COIMBATORE: As part of the state-wide initiative of caring for the mentally ill and the destitute, the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital (CMCH) is set to establish an Emergency Care and Recovery Centre (ECRC).
"For the first time, we have got an opportunity to open such a centre to cater specifically for the mentally ill and the destitute. We are one of the hospitals in the state to be equipped with this facility under the National Health Mission. Through this facility, we can also treat many homeless people with special attention," said CMCH Dean Dr A Nirmala.
She said the centre will have 15 beds, and counselling and treatment will be provided to patients for their mental and physical wellbeing.
“There is one ECRC at Mettupalayam, operating with the support of NGO ‘Helping Hearts’, which admits only women. In CMCH, we will design it for men. The same NGO would be roped in as they have experience in rescuing, counselling and taking care of the mentally ill and the homeless.
They would be kept in the centre until recovery,” Dr Nirmala added.
As part of the Mental Health Programme, Emergency Care and Recovery Centres were established under the National Health Mission Tamil Nadu in 2018 to provide temporary shelter, medical and psychiatric care and rehabilitation services, including social welfare support for homeless individuals with mental illness.
Subsequently, in 2019, the Tamil Nadu government introduced the Tamil Nadu Mental Health Care Policy to promote mental health and ensure socio-economic inclusion of people with mental health issues, including the homeless. Based on this, the health department has come up with a comprehensive policy which emphasizes rescue, acute care, intermediary care, long-term care and social reintegration. ECRCs are currently operational in 17 districts and have catered to more than 4,000 people since its establishment,” sources said.