Date:11/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/11/stories/2008101160491000.htm

Tamil Nadu

Mental health programme to be extended to 8 more districts

Ramya Kannan

Recruitment of psychologists and social workers completed

Government hopes to prevent the chronicity of illness
Efforts on to give 3 months training for psychologists and social workers

CHENNAI: The District Mental Health Programme (DMHP) will be extended to another eight districts in the State, thereby providing services for just over half the districts (16) of Tamil Nadu.

The eight new districts are Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Namakkal, Tiruvarur, Virudhunagar and Perambalur. “The idea is to strengthen district-level programmes so as to avoid having people travel all the way to cities for treatment of mental illnesses. There are a number of untreated people, especially those with psychotic problems and alcohol and drug abuse that need to be handled effectively,” R. Satianathan, Director, Institute of Mental Health, who will also co-ordinate the programme in the State, said.

“We will train psychiatrists and they will in turn be able to train social workers to pick up people in rural areas with obvious signs of mental illness,” C. Ramasubramaniam, nodal officer for the project, explained. Recruitment of psychologists and social workers has been completed and all 16 districts are now fully equipped. Efforts were taken to give three months training for psychologists and social workers as suggested in guidelines.

“The intention is to provide for early identification, diagnosis, treatment and education on mental illness for people in their own district,” Dr. Satianathan said. With this, the government hopes to prevent the chronicity of illness and the disability that might arise from prolonged illness.

Alternative system

The DMHP or community mental health programme was launched as an alternative system to ensure that the mental health needs of the country were met. When formulated in 1996-1997 as a part of the National Mental Health Programme that sought to overcome the imbalance in needs and services, DMHP was launched in four districts – one each in Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. The programme was initiated in Tiruchi in 1997, where it now continues with State funding. Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts were initiated in 2001 and Theni, Kanyakumari, Dharmapuri, Erode and Nagapattinam in 2005-2006.

A sum of over Rs. 89 lakh per district has been allotted for a term of four years by the Centre. During the first year, these districts would kick start the programme with about Rs. 26 lakh per district, Dr. Ramasubramaniam added.