Shattering Stigma : Pioneering Organizations Transforming Mental Health Landscape
- wiccinpwc
- Aug 18, 2023
- 7 min read
Shattering Stigma: Pioneering Organizations Transforming Mental Health Landscape
By, (Council Members) Dr. Geeta Bhagat, Shruti Adaval & Shruti Bansal
In the bustling chaos of modern life, where emotions easily fade into the background, there exist extraordinary organizations dedicated to advancing mental health and dismantling the walls of stigma. These organizations have risen above societal biases, advocating for change and working tirelessly to create a more compassionate and enlightened society. As beacons of compassion, they are reshaping narratives, transforming how we perceive and approach mental well-being. Let us delve into the impactful case studies of three pioneering organizations that have not only raised their voices but have also stirred transformative movements by devising innovative strategies to shatter the barriers surrounding mental health and ensure accessible, high-quality mental health care.
ACTION FOR AUTISM
Background:
"Action For Autism" (AFA) is a non-profit organization based in New Delhi (India), focusing on enhancing the quality of life of individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families. Their guiding principle is that autism represents a unique and valid way of being, often challenging yet equally as valid as non-autistic experiences. Rather than regarding autism as a terrible or tragic condition, AFA views it as an alternative way of existence. Consequently, the organization's efforts are channeled into cultivating an inclusive environment that values diversity, strives for equal opportunities, empowering all individuals to actively participate in society.
Emerging as a parent support group in the late 80’s to advocate for individuals with autism, when there was little awareness about autism in India, AFA has since evolved and offers replicable model services.
Initiatives and Impact:
Clinical services: Action for Autism provides a range of services, including assessments, tailored interventions for individuals and small groups (such as Early Intervention for School Readiness, Functional and Adaptive Skills, Communication and Social Skills, Occupational and Sensory Integration Therapy, and counseling for individuals and families).
The Parent Child Training Program (PCTP) focuses on enhancing a child's skills and empowering parents through guidance from experienced educators. AFA believes parents can champion not only their child's cause but also contribute to the broader autism sector.
Open Door Day Program provides a positive and accepting learning environment to enable children to develop social, communication, adaptive and pre-vocational skills that can prepare them for integrated and inclusive setups as well as a smooth transition into adolescence and adulthood. The program is especially for children 5-18 years of age.
Advocacy and Legislation: AFA aims not only to empower individuals with autism but also their families, while advocating for the rights of those with autism. Their research, awareness campaigns, and advocacy efforts have significantly influenced policies and legislation.
Training: RCI recognized comprehensive B.Ed Spl.Ed. (ASD) and D.Ed Spl.Ed. (IDD) training programs aimed at cultivating professionals capable of addressing a range of developmental disorders. In addition, they organise Capacity-building conferences, seminars, workshops, webinars and training programs by reputed autism experts from within India and overseas.
Work and Employment: For young adults (18 years and above), AFA offers Work and Employment Programs, equipping them with the skills and support needed for workplace independence. Vocational Centres are operational at both Jasola and Gurugram Campuses.
Assisted Living: Ananda, Assisted Living Program offers a home for adults with autism (age 18 years and above), ensuring quality care, independence, safety, and respect in a family-like environment, answering parents' concern about future support and the critical question ‘what after us?’
Research and Publications: AFA conducts research studies both independently, and in collaboration with Indian and international researchers and institutes. AFA also supports Indian and overseas students and research scholars and is a training ground for budding professionals.
Outcome:
Through various direct services and via indirect reach, AFA impacts approximately 50,000 lives annually. Since 1991, AFA has been able to touch several hundred thousand lives and trained many thousands. The indirect impact through the ripple effect is considerably more. For its contentious efforts of bringing autism to the map of India and SouthEast Asia, AFA has come to be recognized as a Centre of Excellence that has pioneered the autism movement across India and South Asia. For outstanding performance in the field of empowerment of persons with disabilities. AFA has received many national and international awards and accolades including the National Award 2011 in Best Service Institution category
THE MINDS FOUNDATION
Background:
The MINDS (Mental Illness and Neurological Disorders) Foundation India stands as a beacon of hope in the realm of mental health. Founded in late 2010 by Raghu Kiran Appasani, a visionary with a neuroscience background and rural roots, the organization was born from a deep passion to eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness. Appasani's journey from neuroscience labs to rural communities highlighted the dire need for sustainable and scalable community interventions. MINDS Foundation emerged as the solution, rallying advisors and team members to the cause. Their vision envisions a world where mental wellness is universally accessible.
Initiatives and Impact:
Community/school mental health education: To increase mental health literacy, they deliver evidence-based curriculum in communities and schools to equip students, teachers, and community members to understand, recognize, and respond to mental illness addressing topics like depression, anxiety, cyber-bullying, and more.
High-quality, low-cost mental health services: Community mental health workers work alongside clinical partners to provide access to medical care for those identified as being in need. They organize evidence-based mental health education workshops in partnership with local stakeholders. Workshops include discussion, panels, Q&A, visual aids, street plays and more.
Community Mental Health Worker Trainings: MINDS has developed a training module for empowering health community members to take on the role of Community Mental Health Workers, an evidence-based method for resource-poor settings
Taking support and education digital: They are committed to sharing their programming online so that location is never a barrier to accessing helpful and important resources
Research and materials development: CMHWs also take on the role of
sustaining our efforts by continuing mental health education in their
communities, peer-support groups, collecting data, and assisting members with their treatment plans.
Mental Health Awareness Campaigns: They harness the power of storytelling, media, and grassroots movements to bring mental health into the light.
Outcome:
In the past few years, they have:
Educated over 12,000 schoolchildren and trained over 16,000 schoolteachers in mental health.
Worked in 250 communities directly providing education and direct services.
Reached over 2.5 million parents through Children's Mental Health Program in partnership with Cadbury Bournvita.
Provided direct access to mental health services for a community population of over 650,000 people.
Launched India's first 24x7 toll-free helpline for national coverage, receiving ~5,000 calls a month.
Conducted training both physically and virtually for community health workers.
Carried out online campaigns to educate and destigmatize.
A Catalyst for Change: Mental health often languishes in the shadows of global health concerns. MINDS Foundation recognizes the potency of storytelling and media in driving genuine change. Through film, poetry, art, partnerships, and grassroots activism, they illuminate the path toward destigmatizing mental health and fostering a society that embraces wellness for all. The MINDS Foundation India is a testament to the transformational potential of education, compassion, and unwavering commitment to mental well-being. With every stride they take, they're rewriting the narrative surrounding mental health and lighting the way for a brighter, more inclusive future.
SANGATH: Healing Minds, Inspiring Lives
Background:
Sangath, initially a child guidance clinic offering solace in Goa, underwent a transformative shift upon recognizing the substantial unaddressed demand for mental healthcare across India. This marked the inception of their quest to formulate innovative strategies for delivering high-quality mental healthcare. Driven by a vision to address mental health gaps in India and beyond, Sangath has emerged as a highly respected nonprofit entity in the mental health sector in India. At the core of Sangath's spirit, voiced passionately by Co-founder Dr. Vikram Patel is a fundamental belief: “Every individual deserves good mental health.”
Initiatives and Impact:
Sangath encompasses a range of programs addressing child, adolescent, and youth mental health, adult mental health, aging and chronic conditions, addiction research, health equity, and workshops and training sessions. Several of their notable projects and initiatives include:
IMPRESS: Scaling up depression care in Goa: IMPRESS (Implementation of evidence-based facility and community interventions to reduce treatment gap for depression) marks India's first statewide effort in evidence-based depression care. It aims to boost accessibility to depression care by equipping all primary health care centers (PHCs) with counseling capabilities, aligning with Ayushman Bharat mental health guidelines.
PEERS: Testing digital peer supervision: The PEERS program (Promoting Effective Mental Healthcare through Peer Supervision) evaluates the impact of mobile application on therapy quality delivered by non-specialist community healthcare workers. It explores the effects of improved therapy on patient outcomes, contributing insights into digital peer supervision and enhancing evidence-based psychological care for individuals with depression.
Khushee-Mamta: Providing counseling to women with perinatal depression: The Mata Jai Kaur-Khushee Mamta initiative, also known as the "Happy Motherhood" program, involves training rural women from a village as non-specialist counselors. These counselors provide valuable support and counseling to expectant and new mothers facing perinatal depression and anxiety.
Domestic Violence Project: Counseling for women survivors of violence: Initiating India’s first evidence-based counseling initiative, the Domestic Violence Project offers counseling support to survivors of domestic violence by lay health workers through the "Pahal: a new beginning" initiative. The initiative’s effectiveness was assessed in a multi-country study, focusing on improving mental well-being in resource-limited circumstances across nations like India, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan.
MADAD: Peer delivered treatment for adolescents with anxiety and depression: Their latest endeavor, having launched in January 2023, customizes and assesses a peer-delivered psychological therapy for adolescents with anxiety and depression residing in rural and mixed urban-rural areas dealing
Community Involvement and Engagement:
In educational settings: School initiatives addressed mental health issues, depression, and fostering supportive environments amid the transition to physical classes.
At colleges: Discussions with students covered mental health, therapy, stress management techniques, and careers in mental health fields.
In communities: Workshops delved into understanding mental health, self-care, substance use awareness, and stress coping mechanisms.
Social Media Initiatives: During UN Women's 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-based Violence, they initiated a social media campaign titled #WeNeedToTalk about Violence, encouraging individuals to share instances of everyday violence that present challenges in addressing on social media.
Outcome:
Sangath’s journey across diverse projects yielded both quantitative and qualitative outcomes. The IMPRESS project trained PHC staff, involving interviews, workshops, group discussions, and reviews. The PEERS project also trained counselors. The Khushee-Mamta project screened over a thousand women for depression, counseling over a hundred. The Domestic violence project engaged SHGs, Mandals, Anganwadis, and Panchayats while conducting community awareness meetings. The MADAD Program involved group discussions with facilitators and adolescents, and qualitative interviews. In Goa, workshops on mental health, substance use, and self-care were guided by experts. In 2022, youth advisors and interns collaborated to create impactful social media campaigns addressing violence and substance use, reaching a wide audience.
Amid the modern hustle, exceptional groups drive mental health advancement, erasing stigma through compassion. Action for Autism, The Minds Foundation, and Sangath stand as catalysts for change, reshaping views and sparking impactful shifts. Through innovation and dedication, they provide accessible, top-notch care, illuminating a path to an enlightened, inclusive future.
Citations:
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-Devyani