THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state police have decided to set up mental health and wellness centres in all 19 police districts to provide assistance to cops facing duty-related and personal stress. The decision was taken after it was reviewed that HATS (Help and Assistance to Tackle Stress), a state-level programme launched in Thiruvananthapuram in 2017, has been a big success in tackling mental woes of the cops.
State police chief Ravada Chandrasekhar has ordered all district police chiefs to identify places to set up the facility and begin the selection process to hire psychologists and case workers.
“Police officers face long and irregular duty hours, and exposure to violence and trauma. Over time, this can lead to anxiety, depression, substance use, and, in the worst cases, suicide,” the order said.
The wellness centres will provide assistance to the families of officers as well and build referral links with psychiatrists and experts for cases that require interventions of the highest order.
District police chiefs will be the overall in-charge of their districts, while an inspector nominated by the district police chief handles administrative work.
Future plans
A 11-member delegation led by AMPOK secretary Dr Boben Thomas demonstrated Keralam’s scientific contributions. Building on these achievements, AMPOK announced plans to host the Kerala Cancer Conclave 2.0 in December 2027 to leverage these new global alliances