Haryana brings mental health institutions under a six-category regulatory framework; registration, patient safety norms tightened

Rs. 25,000 permanent registration fee prescribed; de-addiction centres face mandatory patient reporting, safeguards against physical restraint and stricter oversight

Chandigarh, 

Haryana has introduced a comprehensive regulatory framework covering six categories of mental health establishments, including standalone mental health establishments, psychiatric departments of medical colleges, psychiatric wards of multi-specialty hospitals, de-addiction centres, centres for psychosocial rehabilitation and other institutions. It brings their registration, staffing, patient safety, treatment records, and institutional accountability under prescribed standards.

Additional Chief Secretary, Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Sumita Misra, said here on Wednesday that the Mental Healthcare (State Mental Health Authority) Regulations, 2026, notified by the state Health Department on October 9 under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, establish a framework for regulating mental healthcare institutions across the state.

The regulations prescribe a Rs. 25,000 fee for permanent registration, require documentary evidence of compliance with minimum standards, and introduce provisions on professional qualifications, patients' rights, medical records, physical restraint, privacy, hygiene, fire safety, and accessibility.

Dr. Misra said the regulations classify mental health establishments into six categories, A to F, based on their nature and services. Institutions must follow the applicable registration process under Section 65 of the Mental Healthcare Act. The framework extends beyond conventional mental hospitals and de-addiction centres to psychiatric departments in medical colleges, psychiatric units in general hospitals, residential rehabilitation facilities and specified institutions providing treatment for substance use disorders.

The regulations prescribe minimum standards for accommodation, sanitation, medical equipment, staffing, and emergency preparedness. They include provisions for adequate ventilation, separate beds, clean bedding, water supply, sanitation facilities for male and female patients, power backup, and safe biomedical waste disposal.

The standards prohibit residents from sleeping on the floor and require institutions to maintain arrangements for privacy, personal dignity, and safety.

*Strict safeguards against physical restraint*

A significant provision concerns the use of physical restraint on patients undergoing mental healthcare. The regulations require institutions to minimise restraint, train staff in alternative crisis management methods, and document when physical restraint is necessary.

For inpatient facilities, restraint is permitted only to prevent patients from harming themselves or others, with authorisation from the medical practitioner on duty or consultant psychiatrist.

Institutions subject to the reporting requirement must submit monthly restraint reports to their respective District Mental Health Review Board within the first week of the following month.

The regulations also address patient confidentiality, protection against discrimination, gender-sensitive treatment, access to medical records and procedures for registering advance directives concerning future mental healthcare.

Mandatory monitoring of de-addiction patients

Standalone de-addiction centres classified under Category D are required to register all patients on the Haryana De-addiction Monitoring System Portal. Specified Category F institutions providing emergency treatment for substance use disorders must ensure psychiatric supervision and upload patient information to the same portal.

The regulatory framework also has implications for de-addiction and rehabilitation institutions operating under the National Action Plan for Drug Demand Reduction.

The Haryana SEWA Department, via a September 18 communication referring to a September 9 directive from the Union Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, asked district authorities to expedite registration of existing Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts and De-addiction Centres not registered with the State Mental Health Authority. Member-secretaries of district-level committees, were asked to facilitate registration, ensure compliance with applicable standards and obtain copies of valid registration certificates.

Mental healthcare access in every district

The regulatory framework must be implemented alongside the government's broader obligations under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. Section 18 of the Act provides for access to mental healthcare, including outpatient and inpatient treatment, rehabilitation, community-based support and services for children and older persons.

The Act requires government-run or government-funded minimum mental health services in every district. It also provides treatment arrangements where services are unavailable locally. Overall, the regulations aim to improve the quality of mental healthcare, strengthen public confidence in treatment facilities and protect individuals and families seeking psychiatric, rehabilitation and de-addiction services.