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| PROGRAMMES |
‘No person should suffer for want of mental health care’.
This is the guiding gospel of Dr.C.Ramasubramanian. |
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| You are viewing : Community Based Programme >> Community Mental Health Project |
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| Community Mental Health Project |
| The centre was established in the year 2000 to reach out to those in the rural areas with no access to existing mental health services. |
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Community Mental Health Project – Madurai East Block |
| Year of starting |
2000 |
| Contact Person |
Mr.S.Suresh |
| Contact address |
621. K.K.Nagar, Madurai – 625 020.
Phone: 9443712085 |
| Project area |
Madurai East Block |
| Supporting organizations |
Andheri – Hilfe, Bonn, Germany |
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| Process: |
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Awareness Building |
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Identification |
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Assessment |
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Treatment |
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Rehabilitation |
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Follow up |
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It is one of the unique Mental health projects of M.S.Chellamuthu Trust and Research Foundation – Madurai.
With the financial support of ANDHERI-HILFE, Bonn, Germany from August 2000, the project aims to cover the mentally disabled living in villages, who are neglected, isolated and ignored
It provides prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services to the mentally disabled in the villages. Its main target group is the poor women and children and weaker section suffering from mental disability.
The Community Mental Health Project was initiated on 15-8-2000 in the Madurai East Block and this union comprises of 39 panchayat. |
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The project Area - a Des cription |
| PROJECT AREA – A DESCRIPTION |
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| The project Area |
Madurai East Panchayat Union.
(This union comprises of 39 panchayat 224 in villages) |
| Population |
1,58,680 (80,8795 are Male, 77,785 Female) |
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| AIMS AND OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT: |
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To reach to all the persons suffering from mental disability in the project area |
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To provide effective and continuous medical treatment to the mentally challenged persons. |
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To provide semi institutional service to the needy mentally ill. |
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To organize self-supportive groups with the support of the caregivers. |
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To bring in sustainable community support in the rehabilitation of the mentally challenged. |
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To create awareness about the diseases and its possibility of treating and rehabilitating mentally challenged. |
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To eliminate stigma about the diseases, which has been a very big impediment in treating and rehabilitating the disabled. |
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| THE VARIOUS COMPONENTS OF THE PROJECT: |
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Awareness building |
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Early child-hood care |
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Early identification of the disability |
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Treatment |
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Rehabilitation: Home based, Day care. |
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Caregivers association |
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Formation of self help groups |
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Psycho education |
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Siblings Network |
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Research |
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Identification |
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Early identification of mental illness and mental retardation is an important activity. Identification survey will be organized in order to reach all ill patients and assess their illness. Identification survey with help of Govt.Agencies such as Health and Nutrition Department, Educational Institutions, women self help groups, NSS volunteers, nursing students, panchayat leaders, other NGOs. The secondary data collected from ICDS |
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office and DDR office publishing was organized to inform about the survey through the cable TV’s by panchayat administration. Orientation was given by our Psychiatrist research team and our professional team of our Trust on information such as name address, age, sex and nature of disability, symptoms etc. |
In order to know the extent of mental disability in the project area, identification survey was conducted in the beginning of the project period. Through this we have identified 1029 persons with mental disability in the project area till date
In the first year we have identified around 583 persons with mental disability. By 2007 around 1029 of them were identified in the project area.
Among which 49% of them are children below 18 years. Almost all the children suffering with mental retardation. and 37% of them are between the age group of 19-40 years and majority of them are suffering with schizophrenic illness and epileptic
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Treatment Camps |
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All those identified were taken to treatment camps and were assessed. |
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These who needed medical treatment were advised to come regularly to the treatment camps |
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In order to provide access to the treatment facility four Treatment zones were identified in the project area to contact treatment camps |
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In each camp around 50 mentally disabled are attending and taking treatment |
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These who were newly identified were assessed and provided treatment Parents who came to the camps are provided awareness about the disability and are motivated to continue treatment. |
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Day Care Programme |
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| Centre |
No. of beneficiaries |
Intervention |
| Jnana Deepam special school, M.S.Chellamuthu Gardens, Alagarkoil |
60 |
Special education speech therapy skills, training, play activities, gardening. Basic literacy, arithmetic skill, color and time concept. |
| Centre for the women with mental disabilities |
20 |
Vocational training – involving the washing work, special education, self-care. |
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| In the above centers training given on daily living skills. The eligible trained women are getting incentives for the work they contributed. They are trained in the production of liquid disinfectant and are involved in marketing their products. |
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Early Child Hood Care |
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In these activities the newborn babies and children up to one year of age would be identified and they would be screened to identify the disability. All the children below one year screened and identified as mentally disabled would be provided treatment.
The Early identification and early intervention would help family members to give attention to that child at the earliest and the intensity of the retardation would be minimized. The programme is to be done through the help of Health workers. |
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Awareness Building |
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| The following were the statements revealed by the care givers and others show the misconception and the attitude that the people have towards these mentally disabled persons. In order to mitigate these wrong understanding and to inculcate right thinking, we had organized several awareness activities in the community. |
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• “When we go to celebrations or festivals people neglect us, because we have a mentally disabled person in their family”
• “When we develop some fight with our neighbors they immediately scold us by making reference of our disabled member”
• Some say that “we feel ashamed of our child with mental disability”
• Some say “If god is willing to give a child to us he must give us a good child, he should not punish us by giving this child”.
• “We fear who will look after our disabled child until his “Life Time”.”
• “He becomes a burden to them even after 19 years and he becomes useless”
• “Even after two marriages his wives deserted him, because he is mentally ill”
• “Because my husband is mentally ill, my daughter’s husband ill treats her because there is no one to question him”
• “The families in the neighbor do not allow their children play with my child.”
• “Because my daughter is mentally retarded the teacher in the school refused to admit her”.
• “Because three members in my family are mentally disabled the villagers think that my whole family would be like this. We are totally ignored and isolated.”
• “My husband became mentally ill when my second child was born. A fortuneteller told us that for ten year we will have this bad time and after that, it will be over.”
• “When my child was being ridiculed, foul played by other, my heart pains deeply..
• I don’t know what to do with this child.”
• “When I took my girl to a Dharga (mosque) they put camphor to lit holy light on her head. Her forehead was burnt and she took treatment for that but her mental illness has not cured.”
• “We have neglected and thrown him in to a corner.”
• “We are either unable to take care of him or do him to death.”
• “We have taken treatment for a long time, now let him live/die according to his fate.”
• “My husband deserted me because of my mentally ill child.”
• If we inform you about any mentally disabled person in a house in our neighbour home that family members will pick up quarrel with us.
• “Because I spend lot of money on my wife’s treatment the neighbors advised me to leave her and to take care of my son’s future.”
• “No use of having him alive.”
• “Since we two are old my husband advised me to kill my mentally ill child.”
• “My husband is scolding me by saying that I have given birth to this child through another person and claims that this child is not his child.” |
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Awareness Programme |
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Home Visits |
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Early Identification and Intervention |
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We have been taking steps to screen children (0-3years) having complaints of delayed milestone. We have identified 49 children who needed early intervention. The caregivers bring their children weekly once to the day care centers where physiotherapy exercises are given.
Most of these children are having the problems of lack of head control, no spinal stability, poor balance in sitting and standing etc. For these children we are giving special exercises like head control exercise. spinal stability exercise, pelvic bridging, balancing activities in sitting and standing etc.
The care givers are motivated to give the exercise regularly and correctly. The children’s activities and improvement are recorded regularly.
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Vocational Rehabilitation Activities |
| VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION ACTIVITIES |
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Working With Siblings |
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Many siblings expressed their ignorance about the knowledge about disability and the persons with disability. They expressed different attitudes towards their mentally ill and mentally retarded family members. Most of them had agreed that they had ignored neglected and hated them. They felt for their behaviour and promised to change it.
These siblings are going to be the future supporters of the disabled member in their later period of life. These siblings need to be constantly oriented towards the importance of providing care support and protecting them from exploitation.
Provide them regular orientation and impart skills and improve them to provide care and support to these disabled members. In this group, Executive committee members were selected and each member contributed a registration fee of Rs.10. This group is named as “Pasa Deepam”.
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Caregivers' Assocation(Nambikkai - Hope) |
| CAREGIVERS’ ASSOCIATION (NAMBIKKAI – HOPE) |
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In the beginning, steps were taken to meet every parent of the disabled beneficiary and make them involve in all stages of rehabilitation activities. There are about 500 members in the association. They meet Government officials and express their difficulties regularly. These associations are emerging as a strong group in the community and are trained to take up collective initiatives towards sustainability.
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The following are the objectives of the caregivers’ association: |
• To avail benefits provided by the Government and other agencies for the welfare of the disabled
• To make them realize the importance of parental care in the rehabilitation of their disabled members
• To consolidate the caregivers support
• To work for the integrated, total development of families of the mentally disabled
• To create awareness among the people about the sufferings of the mentally disabled
• To meet the government officials, policy makers, other NGOs and VIPs in the community and explain to them the difficulties and help needed for the disabled.
• To help them and their families share their sufferings and chalk out plans for better management of the mentally disabled members in their family.
• To take steps to have continuous treatment and training.
The Officers from District Administration participated in the Annual day function of the Nambikkai Caregivers’ Association on 18.02.2006. In the anniversary day celebration, the members submitted memorandum (mentioned below) to the District Collector and to the Additional Collector for Development.
1. In order to get regular treatment for mental illness adequate medicines can be kept in PHCs nearest to our areas.
2. Details of all mentally disabled should be gathered. Treatment and rehabilitation programmes must be initiated.
3. There are 448 children who are affected with mental retardation, for them special schools must be started, atleast one per block.
4. In the villages day care centers for the mentally ill persons and mentally retarded children can be started
5. Some of the mentally disabled are homeless, are living by erecting huts along roadside in Govt.purampokku lands. For them house, land provision and house must be built.
6. For those who are affected by the mental illness must be provided with maintenance charge of Rs.500/- per month.
7. Rehabilitation and vocational training centres must be started in each block.
8. For those who are recovered from the mental illness must be given job opportunities
9. For Nambikkai self help groups more subsidy loans must be distributed
10. The other members of the disabled family must get job opportunity and also loan to start self employment.
11. Those neglected by their wife/husband and children must be protected and the children must get care and opportunities to get education
12. Homes for the neglected mentally disabled can be started in each block.
13. In order to protect their properties, legal support and services must be available free of cost. |
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Self Help Group Nambikkai(Hope) |
| SELF HELP GROUP NAMBIKKAI (HOPE) |
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Self help group is the group of women (Mother and Caregivers of recovering mentally ill) who belong to the mentally disabled families. These groups are named as Nambikkai which means “Hope” We have formed ten groups with a total of 180 members. Each group with 15 to 19 members started collecting a monthly subscription and operated their accounts in the bank.
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These groups meet once a month and exchange their views. These self-help groups are promoting savings, credit activities and are trained in small entrepreneurship. These families are being benefited by this economic development activity. Mentally disabled members in these families are benefited by this programme directly or indirectly. |
Group Details: |
| Group Name: |
NAMBIKKAI |
| Number of groups: |
13 |
| Number of Members: |
180 |
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Support Received For These SHGs |
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| SUPPORT RECEIVED FOR THESE SHGs |
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These women self-help groups are well appreciated and supported by the Government departments, and banks. The women Development Corporation, one of the Government Departments, support these groups and recommend banks to provide loans.
The members of these self- help groups are enjoying the benefit of credit from these sources such as from their saving fund, Andheri- Hilfe revolving fund and from the banks. The loan availed are being promptly repaid without any default.
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Nambikkai-SHG Support Received From Drda |
| The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has Sanctioned a subsidy loan under SGSY Scheme RS 16 lakhs with Four Lakhs subsidy to start a laundry unit, Bakery unit, Hand balance weighing machine production to five SHGs, The sanction order was handed over to the NAMBIKKAI SHGS by Smt. Subbulakshmi Jegadeesan, Central Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Govt of India on 01.07.06. She also declared open the building for Laundry unit which was given the DRDA infrastructure scheme to the Nambikkai-II Karuppayurani SHG. These economic units would provide job opportunities to the mentally challenged and promote the starting of saving activities among the family members of the mentally challenged. |
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The DRDA in collaboration with Confederation of Indian Industry and Indian food Ltd organized the bakery training to the women self help group members. The Nambikkai SHGs members participated in the training. The trainees were taught the technique of producing various bakery items. They also got motivated to start the business. These members need a shop in the shopping complex inside the DRDA Commercial Complex to start the Bakery unit. |
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The District Rural Development Agency (DRDA) has Sanctioned a subsidy loan under SGSY Scheme RS 16 lakhs with Four Lakhs subsidy to start a laundry unit, Bakery unit, Hand balance weighing machine production to five SHGs.
The sanction order was handed over to the NAMBIKKAI SHGS by Smt. Subbulakshmi Jegadeesan, Central Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Govt of India on 01.07.06. She also declared open the building for Laundry unit which was given the DRDA infrastructure scheme to the Nambikkai-II Karuppayurani SHG. These economic units would provide job opportunities to the mentally challenged and promote the starting of saving activities among the family members of the mentally challenged. |
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NAMBIKKAI GROCERY SHOP: |
The Nambikkai grocery shop started functioning since February 2005 .The interested 6 members joined together to get involved in this grocery shop. The DRDA Agency came up to expand this activity by providing Rs. 2 laks with subsidy. This store is now functioning in the DRDA shopping complex, successfully. |
SOME OF THE MICRO ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES INITIATED BY THE SHGS ARE;
Firewood stall, Vegetable shop, cloth and garment shop, Bicycle shop, Stationery stall, Renting of steel moulds for building construction, Dairy Vessel shop, Mutton stall, Eat out stall, Goat rearing, petty shop etc. |
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Type of programme |
Beneficiaries |
No. of patients identified (Male: 574, Female: 455) |
1029 |
No of patients assessed |
900 |
Number of patients taking treatment regularly |
300 |
Number of patients taken treatment at least once. |
900 |
Number of patients referred to Govt. hospital |
55 |
Private doctors |
30 |
Number of people who attended training |
2570 |
No of surgery conducted |
4 |
Beneficiaries- physio therapy |
42 |
Beneficiaries- speech therapy |
35 |
No of children and women benefited through day care center |
120 |
Number of time beneficiaries taken out for exposure programme |
53 |
Number of peoples home visited |
1029 |
Beneficiary home care programme |
250 |
Aids and appliances provided |
30 |
No.of families reunited |
10 |
No.of families benefited through counseling |
1029 |
No.of parents / caregivers enrolled in association by giving membership fees |
350 |
No.of self help groups |
13 |
No.of children attending in normal schools |
54 |
No.of persons integrated in to the mainstream life |
300 |
Towards Sustainability - Strong foundation for sustainability has been laid.
- Mental disabilities must be identified at the earliest and must be given early intervention.
- People in the community are aware that treatment brings some considerable positive change in the mentally disabled.
- The stake holders and their family members have begun to believe that training mentally disabled and the disabled children in the early stage will bring in improvement.
- Children must be given equal opportunities atleast in the basic needs such as schooling, play with other children, nutrition, health care, hygienic living, proper care in the home, traning on basis living skills, exposure in the social events, participation in celebration on.
- They are shown that every mentally disabled member needs training and should not be left uncared in the corner of the house.
Client / Beneficiaries Profile:
Diagnosis : Mental Illness / Mentally Retarded / Epileptic/
Drug Dependence
Sex : Male & Female
Age wise : 1 Year – 80 years
Nativity (Rural /Urban) : Rural & Urban (Madurai East Block)
No.of beneficiaries : 1110
Professional team:
Members of the professional team are
Consultant Psychiatrist
Medical Officer
Clinical Psychologist
Psychiatric Social Worker
Psychiatric Nurse
Community volunteers |
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Community Based |
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