The Government Hospital for Mental Care, Visakhapatnam is one of the oldest Mental Hospitals in India, one among the first four mental hospitals to be setup in south India. It was started as Lunatic Asylum in 1863 with 94 patients.

  It was developed in a phased manner to accommodate 300 patients at present. .The Government in 1971 changed the name “Mental Hospital” as “Government Hospital for Mental Care”
 
Family ward with bed strength of 12 was also started in 1994. Emergency Psychiatric services were started in 1996.
     This is a teaching hospital attached to the Andhra Medical College, Visakhapatnam.Post graduate diploma in Psychiatric medicine-DPM was started in 1978.Post Graduate degree in Psychiatric medicine - M.D.(Psy.) was started in 1984.
 
The present hospital is a newly built hospital to accommodate 400 inpatients in an area of 15 acres with the state of the art technology.
Modern furniture and equipment is obtained for better standards.
Complete range of Drugs are being given at free of cost without giving scope tothe patient to buy outside.If the drugs are not
 
available with the Central drug stores, they are being procured locally. Drugs are being given to outpatients coming from far-off places for one month.
 
Entire patient data is stored in hard disks and being utilized for research purposes.
Rehabilitation unit is run for occupational therapy to patients. Emergency medical care is provided round the clock in the E.C.O.
Admissions and discharges are being done as per the provisions of the Mental Health Act 1996.
Government enhanced the Diet rate to Rs. 28/- per patient per day. With this it is made possible to provide diet with required calories.
Clothing is being provided to the inpatients if necessary.