Mental Health Agencies - International and in India

1. Mental Health Agencies
Presented by :
Mrs. Nazung Lepcha
1st Year M.Sc Nursing

2. Introduction
Across the country and around the world, there
are a number of organizations dedicated to
helping people who struggle with mental health
disorders and their families
To better understand the nature of their
illnesses and connect with treatment that will
assist them with managing symptoms.

3. Introduction
An agency is a business, firm, or
organization that provides a specific service
Health care services" means any medical or
remedial care or service, including supplies
delivered in connection with the care or
service, that is recognized under state law.

4. Mental Health Agencies
International
National
State

5. Mental Health Agencies –
International
1. World Health Organization (WHO):
 Integrates mental health concerns to prevent and
control mental disorders.
 One of the objectives of the Mental health
action plan (2013-2020) are to:
- provide comprehensive, integrated and responsive
mental health and social care services in
community-based settings.

6. 2.The United Nations Educational Scientific
and cultural organization (UNESCO):
It seeks to build peace through international
cooperation in Education, the Sciences and
Culture.
 It is associated with young people’s mental and
physical health as well as on their well-being
over the short and long term.

7. 3. The World Federation for Mental Health
(WFMH):
Its purpose is to promote co-operation at
international level between governmental, non-
governmental mental health agencies.
The Federation has been granted consultative
status by both WHO and UNESCO
 It assists UN agencies by collecting information
on mental health conditions all over world.

8. The goals of WFMH are as follows:
To promote mental health and optimal
functioning
To prevent mental, neurological and
psychosocial disorders
To heighten public awareness about the
importance of mental health
To improve the care and treatment of those with
mental, neurological and psycho-social
disorders.

9. 4.The International Society for Mental Health
Online (ISMHO):
It is a non-profit organization formed in 1997
To promote the understanding, use and
development of online communication
information and technology for the international
mental health community.
 Serves as a valuable resource for researchers,
clinicians and ordinary people interested in the
topic of online mental health.

10. 5.American Academy of Child & Adolescent
Psychiatry:
The mission is to promote the healthy
development of children, adolescents, and
families through research, training, prevention,
comprehensive diagnosis and treatment

11. 6. The JED Foundation
The JED Foundation provides expertise in
promoting emotional and mental health and
preventing suicide among teens, young adults,
and college students.
Founded 2000
- Focus on Suicide prevention , Mental illness
- Area served: United States
- Method Education
- Founder : Phil and Donna Satow
- Website www.jedfoundation.org

12. 7. American Psychiatric Association (APA) :
The American Psychiatric Association member
physicians work together to ensure humane care
 Effective treatment for all persons with mental
disorders,
Including intellectual disabilities and substance
use disorders.

13. 8. American Psychiatric Nurses
Association
The Association is committed to the specialty
practice of psychiatric-mental health (PMH)
nursing and wellness promotion,
Prevention of mental health problems, and the
care and treatment of persons with psychiatric
disorders.

14. Mental Health Agencies in India

15. 1.The Alzheimer and Related Disorders
Society of India (ARDSI)
 First started in Cochin, and has now spread to
more than a dozen centers in India.
 It works with families who have a member
affected by dementia.
 ARDSI is a registered national, non-profit
voluntary organization engaged in the care,
support, training and research of dementia since
it's inception in 1992.

16. objectives
To initiate and encourage formation of Day care
(morning to evening), Home care (providing care at
the homes for people with dementia)
To secure from Governmental and non-
governmental sources, better facilities for care
To undertake and support research into the causes,
prevalence, care giving and other aspects of
Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
To encourage training of health personal in geriatric
care and dementia.
To educate the general public about dementia
through all available media

17. 2. The Richmond Fellowship Society:
The Richmond Fellowship (RF) was started in the
year 1959 in UK by Ms. Elly Jansen
Provides effective rehabilitation services to
people recovering from severe mental health
problems

18. 3. Schizophrenia Research Foundation
(SCARF):
It is a NGO organization in Chennai founded in
1984 by a group of philanthropists and mental
health professionals
SCARF is one of the very few NGOs in the world
to be named as a Collaborating Center of the
World Health Organization ( WHO) for Mental
Health Research and Training.

19. Objectives of SCARF
Treatment and rehabilitation of people suffering
from Schizophrenia
Community outreach programmes in urban
slums and villages to offer treatment and improve
awareness.
Educating the public about Schizophrenia, to
create awareness and understanding, to facilitate
early detection, and to eliminate social
stigmatisation.

20. Objectives
Training programmes to various groups of
workers on principles of detection and
management of mental illnesses.
Lobbying extensively with
the Government and other apex bodies for
programmes for the mentally disabled.
Research into biological, social and
psychological aspects of Schizophrenia.

21. 4. Sangath Society (Goa):
It is a NGO working towards increasing access to
mental healthcare for 20 years now.
Sangath is providing access to rural population in
the form of physical, psychological, and social
therapies.

22. 5.Umeed and the Research Society
(Mumbai)
Ummeed provides specialized care for most
developmental disabilities and has moved into areas
of training, research and advocacy.
 It is now one of the country’s leading NGOs, much
respected for its work in the field of children with
disabilities.

23. 6.Shraddha Rehabilitation Foundation
 Non-profit organisation established by Dr Bharat
Vatwani, a Mumbai based Psychiatrist, in 1989.
Based in Karjat, Maharashtra, the foundation aims
to find, restore and reunite, the mentally
ill patients back with their families.

24. 7. The banyan
 The Banyan is an non-governmental
organization based in Chennai India was founded
in 1993
 Over the past two decades, has expanded to offer
a range of comprehensive mental health solutions
for men and women who are either homeless, or
living in a state of abject poverty.

25. 8. The Live Love Laugh Foundation
It is a non-profit organization that deals
with mental health issues.
 It was founded in 2015 by Deepika Padukone as
a non-profit NGO to bring awareness to mental
health in India.

26. Objectives
The Foundation focuses on the following objectives:
To create awareness and reduce
the stigma around depression
To fund and support community-based mental
health projects that can have a sustainable and a
large-scale impact on the society.
To support research in the area of mental health in
India.

27. Mental Health Agencies focusing on
substance abuse problems are:
Parivarthan in Maharashtra,
Kripa Foundation,
Alcoholics Anonymous and
Samaritans

28. Mental Health Agencies that work
on suicide prevention activities
are:
Sneha (Chennia)
Saarthak (Delhi)
Suicide Prevention India Foundation
(SPIF)

29. Mental agencies in sikkim
Sikkim Rehabilitation and Detoxification
society
32No, Nimtar, Gangtok
Voluntary Health Association Of Sikkim, Bahai
School Road, Daragaon Tadong-Gangtok, was
established on 22nd July 1997
Sajeevani Rehab Society Kazitar Namchi,
South Sikkim
Jagriti counselling center

30. MentalHealth Agencies in Sikkim
Spastic Society of Sikkim
Rupanter AA Group, Daragaon, Tadong,
Gangtok, East Sikkim
Sanjeevata AA Group,Silver Lodge, Parking
Bazaar, Gangtok, East Sikkim
Salvation Group, Development Area, C/o
Rev Joseph Tamang, Gangtok, East Sikkim
Time-Mon/Thu 4.30 pm

31. Activities and programs of
Mental Health Agencies
Treatment: care and rehabilitation
Community-based activities and
prevention
Research and training
Advocacy and empowerment

32. Treatment: care and rehabilitation
The programs include a spectrum of activities
such as :
- individual and group counseling,
- vocational rehabilitation and livelihood skills
training,
- cognitive retraining,
- family support and counseling,
- self-help groups, recreation and leisure activities

33. Treatment and rehabilitation
Out-patient clinics, in-patient care, day care
programs and long term residential care
 Within this spectrum of services, a range of
treatments including drug and psychological
treatments are offered.

34. Community programs and
prevention
 Primary prevention activities like telephone
helplines for depressed and suicidal persons,
educational programs in schools and workplace for
prevention of substance abuse.
 Secondary prevention includes community based
rehabilitation programs for child and adult mental
disabilities, SCARF’s vocational support activities
and telemedicine to expand access to specialist in
rural areas.
 Comprehensive service for the ‘wandering’ mentally
ill.

35. Research and training

36. Research and training
SCARF’s studies on Schizophrenia is the most
widely cited research in developing countries.
Sangath's studies on the treatment of depression are
amongst the largest such studies from India.
Ashagram's community program for schizophrenia
has generated the first scientific evidence of the use
of the Community based approach for
rehabilitation of a mental disorder.

37. Advocacy and empowerment
Raises awareness in different sectors of
community.
Documentation and dissemination of
relevant facts and research for changes in
law . Eg. Inclusion of mental disability in
the disability legislation of India.
SCARF organized a film festival called the
“Frame of Mind” which features several
short films on mental health and stigma.
Support groups for Alcoholism,
Schizophrenia, Alzheimer’s disease and
Autism.

38. Strengths of Mental Health Agencies
Working in partnerships: it has ability to strike
up collaborations and partnerships with other
agencies or individuals with ease.
 Innovations in practice: Mental Health
Agencies are, typically, closer to the community
they serve and hence in a better position to be
more sensitive to changing needs and
perceptions.

39. Strengths ….
 Transparency in administration:
The activities of Mental Health Agencies
are driven not by profit but by the desire to
achieve a basic quality of care for all
clients, irrespective of their ability to pay.

40. Limitations of Mental Health Agencies
Sustainability: A key problem facing most is the
source of their funding. Staff members have no
guarantee of employment beyond a defined
project period.
 Accountability: There has been considerable
public concern regarding the misuse of funds
and lack of financial accountability of agency in
general.
 Scope: The most important limitation is the
limited scope of individual MHAs. The world of
most MHAs is confined to a city or a few
villages.

41. Conclusion
Mental Health Agencies have made
tremendous strides in mental health
promotion and care, against massive
odds ranging from low awareness about
mental illness to lack of motivation
donors.

42. References
 Role of non-governmental organizations in mental health in
India
Indianjpsychiatry.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5545
Thara R , Patel Vikram , Year : 2010 Volume : 52 Issue : 7
Page : 389-395
 Local Organizations with Mental Health Expertise |
MentalHealth.gov
https://www.mentalhealth.gov/talk/community-
conversation/services/
 Mental Health | Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality
https://www.ahrq.gov/topics/topic-mental-health.html