New Delhi, Sept. 17 -- The Punjab government has nominated 11 non-official members to the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA), bringing representation from healthcare professionals, people with mental illness, caregivers and non-governmental organisations into the state's statutory mental health regulatory framework. The nominations were announced on September 17, with the government linking the move to stronger accountability, service quality and rights-based mental healthcare.

The authority is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017, and monitoring, regulating and improving mental health services in accordance with the law. Its functions include prescribing quality and service standards, registerin...