Freedom vs Forced Treatment? | Mental Health Accessibility in India | IERL × DHHEE скачать в хорошем качестве

Freedom vs Forced Treatment? | Mental Health Accessibility in India | IERL × DHHEE

This lecture is part of the National Interdisciplinary Lecture Series on Mental Health Accessibility in India – Phase 1: Academic Foundation for Phase 2 Book Publication , organised by the Institute of Excellence in Research and Law (I.E.R.L.) in academic collaboration with DHHEE. The session is delivered by Subhranil Bhowmik, Founder of I.E.R.L., who leads this initiative with a vision of rights-based, transformative legal education inspired by constitutional values and social justice. In this lecture, Subhranil Bhowmik explains the legal framework and statutory design of the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 in a simple, structured, and reflective manner. The discussion moves beyond technical provisions and examines the moral, constitutional, and human dimensions of mental health law in India. Key concepts such as dignity, capacity, informed consent, supported decision-making, advance directives, nominated representatives, guardianship safeguards, regulatory authorities, involuntary admission, suicide decriminalization, confidentiality, and implementation challenges are explored in depth. The lecture highlights the shift from a control-based model of mental health treatment to a rights-oriented, dignity-based framework. It also addresses critical ground realities such as rural–urban disparities, shortage of mental health professionals, stigma, funding limitations, gender barriers, and infrastructural gaps. By integrating perspectives from law, sociology, psychology, public policy, anthropology, and human rights studies, this session encourages students and researchers to critically examine whether mental healthcare in India is truly accessible in practice or remains a promise largely on paper. Phase 1 establishes the academic foundation for Phase 2, where structured research and edited book publication will contribute to national discourse on mental health justice, democratic accountability, and equitable access to care.