Odisha, Oct 08: The Odisha government has implemented new Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to curb the rising mental stress, depression, and suicidal tendencies among children, adolescents, and young adults.
These guidelines aim to safeguard the mental health of students across all educational institutions, ranging from Anganwadi centers to universities. The primary objective is early identification, counseling, and the provision of support.
The Odisha government has taken a significant and commendable step to address the escalating mental stress, depression, and suicidal tendencies among children and youth. New SOPs have been issued to protect student mental health at all levels of education—from Anganwadi centers to schools, colleges, and universities.
This new system has been formulated based on the report titled “Operational Guidelines on Mental Health and Well-being of Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults.” Its main goal is to identify early signs of mental distress among students and provide appropriate counseling and necessary support. Strict Guidelines for Teachers and Staff:
According to the new guidelines, teachers and school staff must treat children with the utmost respect and strictly avoid using any abusive or derogatory language. The government has directed that children should not be addressed as “lazy,” “stubborn,” or by any other terms that might undermine their self-confidence.
Scolding, ridiculing, or making children feel inferior—whether in the classroom or in public—is prohibited. Teachers are urged to recognize that mental stress and anxiety may be the primary causes behind unusual changes in a child’s behavior and are expected to interact with them positively.
Identifying Signs of Mental Distress and Expert Support:
The Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) provides clear guidelines on how to address mental health symptoms observed in children. If a student exhibits persistent sadness, fear, irritability, violent behavior, or other unusual personality changes for more than two weeks, the matter is to be treated seriously. Upon observing such symptoms, the student’s condition will be promptly assessed, and if necessary, they will be referred to mental health experts and qualified counselors to ensure timely treatment. Assessment based on Green, Yellow, and Red categories:
To scientifically assess students’ mental well-being, they are classified into three key categories. Students in the ‘Green’ category possess a normal and healthy state of mind.
Children in the ‘Yellow’ category are experiencing moderate stress or anxiety and require mild counseling. Those in the ‘Red’ category exhibit signs of severe stress, depression, or risk, and are provided with immediate expert care and support. This classification enables the provision of support tailored to each student’s individual needs.