BENGALURU: An eye-opening, first-of-its-kind study has revealed that targeted support for self-employment enabled financial independence and social inclusion among those with severe mental illness in rural communities.
The study by Live Love Laugh Foundation (LiveLoveLaugh) and researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS), published on December 31, 2024, in the peer-reviewed International Journal of Social Psychiatry, challenges long-held misconceptions and stigma attached to mental illness, and offers preliminary evidence that persons with severe mental illness can build independent livelihoods through self-employment when offered free treatment and support locally.
Conducted over a period of 10 months in Jagaluru taluk, of Karnataka’s Davangere district, the study focused on outcomes of a Community-Based Rehabilitation (CBR) programme facilitating self-employment opportunities through a one-time grant from LiveLoveLaugh, managed as a revolving fund by a family-led federation. Participants engaged in locally relevant livelihood activities such as sheep-rearing and tailoring, that are sustainable.
Of the 214 people availing CBR, 98 consented to participate in the study, aged 18-50 years.
The study — titled “Outcome of wage and self-employment intervention for persons with severe mental illness availing rural community-based rehabilitation project: Experience from South India” — found that persons with severe mental illness demonstrated financial reliability, with three out of ten families fully repaying their loans and others showing strong commitment despite challenges.
Employment was found to enhance dignity, purpose and social acceptance while reducing stigma and promoting recovery. Ventures such as sheep rearing and tailoring provided financial relief and a sense of belonging.
Moreover, the program helped beneficiaries to generate earnings to support their livelihood while also increasing community engagement.
‘Persons with severe mental illness can sustain self-employment’
Attendance at monthly family federation meetings was found to have tripled after loan issuance, strengthening accountability and support networks. Besides, the study also found that persons with severe mental illness who took part in the intervention attended follow-up consultations more consistently.
The study offered a scalable approach to tackling intertwined challenges of poverty and severe mental illness in resource-limited rural settings. It underscored the importance of culturally sensitive, community-driven interventions in fostering economic stability, social inclusion, and improved mental health outcomes. LiveLoveLaugh has been operating rural community mental health programs since 2016.
Dr Shyam Bhat, Chairperson, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, and a co-author of the study, said, “By proving that persons with severe mental illness can sustain self-employment, we’re not only challenging stigma but also laying the foundation for sustainable and inclusive mental health interventions.”
Dr Murali Doraiswamy, Professor of Psychiatry & Medicine at Duke University, and Trustee of The Live Love Laugh Foundation, who served as a key advisor to the study, said: “Using financial and mental health interventions to address the unique challenges faced by persons with severe mental illness, this first-of-its-kind study in India highlights the potential of integrated support systems in addressing the bidirectional relationship between poverty, joblessness, and chronic mental illness. Revolving funds issued and monitored by the family-led federation are powerful tools for social inclusion and economic empowerment, allowing persons with severe mental illness to contribute meaningfully to society.”
Anisha Padukone, CEO, The Live Love Laugh Foundation, said, “Our experience demonstrated the transformative power of holistic mental health interventions extending beyond clinical care. When patients from impoverished families improve on treatment, many start working to meet their and their family’s needs. Apart from reducing economic burden, self-employment allows families to engage patients in gainful work. It also promotes patients’ dignity and social inclusion in the local community.”
The authors of the study from NIMHANS were Dr Thanapal Sivakumar, Professor, Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services; Dr Shanivaram K Reddy, Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatric Social Work; Dr Aarti Jagannathan, Additional Professor, Department of Psychiatric Social Work; Dr Channaveerachari Naveen Kumar, Professor, Department of Psychiatry; and Dr Jagadisha Thirthalli, Professor, Department of Psychiatry.