This article analyzes the effectiveness and implementation dynamics of tele-counselling and hybrid (tele plus in-person) school counselling models for adolescent substance recovery outcomes in rural schooling contexts in Darjeeling District, India, during and after COVID-19 (2019-2024). The policy frame is the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016 (Section 16 education duties) and the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (Article 24 inclusive education), read alongside national telemedicine guidance and post-pandemic school psychosocial support initiatives. Using a mixed-methods embedded case study design, the study proposes triangulated evidence from stakeholder interviews (teachers, head teachers, parents, adolescents, officials), classroom and school-environment observations, referral pathway mapping, facility and privacy audits, and document review of district/block guidance and service protocols. Thematic analysis is linked to policy implementation theory, street-level bureaucracy, and institutional capacity. Findings show that tele-counselling can improve early access and continuity of contact for recovery support when travel costs, stigma, and provider scarcity block in-person services; however, effectiveness is uneven and depends on (a) governance coordination across education and health systems, (b) school capacity for privacy, follow-up, and safeguarding, and (c) teacher and leader discretion in identification, referral, and ongoing monitoring. Hybrid models perform best when tele sessions are paired with structured school routines (confidential space, scheduled follow-ups, family engagement, and referral completion support). Persistent gaps remain between legal-policy mandates and everyday rural realities, particularly for tea garden and remote hamlet contexts. The article provides actionable recommendations for district coordination, school readiness, workforce support, and monitoring of recovery-linked educational outcomes.
Haldar et al. (Thu,) studied this question.