The Central Mental Health Authority (CMHA) has issued the Mental Healthcare (Central Mental Health Authority) Amendment Regulations, 2025, which introduce a new chapter to classify and categorize mental health establishments in India. These regulations aim to create a standardized framework for the registration and operation of mental health services under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. The regulations come into effect from August 13, 2025.
All mental health establishments, as defined in the new regulations, are now required to be registered with the respective Authority under Section 65 of the Act.
New Classifications and Categories
The new rules classify mental health establishments into five distinct categories based on their function and services offered:
Category A: Standalone Mental Health Establishments
These are dedicated centers providing in-patient mental health services, independent of general or multi-specialty hospitals. This category includes standalone central and state mental hospitals, private mental hospitals, and psychiatric nursing homes.
Services may include acute crisis intervention, long-term care, substance use disorder treatment, and comprehensive psychiatric services.
Category B: Psychiatric Department of Medical Colleges
These establishments have in-patient facilities as part of medical colleges, offering an integrated clinical and academic structure. They provide clinical care, undergraduate/postgraduate training, and may engage in psychiatric research, while also offering integrated care for co-morbid psychiatric and physical health conditions.
Category C: Psychiatric Wards of Multi-specialty Hospitals
This category includes psychiatric units or wards within general or multi-specialty hospitals, as well as units under the District Mental Health Programme in district, sub-district, or community health centers. They provide short- to medium-term in-patient care, integrated care for co-morbid conditions, and emergency/crisis interventions.
Category D: Standalone De-addiction Centres
These are dedicated, standalone centers for specialized in-patient services for substance use disorders. This includes facilities like Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts under the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment.
Services range from short-term detoxification to long-term residential rehabilitation and withdrawal management.
Category E: Centres for Psychosocial Rehabilitation
These centers provide residential psychosocial rehabilitation and long-term community-based care for individuals with mental healthcare needs. This includes quarter-way homes, halfway homes, and long-stay homes that offer overnight stays.
Services focus on life skills, vocational training, independent living, and social reintegration.
This new classification system aims to bring greater clarity and structure to the mental healthcare sector, ensuring that all facilities adhere to a clear set of standards and are properly registered for regulatory oversight.