World Suicide Prevention Day: NIMHANS, Karnataka government expand Project USHAS to 37 hospitals

The National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), the State government, and Himalaya Wellness Company have announced the Statewide expansion of Project USHAS (Urban Self-Harm Study) to 37 government hospitals across Karnataka.

Announced on the occasion of World Suicide Prevention Day 2026 on Thursday at NIMHANS, the expanded programme will provide structured psychosocial care to people who survive suicide attempts or self-harm incidents. It will cover all 31 district hospitals, and six government hospitals in Bengaluru for one year, according to a release.

Project USHAS currently operates in 16 hospitals across 10 districts. “The expansion aims to establish a structured post-attempt care pathway across the state’s government hospital network, with trained professionals, family support and follow-up for up to 12 months,” the release stated.

According to the National Crime Records Bureau, India recorded 1,70,746 suicide deaths in 2024, with Karnataka among the states reporting high numbers. NIMHANS said that the programme seeks to address gaps in post-attempt care, as survivors treated for physical injuries in emergency departments may not always receive psychosocial assessment, counselling, safety planning or continued support.

Since 2022, USHAS has registered 35,436 cases of self-harm and attempted suicide. Of these, 26,385 survivors received counselling, risk assessment and structured follow-up, while 31,002 families received parallel support. Among those who received intervention, 1.3% reportedly reattempted suicide and 0.3% died by suicide.

NIMHANS said that under the expanded programme, psychiatric social workers and clinical psychologists will provide a 45- to 75-minute hospital-based psychosocial intervention, involve families in safety planning and conduct scheduled follow-up calls for 12 months. A dedicated helpline will also support survivors. The programme will collect hospital-level data and implementation insights, which will be analysed to guide its next phase and explore replication in other states.