AP Govt launches digital mental health pilot in schools

Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government on Saturday launched a pilot project to address mental health issues among school students through a digital platform.

The initiative, DIMPLE - Digital Mental Health Platform, is being implemented in collaboration with Australia’s Rebound Group Global Limited with support from the Australian Government. It was formally launched at GDET High School, Patamata, in Vijayawada.

Australia’s assistant minister for international education Julian Hill MP and commissioner of collegiate education Dr Narayana Bharath Gupta inaugurated the programme in the presence of senior officials from both sides.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr Gupta saAid Andhra Pradesh has brought school education, Intermediate, higher education and skill development under one human resource development department to ensure a comprehensive approach to education. He said the state is driving reforms through LEAP — Learning Excellence in Andhra Pradesh — under Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and education minister Nara Lokesh, with focus on digital learning and teacher capacity building.

Dr Gupta said the DIMPLE pilot is significant in the wake of the Supreme Court’s guidelines on student mental health. The government will evaluate its outcomes before scaling it up to schools across the state, he added.

Julian Hill commended the state for treating mental health as part of education. Technology opens up learning opportunities but also adds stress through social media, making digital mental health support crucial, he said, adding that Australia is proud to partner with Andhra Pradesh. Todd King, founder and CEO of Rebound Group, said the platform was built after years of research.

It allows students to anonymously access resources and connect confidentially with trained counsellors. He said Andhra Pradesh’s move could become a model for India and South Asia. Australian Consul-General Silai Zaki and senior officials of the school education department and Samagra Shiksha were present.

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