Pune: Renowned mental and public health expert Dr Kiran Prakash Chavan has been appointed as a non-official member of the Maharashtra State Mental Health Authority Committee for a three-year term. Over the past several years, Dr Chavan has worked extensively in the fields of de-addiction, psychiatric rehabilitation, rehabilitation of homeless persons with mental illness, mental health awareness, and community-based mental healthcare, said a release. The Maharashtra State Mental Health Authority is the apex statutory body responsible for planning, regulating and monitoring mental health services, ensuring the effective implementation of mental healthcare legislation, and safeguarding the rights of persons with mental illness. Dr Chavan's appointment is expected to bring his extensive grassroots experience and expertise in mental healthcare to the state's policy-making process. Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that in a major step to strengthen mental healthcare infrastructure and expand the availability of trained professionals, the Maharashtra government has announced plans to convert four regional mental health hospitals into full-fledged teaching institutes.