New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): Recognising the high-pressure demands of national security duties and the need to address occupational stress, the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) on Friday signed a landmark three-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (CISF).
The pact marks a major step in building a comprehensive mental wellness ecosystem for the CISF personnel, including specialised psychometric assessments for high-security deployments like the Parliament House Complex.
This new MoU with IHBAS adds a specialised clinical and psychiatric dimension to the CISF’s expanding mental-wellness ecosystem, which already includes collaborations with the Heartfulness Institute (HFI) for holistic stress management and Mpower (Aditya Birla Education Trust) under 'Project Mann' to encourage early help-seeking and eradicate stigma.
With the MoU signed, IHBAS will conduct specialised psychometric assessments for the CISF personnel deployed in highly sensitive units, specifically including those proposed for deployment at the Parliament House Complex.
As part of the pact, medical officers, supervisory officers, and sub-officers will be trained to identify early behavioural changes, signs of acute stress, and psychiatric emergencies for timely professional intervention.
CISF said the force personnel requiring specialised psychiatric care will have direct access to counselling and treatment through IHBAS OPD and IPD facilities, including dedicated support for Alcohol
IHBAS will also conduct Training of Trainers (ToT) programs, empowering CISF Master Trainers to cascade mental health awareness across all field formations. The partnership will actively promote awareness and immediate access to the national Tele-MANAS helpline (14416).
The MoU was signed at the CISF Headquarters by the force's Inspector General Pratibha Agarwal and Vibha Sharma, Professor and Head, Department of Clinical Psychology, IHBAS.
CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan chaired the ceremony, in the presence of ADG Headquarters Vijay Prakash and IHBAS Director Rajinder K Dhamija, who joined virtually, while IHBAS psychiatric experts Deepak Kumar and Pratibha Gahlawat attended in person.
Noting that CISF personnel work in exceptionally demanding and high-responsibility environments, the force chief said, "This partnership with IHBAS will significantly strengthen our efforts toward early identification, professional counselling, and timely clinical treatment of mental health concerns."
"Our absolute focus is to create an organisational culture where seeking professional support is actively encouraged and entirely free from stigma," said the DG.
IHBAS Director said his institute is committed to supporting early intervention strategies through rigorous professional assessment, clinical care, and specialised training. "Our goal is to build greater psychological awareness and enduring resilience among the brave personnel of the CISF," he added.
With these integrated partnerships, the CISF is ensuring its personnel and their families have comprehensive access to wellness, counselling, and clinical mental-health support, ensuring they can continue to perform their vital duties with optimal well-being. (ANI)
CISF inks 3-yr MoU with IHBAS to address occupational stress management
