The Tamil Nadu State Mental Healthcare Regulations, 2026, have been officially notified.
It has also stated that there should be a gender-neutral ward and dormitory for in-patients who do not wish to be kept in either men or women wards. To ensure adequate floor space, an important specification is that the minimum area of wards/dormitories should be 6 sq.m per bed. The number of toilets should be in a ratio of 1:8 and bathrooms should be at the ratio of 1:10.
It has also stated that before admission to a standalone de-addiction centre, the person must be evaluated by a psychiatrist, who must certify fitness or otherwise for admission. Persons who are severely mentally ill, violent, suicidal, or severely medically ill should not be admitted to standalone de-addiction or psychosocial rehabilitation centres. If such a condition develops after admission, the person should be transferred to an appropriate category A/B/C MHE or medical establishment. The reason behind this was that conditions like severe alcohol withdrawal (manifesting as delirium tremens), acute drug overdoses, or profound behavioural agitation are medical and psychiatric emergencies. They carry high risks of cardiovascular collapse, seizures, severe electrolyte imbalances, and aspiration. This was considered while framing the regulations for the admission criteria to MHEs in categories D and E. The regulations also provide for family visits, communication facilities, grievance redress mechanism, discharge in accordance with the Act, and remuneration for work undertaken by patients, with consent and compliance, under minimum wage requirements.
Standalone de-addiction centres, particularly those focused primarily on psychosocial rehabilitation, counselling, and long-term recovery, often lack the 24/7 intensive care infrastructure, emergency crash carts, continuous multi-parameter monitoring, and immediate access to acute medical specialists required to manage life-threatening withdrawal states.
families in distress often fail to make this distinction and turn to the nearest facility bearing a “de-addiction” sign While acute stabilisation should take place at a general hospital or multi-specialty medical facility with a psychiatric department.
