OUR CORRESPONDENT
ITANAGAR: In response to the alarming rise in suicide cases and mental health challenges among adolescents and young adults in the state, the Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies (AITS) at Rajiv Gandhi University, in collaboration with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), conducted a day-long leader engagement workshop to promote institutional strategies for suicide risk reduction and mental well-being.
Held at the Don Bosco Youth Centre here on Saturday, the workshop was part of the ICMR-funded multi-state implementation research project titled “Suicide risk reduction and improving mental well-being among school and college Students.”
The event brought together representatives from 13 private higher secondary schools and two colleges within the Itanagar Capital Region (ICR), who discussed ways to strengthen mental health support systems in educational settings. The initiative comes amid growing concern over youth mental health in the state, where factors such as limited access to mental health services, academic pressure, unstable family environments, and rapid socio-cultural changes have led to rising cases of depression, anxiety, and suicide.
The issue has become particularly urgent in the wake of a surge in suicide cases following the declaration of Class 10 and 12 examination results.
Participants at the workshop emphasised the urgent need for institutional interventions, including the appointment of full-time or part-time trained counsellors in schools and colleges and the expansion of community-level mental health awareness and sensitization.
A series of technical sessions were led by key members of the ICMR-AITS research team, including Dr Leeyir Ete, Chara Lowangcha, Mayuri Handique and Dr Dharmeshwari Lourembam.
The sessions covered topics such as understanding mental health and well-being, child and adolescent development, and practical institutional protocols for mental health support.
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