KOCHI: Are you feeling dejected? Or want to help your near and dear who are not feeling well mentally? Help will soon be just a call away! The Kochi corporation is set to start a dedicated helpline to provide various mental healthcare services as part of the ‘Happiness Kochi’ project, which the civic body has now extended to two more divisions following an encouraging response to the pilot initiative in two wards. The helpline will be made functional with the support of the District Mental Health Programme, introduced earlier as part of the National Mental Health Programme, to decentralise mental healthcare services.
“Often, people are reluctant to seek mental health assistance due to concerns about being treated differently by society. The tele-based dedicated helpline will assist such people in gathering information or guidance on seeking help or treatment assistance for a particular problem or on the various mental healthcare services they can avail. Based on the experience in these divisions, the service will be made available across the city,” Mayor M Anilkumar said.
He said several institutions are now providing the services effectively, besides government programmes like Tele-MANAS which provide free mental healthcare services round the clock. “The corporation will act as an umbrella body, linking and making available the right services to the beneficiaries as per their requirement,” the mayor pointed out.
‘Happiness Kochi Mental Health Programme’ is a scientific mental health intervention executed with the guidance of a steering committee chaired by the mayor, along with professional experts. The project has two components – community and school-based mental healthcare services. In both of those, the project will focus on positive mental health promotion through activities such as yoga, music therapy, and the treatment of mental illnesses.
Happiness centres form the core of the intervention in the community-based service. Two such centres were recently started in two divisions, Kadebhagam (ward 13) and Chakkaraparambu (ward 46). The programme has now been extended to Karuvelippady and Amaravathy.
The corporation will also soon launch a special initiative to provide mental health support to those staying alone in flats. “This too will be undertaken on a pilot basis in these four wards,” the mayor said.
Meanwhile, two schools -- Government HSS, Edappally, and Government HSS, Vennala -- have been selected for the school-based mental healthcare service under the ‘Happiness Kochi Project’.
“Happiness clubs have been formed in these schools and they have started the activities. Happiness ambassadors are selected from each class to implement the activities, which includes sensitisation programmes for students, teachers and parents. Those in need of specialised care will be provided with professional services as well. Referral protocols will be developed for the same,” Anilkumar added.