Individual sessions in mental health program
Posted on: 25/Aug/2015 6:24:25 PM
The Chennai corporation’s school mental health program began two months ago. Now, the project’s team is thinking of implementing individual session for each and every student who is in need of the program.
The program has been carried out by a team of four members belong to Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF). In about five schools belonging to the Chennai Corporation, the program has been held for students of class 6th to 9th. This program is aimed at bringing betterment in the mental wellbeing of children and identifying disorders in them, if any.
All these sessions are activity based which are done in groups and all the children are found happy during the sessions. However, there are a few who approach the organizers and seek individual talks, says said Syjo Davis, a psychiatric social worker at SCARF, and a project coordinator. Hence the team has planned to conduct individual sessions in which students or even the parents will be counseled individually. The frequency of these individual sessions (once in a week, or once in a month) will be decided based on the total number of students who opt for the session, says Lakshmi Venkatraman, a consultant psychiatrist, SCARF, and an in charge of the program.
We will extend our help wherever possible and may suggest a psychiatric help if needed, she added.
Simultaneously, efforts are being taken to offer these counseling service to all corporation schools as it is not offered in all of them. R. Thara, the director of SCARF says mental health issues in children and adolescent is widely prevalent and that it is important to identify it in the early stage. Parents cannot ignore everything citing it as ‘growing up problem’ assuming it to get resolved by itself.
Training to teachers:
Teachers are trained in ways to identify behavioral problems, difficulties with learning, attention deficit disorders, depression, and other mental health issues so that they can help the students or refer them to a psychiatrist.
This program involves use of modules developed by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuroscience. Infosys, an IT firm funds the program.
