Haryana has launched the SAATH project, a school-based mental health initiative covering 200 government schools, to identify and address psychological difficulties among students in Classes 6 to 12.
The programme will bring together the Health and School Education departments, teachers, parents, student volunteers, counsellors, clinical psychologists and psychiatrists. Its focus areas include examination anxiety, depression, bullying, social isolation, excessive screen use and substance-use risks.
Additional Chief Secretary for Health and Family Welfare Sumita Misra outlined the initiative. The programme follows concerns over student behaviour and safety in schools, including a recent incident in Panchkula in which an eight-year-old student allegedly assaulted a six-year-old girl inside a classroom.
122 counsellors and 400 teachers to support students
The Health Department has trained 122 counsellors who will work with designated teachers in the 200 selected schools. Each school will identify two teachers, creating a network of approximately 400 trained educators.
The teachers will receive structured training in recognising signs of psychological distress, communicating with students and following appropriate referral procedures.
The programme will use separate approaches for two age groups, Classes 6 to 8 and Classes 9 to 12, to address their different developmental and emotional needs.
Different support for middle and senior school students
For students in Classes 6 to 8, the programme will focus on emotional awareness, self-confidence, puberty-related changes, examination anxiety, bullying, peer rejection and communication difficulties with parents.
Teachers will be trained to recognise possible warning signs, including persistent sadness, irritability, social withdrawal, poor concentration, declining academic performance and reluctance to attend school.
The programme will also address excessive gaming, social media dependency, inappropriate online content and sleep deprivation.
For students in Classes 9 to 12, the emphasis will shift towards board examination pressure, competitive entrance tests, career uncertainty, fear of failure and emotional exhaustion. Sessions will also cover body-image concerns, unhealthy eating patterns, relationship difficulties and substance-use risks.
The guidelines place particular emphasis on identifying warning signs of self-harm and suicidal thoughts and ensuring that students receive urgent professional assistance when required.
Five-stage system to identify and refer students
SAATH proposes a five-stage support mechanism that begins with classroom observation and extends to specialist psychiatric care.
Classroom identification: Class teachers will observe behavioural and emotional changes, speak to students supportively and record relevant interventions in a dedicated SAATH Assessment and Counselling Register.
Peer support: Student Health Ambassadors and a designated SAATH Coordinator will promote awareness and help students approach school personnel for assistance.
School-level counselling: Health Department counsellors and psychology-trained teachers will provide counselling, screening and guidance within their professional roles.
Specialist assessment: Students requiring further psychological assessment will be referred to designated Adolescent Friendly Life Clinics (AFLCs), where clinical psychologists can evaluate their needs.
Psychiatric care: Students requiring medical or psychiatric intervention will be referred to Mental Health Clinics for assessment, treatment and follow-up.
The student ambassadors will have a limited role in awareness and peer communication. They will not be responsible for diagnosing or treating mental health conditions.
Parents to be included in the programme
Parent-Teacher Meetings will serve as an important part of the initiative. Parents will be guided to recognise changes in their children's mood, sleep, academic performance and social behaviour.
The programme will encourage families to communicate with children without creating fear or stigma around psychological difficulties. Family conflict, parental pressure, bereavement and exposure to violence or neglect will also be addressed as factors that may affect a student's well-being.
Teacher training through digital modules
The Mental Health Department will prepare standardised training modules for teachers and counsellors. These will be delivered through the ECHO platform and official digital channels, including YouTube.
The first level of training will cover child mental health, developmental changes, early warning signs and referral procedures for students in Classes 6 to 8.
The second level will address adolescent mental health, examination stress, peer pressure, substance-use prevention and more complex behavioural concerns among students in Classes 9 to 12.
The training will also cover confidentiality, child safeguarding and sensitive communication to prevent students from facing discrimination or stigma.
Programme aims to reach senior students within a year
The immediate target is to reach students in Classes 9 to 12 across all 200 selected government schools within one year. The wider objective is to establish a system connecting school-level awareness and early identification with counselling and specialist treatment.
Haryana Director of Mental Health Brahm Deep said early identification and timely intervention could prevent psychological difficulties from developing into more serious conditions.