Community & Inclusion

Free De-Addiction Treatment in Chennai: IMH, Helplines, Rehabs

Free de-addiction care in Chennai starts at IMH Kilpauk and the medical college hospitals. Here are the helplines and how to check a private rehab.

14 October 2026

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Updated 2026-10-29, 2:05 AM

Free treatment for alcohol and drug dependence in Chennai runs mainly through the government hospital system. The Institute of Mental Health (IMH) at Kilpauk, the state’s main psychiatric hospital with 1,800 beds, has a separate ward for alcohol dependence, according to the state health department. The same page says inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care is available at 18 government medical college hospitals, including Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Kilpauk Medical College Hospital.

For a first conversation without leaving home, the national de-addiction helpline is 14446, and Tele-MANAS (14416) handles mental health calls, including from a centre at IMH itself. This guide covers the public options, how to check a private rehabilitation centre before admitting someone, and what changed in the rules in 2025.

Where to start: the free helplines

14446: the toll-free helpline of the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan, the Union social justice ministry’s anti-drug campaign. A May 2025 PIB factsheet says it offers primary counselling and immediate referral.
14416 (Tele-MANAS): the national mental health helpline. A second Tele-MANAS centre opened at IMH Kilpauk in January 2024, DT Next reported, staffed by psychologists, psychiatrists and postgraduate trainees.
108: for emergencies such as seizures, confusion, vomiting blood or suspected overdose. Withdrawal from heavy drinking can be dangerous, so do not try to stop someone’s drinking abruptly at home without medical advice.

Government hospital options in Chennai

Institute of Mental Health, Kilpauk. The state health department page says IMH admits more than 1,200 patients on an average day and sees 350 or more outpatients daily. It runs a separate de-addiction ward. Go to the outpatient department with the patient and any previous prescriptions.

Kilpauk Medical College Hospital. Its psychiatry department lists a de-addiction clinic on Thursdays from 10 am to noon and a de-addiction ward among its inpatient services, according to the college’s department page. New patients can also come to the general psychiatry outpatient clinic, open Monday to Saturday from 8 am to noon.

Other medical college hospitals. Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Stanley Medical College Hospital have long run de-addiction services inside their psychiatry departments, Citizen Matters reported in 2019. The same report described a 13-bed Corporation de-addiction and primary health care centre behind Royapettah Government Hospital offering a free 15-day programme. Ask at the hospital’s psychiatry outpatient desk which services are running now.

Treatment at government hospitals is free. Carry the patient’s Aadhaar and any earlier prescriptions or discharge summaries.

Checking a private rehabilitation centre

Most residential “rehab” centres in and around Chennai are private or run by trusts. Every de-addiction centre must register with the Tamil Nadu State Mental Health Authority under the Mental Healthcare Act, 2017. The state has since notified minimum standards for these centres, so ask any centre to show its registration and inspection details before admitting a family member.

The Centre also funds NGO-run Integrated Rehabilitation Centres for Addicts, which offer inpatient counselling and treatment, and Outreach and Drop-In Centres, which screen, counsel and refer people for treatment. The PIB factsheet says more than 730 free centres were working nationally under the campaign by 4 May 2025, and over 27.76 lakh people had been treated. Ask the 14446 helpline for the nearest one.

The authority publishes a district-wise list of provisionally registered centres. Its Chennai section has 39 entries, three marked closed, covering areas such as Maduravoyal, Mogappair, Aminjikarai, Mangadu and Pallavaram. Before admitting anyone:

Find the centre’s name and registration number on the authority’s list.
Ask whether it is licensed for detox or only for rehabilitation, and which doctor or psychiatrist visits.
Ask how admission and consent are handled. The Mental Healthcare Act, 2017 governs admission to registered establishments, so be wary of any centre that offers to “pick up” someone against their will.
Get fees, the length of the programme and the discharge plan in writing.

Help through the justice system

On 24 September 2026 the prisons department launched PAYANAM, a pilot de-addiction and rehabilitation programme for drug offenders at Central Prison-II, Puzhal, UNI reported. It offers counselling and psychological support to help inmates return to society. Families of prisoners can ask the prison welfare officer about it.

Supporting someone at home

Relapse is common, and recovery usually takes more than one round of treatment. Keep the follow-up appointments, ask the hospital about family counselling, and keep the discharge summary safe. NGO-run support groups and the free helplines can help families between visits. This article is general information, not medical advice. Consult a doctor before starting or stopping any medicine.

Quick answers

Is de-addiction treatment free at IMH Kilpauk?

Yes. Treatment at state government hospitals, including IMH, is free.

What is the national de-addiction helpline number?

14446, toll-free, run under the Nasha Mukt Bharat Abhiyaan.

How do I know a private rehab centre is legal?

Check its name on the State Mental Health Authority’s list of registered de-addiction centres, and ask to see its registration certificate.

Information checked against official sources on 18 October 2026. Fees, dates and rules can change; confirm on the linked official pages before acting.