3-day mental health mela organised by SCARF begins

The government of Tamil Nadu is in the process of finalising the policy on homelessness and mental health with the aid of NGOs, including SCARF and The Banyan, Tamil Nadu Health Secretary Supriya Sahu said on Friday.

Speaking at the three-day mental health mela ‘Mindscape’ organised by SCARF, which began on Friday, she said: “It is also important to address the issue of how we integrate people who have recovered and returned to their families, so they can lead normal lives. This work is being actively undertaken by these NGOs.”

Three levels of care

She also spoke about the three levels of care in Tamil Nadu and how the State government has been collaborating with non-governmental organisations with regard to mental health services.

SCARF’s theatre project — PIECEs — presented an interactive theatre performance addressing mental health illness and the stigma surrounding it in the State. “What SCARF truly stands for is opening doors for healthcare facilities, opening doors for homes where people with psychosis are often kept secret, and the newfound ways of saying we have to open them. We all have to be involved with this too,” said artistic director Paul Heritage.

The mental health mela includes 38 wings created by SCARF and other NGOs in the city such as The Banyan, SNEHA and Dhwani.

“It has been our dream to work collaboratively with the services available in the city, and this mela is our opportunity to showcase everything in one space. The wings focus not only on mental illnesses but also on promoting mental well-being, and the process of rehabilitation and recovery,” said SCARF’s Director, R. Padmavati.