Raipur: Chhattisgarh health officials have identified manpower shortages, gaps in medicine availability, referral systems, follow-up and district-level coordination as key challenges in delivering mental health services, during a two-day state-level review of the national mental health programme.The workshop, chaired by director of health services Sanjeev Kumar Jha, brought together around 200 participants from all 33 districts, including psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, nurses and district nodal officers.Officials reviewed implementation of the mental health programmes with district teams asked to map local gaps and prepare action plans that could be implemented immediately.Sessions focused on suicide prevention, psychological first aid, substance-use disorders, Tele-MANAS, referral mechanisms and continuity of care.AIIMS Raipur’s Dr Ajay Kumar discussed warning signs and risk factors for suicide, safety planning, sensitive communication and urgent referral. Experts also highlighted the need to identify “red flag” symptoms in depression, anxiety, psychosis and substance-use disorders.NIMHANS representatives reviewed progress under the tele-mentoring initiatives, while UNICEF shared findings from its assessment of district mental health services in the state.Officials stressed that mental healthcare should not remain confined to specialist hospitals and must be strengthened at primary health centres and community level.The workshop also called for better coordination among health, education, women and child development, social welfare and other departments to improve early identification, counselling, treatment, referral and rehabilitation of people requiring mental health support.