Reframing Tobacco Prevention Through Youth Engagement and Integrated Care

A social work–led perspective on early intervention, skilling, and mental health systems at ANCIPS 2026

Suneel Vatsyayan, CEO, Vidya Lead Academy and a senior National Executive member of the National Association of Professional Social Workers in India (NAPSWI), presented at the 77th Annual Conference of the Indian Psychiatric Society (ANCIPS 2026), held in Delhi from January 28–31, 2026—India’s most prestigious national platform for psychiatry and mental health professionals.

His presentation, titled “Youth Engagement in Tobacco Prevention: Integrated Care and Skilling Before Therapeutic Alliance,” brought a distinct social work and public health perspective to the psychiatric discourse on tobacco use and mental health. The presentation emphasized youth engagement as a pre-therapeutic intervention, highlighting how integrated care models and skilling initiatives can create accessible mental health spaces even before formal clinical engagement begins.

The session underscored the importance of early, community-based, and non-stigmatizing approaches in tobacco prevention, especially among young people, and demonstrated how professionally trained social workers can strengthen therapeutic outcomes by supporting mental health systems at the entry level.

Participation at ANCIPS 2026 reaffirmed NAPSWI and Vidya Lead Academy’s commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration, positioning social work as a critical partner in advancing mental health promotion, tobacco control, and integrated care across India.

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