healthcare

Mental Health Help in Chennai: Tele-MANAS 14416 and IMH

Tele-MANAS on 14416 offers free 24-hour counselling in Tamil. Here is how it works, what IMH Kilpauk offers, and where else to get help in Chennai.

19 October 2026

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If you or someone you know is struggling, you can call Tele-MANAS on 14416 or 1800-891-4416 at any hour. The national tele-mental health service run by the Union health ministry is free, works 24 hours a day and offers counselling in about 20 languages, including Tamil (IIT Kanpur counselling service).

Tamil Nadu has its own Tele-MANAS cells, so a call from Chennai is normally answered by someone in the state who can speak Tamil and knows the local hospitals. Here is what the service does, where to go in Chennai for in-person care, and who else you can call. The Union health ministry’s Tele-MANAS website carries the official details.

Tele-MANAS: how the call works

When you dial 14416, you are routed to a cell in your state. Tamil Nadu opened its second Tele-MANAS centre at the Institute of Mental Health (IMH), Kilpauk, in January 2024, staffed by psychologists, psychiatrists and postgraduate trainees (DT Next). Most callers then were aged 18 to 40, and the commonest concerns were depression, anxiety and relationship problems.

A trained counsellor listens and offers support.
If needed, you are connected to a psychiatrist or clinical psychologist.
You can be referred to a hospital or district mental health service near you.

When all counsellors are busy you may hear a recorded message and receive a call back; officials have said this happens and that staffing was being increased. If you are in immediate danger, do not wait for a call back: go to the nearest emergency department or call 108.

Institute of Mental Health, Kilpauk

IMH is Tamil Nadu’s main psychiatric hospital. The state health department describes it as offering the full range of mental health services, with about 1,800 beds, around 1,200 inpatients on an average day and a separate de-addiction ward for alcohol dependence (TN Health Department). It sees hundreds of outpatients daily; a 2025 report put the figure at about 500 (DT Next).

IMH also runs rehabilitation, occupational therapy and vocational training. Since 2025 it has partnered with the Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation to offer outpatients three- and six-month courses in data entry, bakery, apparel and machine operation.

You can walk in to the outpatient department with a family member. Bring any previous prescriptions.

Other government options in Chennai

You do not have to go to Kilpauk. The state lists inpatient and outpatient psychiatry at (TN Health Department):

Madras Medical College and Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital, Park Town
Stanley Medical College Hospital, Royapuram
Kilpauk Medical College Hospital
Institute of Child Health, Egmore, for children under 12

The State Mental Health Authority, which registers mental health establishments and handles complaints about them, can be reached on 044-2642-0965 (TN Health Department). It also publishes lists of registered private facilities and de-addiction centres.

Private care and complaints

If you prefer a private psychiatrist, counsellor or de-addiction centre, check that it is registered with the State Mental Health Authority. Registration matters most for residential de-addiction and rehabilitation centres, where families sometimes leave a relative for weeks. Visit before admitting anyone, ask to see the registration, and do not agree to restraint or locked rooms as “treatment”. If you have a complaint about a facility, the authority is the body to approach.

Before you call or visit

Many people put off seeking help because they are not sure their problem is “serious enough”. It does not need to be a crisis. Counsellors on 14416 take calls about exam stress, sleeplessness, grief, loneliness, problems at work, worries about a family member’s drinking and much more. The state has also used the service to counsel NEET aspirants, board-exam students and medical students.

A few things make the first conversation easier:

Find a quiet place where you can talk for 15 to 20 minutes.
Jot down what has been troubling you and for how long, and any medicines you take.
If you are calling about someone else, have their age and the main changes you have noticed.
Keep your phone on afterwards in case the counsellor calls back or arranges a follow-up.

For in-person care, a family member can come with you to the OP, and it helps to bring old prescriptions or discharge papers. Mental health conditions are treatable, and getting help early generally means a shorter road back.

How to help someone else

Ask directly how they are, and listen without arguing.
Offer to make the 14416 call with them, or sit with them while they call.
If they talk about ending their life, do not leave them alone. Take them to an emergency department.
Keep medicines, pesticides and rat poison out of reach.

Quick answers

What is the Tele-MANAS number?

14416 or 1800-891-4416. It is free and available 24 hours a day.

Can I talk in Tamil?

Yes. Calls from Tamil Nadu are routed to state cells, including one at IMH, Kilpauk.

Do I need a referral for IMH?

No. You can attend the outpatient department directly.

Is treatment at government hospitals free?

Consultation and listed medicines at government hospitals are provided by the state.

This article is not a substitute for professional care. Please consult a doctor or call 14416 if you are worried about your own or someone else’s mental health.

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