In response to the Social Welfare Department’s recent announcement on training teachers as counsellors, the Meghalaya Progressive Counsellors’ Union (MPCU) has submitted a comprehensive set of recommendations to government authorities, emphasising the urgent need for professionally trained counsellors in both education and community health settings.
The MPCU expressed concern that assigning counselling roles to teachers with minimal training could risk the mishandling of sensitive mental health issues. Instead, the union advocates for the formal recognition and deployment of qualified mental health professionals across institutions.
Last week the Social Welfare Minister revealed that it was subsidising a counselling course for primary teachers as part of the DREAM drug reduction programme of the Meghalaya government.
“While teachers play a pivotal role in education, mental health care is a specialised field that demands specific training, supervision and ethical standards,” stated the MPCU in a press release today.
It put forward recommendations for the state government, namely that the latter give formal recognition of professional counsellors as essential to ethical, effective mental health service delivery; provide clear role definitions for professionals like clinical psychologists, social workers and peer educators to ensure coordinated care; support multidisciplinary team models in schools and communities to address the complex needs of youth and vulnerable populations; create district-level rehabilitation centres, fully equipped with detoxification, counselling, vocational and recreational wings; deploy both counsellors and social workers in all educational institutions; revise counsellor hiring practices, including removal of arbitrary age limits and prioritising permanent over contractual roles; develop a State Mental Health Counselling Policy outlining service standards and ethical guidelines; expanding the DREAM project with a focus on certified counsellor hiring, clinical supervision and infrastructure enhancement.
The union also raised concerns over the current deployment of what it called unqualified individuals in mental health roles, calling for role alignment with academic and clinical credentials. Additionally, the MPCU is prepared to collaborate on certified training programs in partnership with academic institutions.
The MPCU has proposed the establishment of a formal consultation mechanism with the DREAM project to support evidence-based policymaking, service expansion and feedback integration.
“Mental health is not a luxury – it is a critical aspect of community well-being. We are ready to partner with the government to build sustainable and ethical mental health systems,” added the MPCU.
