to adopt rights-based approaches and bring about the necessary changes in their clinical practice to comply with the MHCA. Due to the slow progress in implementation and the lack of access to suitable training resources, mental health professionals may face challenges in complying with the law.
To address these gaps, the Centre for Mental Health Law and Policy, Indian Law Society (ILS), has developed an e-learning course on the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, with the objective of enhancing the knowledge, perspectives, and skills of mental health professionals in relation to the MHCA. The course provides an interactive and engaging platform to learn key concepts and provisions of the MHCA, with an emphasis on its practical implementation. Participants who successfully complete the course will receive a certificate from the Indian Law Society.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course, participants will be able to:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the key provisions, principles, and objectives of the MHCA and its alignment with the UNCRPD
- Recognise and apply rights-based approaches in mental healthcare practice, ensuring respect for the dignity, autonomy, and preferences of persons with mental illness
- Interpret and operationalise legal provisions related to capacity, informed consent, advance directives, and the role of nominated representatives
- Identify the functions and responsibilities of mental health authorities, professionals, and establishments as mandated under the MHCA
- Apply the provisions of the MHCA to real-world scenarios, particularly in contexts of admission, treatment, and discharge
- Promote ethical and lawful clinical practice by integrating human rights principles into everyday mental health service delivery
Methodology & Course Structure
This is a self-paced e-course. The content will be delivered through:
- Presentation videos facilitated by experts from the field, providing conceptual clarity and legal interpretation of the MHCA with respect to rights-based mental healthcare
- Short quizzes to reinforce learning and assess understanding
- Reading materials and resources for deeper exploration of key topics
Modules
The MHCA e-course is designed to provide comprehensive training on the law and its practical application through the following nine modules:
Certification
This course is designed for mental health professionals (including psychiatrists, postgraduate psychiatry students, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers and psychiatric nurses working in mental health establishments) who are involved in providing care, treatment, and support to persons with mental illness.
Participants are required to complete the course at their own schedule within a maximum period of six months, after which they will be eligible to receive a certificate from the Indian Law Society.
Enrolment Process and Fee
Enrolling in the MHCA e-course is simple and fully online. The course fee is ₹3,600 (including GST).
- On the MHCA course webpage, click “Enrol Now” in the sidebar.
- You will be redirected to the MHCA Moodle page, where you can register and create your learner account.
- After registration, click “Pay Here” and complete the payment through the SBI payment gateway.
- Once the payment is confirmed, you will receive an automated email with your login credentials and a link to access the course.
If you have any questions on the process, please write to us at learn@cmhlp.org
