MHCA 2017

MHCA 2017 is an easy-read guide which explains the provisions of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 in a simple manner using examples and interactive features.

What is the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017?

The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (MHCA) is a law which regulates mental healthcare and treatment in India. The MHCA’s objective is to protect the rights of persons with mental illness who are receiving mental healthcare and treatment. The MHCA lays down procedures for how persons with mental illness should be provided treatment and care. It places duties on the Central and State Governments to ensure that all persons have the right to access mental healthcare and treatment from services which are run or funded by the governments. The MHCA also explains how persons with mental illness can submit complaints if their rights are being violated or if they are unhappy with the treatment being provided to them.

If you are a person with mental illness (service user), use MHCA 2017 to know more about what your rights are, how should mental health professionals provide treatment, or how can you submit a complaint if your rights are violated under the MHCA.

If you are a caregiver, use MHCA 2017 to learn about your legal duties for providing mental healthcare to your loved one and protecting their rights during their treatment and care under the MHCA.

If you are a service provider, use MHCA 2017 to learn about your legal duties for protecting the rights of your patients and providing treatment according to the procedures of the MHCA.

What are the features of MHCA 2017?

MHCA 2017 has a range of features to help you understand the provisions on the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 (MHCA) in a simple and easy manner. You can access these features by choosing your user-type (person with mental illness/ service user, caregiver or mental health professional/service-provider) and the State you are residing in.

EASY TO READ INFORMATION ON MHCA’s PROVISIONS: You can read simple explanations of the MHCA’s provisions with examples, cross-reference links to other sections of the app, and online resources for more information.

APPLICATION TEMPLATES: You can view and fill application forms for different procedures under the MHCA. These forms can be saved as PDF documents on your phone and can also be emailed to any person.

DIRECTORY: You can view information about the Central & State Mental Health Authorities and Mental Health Review Boards in case you need to contact them. You can also access state-wise details of mental health professionals and mental health establishments registered under the MHCA ( when these details are provided by government authorities).

BOOKMARKS: You can bookmark and save important information pages in case you want to directly view these pages later.

CHECKLISTS AND COMPLIANCE: Refer to the checklists to view the important requirements for all treatment procedures under the MHCA. You can monitor whether all procedures are being complied with by saving your progress on the checklists and viewing them later.

RESOURCES: You can access all resources (PDFs, websites, and videos) which are linked in the main information pages of the app.

GLOSSARY: The glossary contains definitions of important terms and concepts used under the MHCA.

FAQs: The FAQ section answers some frequently asked questions by persons with mental illness, caregivers and mental health professionals.

DISCLAIMER & PRIVACY POLICY: The disclaimer and privacy policy contain important information regarding the app and how user privacy is protected.

SETTINGS: The settings page allows you to change your user type, state or language as per your requirements.

How can you contact us?

The MHCA 2017 app has been developed by the Centre for Mental Health Law & Policy, Indian Law Society (ILS), Pune, and is supported by Mariwala Health Initiative.

To get in touch with us or to know more about the MHCA 2017 app, write to us as at [email protected].