Schizophrenia Research Foundation (India)
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Mission Statement
SCARF is a non profit, non governmental organization in Chennai in south India committed to mental health since 1984. It is one of the few NGOs which combine patient care and rehabilitation with internationally acclaimed research, teaching, training and improving awareness. Lobbying for issues relating to disability and mental health are also high on the priority. SCARF is a Collaborating Centre of the World Health Organization ( WHO) for mental health research and training. We have pioneered the use of mobile tele psychiatry in our community mental health programmes. Our community programmes have treated close to 4000 patients, many severely mentally ill and been never treated before. We have a Board of Management which meets regularly and oversees all our activities. We are also recognized by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. We are a very credible organization with a lot of transparency in the way we mange our finances and accounts.
About This Cause
SCARF: A Brief History In 1984, a group of mental health professional (headed by Padma Bhushan awardee Dr.M.Sarada Menon and philanthropists got together to fill this huge gap in mental health services and initiate research into its various facets. Thus was born the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF), a non-governmental, nonprofit organization in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, offering a multidisciplinary, comprehensive range of psychiatric care and rehabilitation services. SCARF is international recognized for its work and is a Collaborating Centre of the World Health Organization (WHO) for Mental Health Research Training. Vision The Schizophrenia Research Foundation strives to make the world a place in which the mentally ill are fully included in all aspects of society- work, family, education, public mobility, cultural production, and so on. We work towards an era in which no stigma attaches itself to mental illness and everyone is given the care and consideration they deserve, a time in which policy change enables all mentally ill people to live their lives as meaningful members of our society. Mission & Mandate To provide integrated, comprehensive, cost effective and accessible mental healthcare to the mentally disabled To place a special emphasis on Psychosocial rehabilitation To initiate, conduct and support research programs on the biological, social and psychological aspects of schizophrenia and other mental illnesses and thereby further our knowledge of treatments and methods of care giving. To initiate and implement mental health policy changes that will enable mentally ill people to participate fully in social processes. To increase social awareness about mental illness, disability, treatment and other welfare measures; to also provide education and employment support both for the mentally ill and for the children of mentally ill persons. DEMCARES : In 2015, in response to need expressed by the community, SCARF started a Dementia Care programme ( www.dementiaindia.org) . DEMCARES since then has been providing clinical and support services for persons with dementia and their families. A Centre for Active Ageing was started a sa Day Care progarmme to provide cognitive stimulation and support for these persons. We have now embarked on our most ambitious programme, building of the first ever residential Dementia Care facility in Tamil nadu. In fact there are few such facilities in the country. This centre will be built on land in tambaram donated by a benefactor. We will admit persons with dementia with serious behavioural problems, cognitive deficits who need in patient based interventions. It will be built with a dementia friendly design. We will initially ahev 25 beds. The total outlay of the project is Rs 3 crores ( 462,000 USD) . We are looking for support for this pioneering programme. Community Mental Health Care: Community-based Initiatives around the world have gone hand-in-hand with higher rates of recovery and lower rate of relapse. We have been out in the community, offering Community based Mental Health Services since 1990. As part of this we carry out: • Treatment and rehab at the door step through outreach clinics to make psychiatric services more accessible to our patients in Tambaram, Thiruporur and Chetpet. • Training and involving community-level workers: Over the years, we have trained a substantial number of young people in the community, especially from the villages, to o Identify and encourage persons with mental illness and help them access mental health treatment and implement simple psychosocial interventions. • Networking with other NGOs in the community to enable mobilization of resources within the community to aid the reintegration of the patient. Tele-psychiatry: We began experimenting with tele-psychiatry in 2005 using Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) lines as part of our psychosocial intervention programme for Tsunami victims. Since then, tele-psychiatry has developed into a full-fledged component of our community outreach programme. Mobile Tele-psychiatry: For the for the first time in India, SCARF, supported by the TATA Educational Trust, flagged off a mobile tele-psychiatry unit in 2011. The mobile unit covers the district of Pudukottai in Tamil Nadu, encompassing 156 villages with a population of about 300,000. At present the service focuses only on those with serious mental disorders and currently about 1500 people have availed of the services offered under the SCARF Tele-psychiatry Programme (STEP) in Pudukottai. Residential Services: Some patients require to be admitted for varying periods of time to address some of their specific needs. In order to do this, SCARF has established three residential centers: 1) BhavishyaBhavan – the Thiruverkaducentre established in 1991 houses 75 mentally ill women and elderly persons. 2) Bhagwan Mahavir Manav SanmargaSeva Kendra in Mahabalipuram has a capacity for 45 men. 3) Sarada Menon Residential Centre in Anna Nagar, Chennai- admits 35 men and women. All the centers are run on a cost sharing basis with a percentage of beds allocated for those who cannot afford to pay. Awareness & Empowerment: SCARF plays a pivotal role in the field of awareness and education. Myths and misconceptions abound in the understanding of mental illness, these in turn leading to delay in seeking treatment. Changing mindsets and eradicating stigmais crucial area of work and SCARF has therefore organized several awareness programmes not only in urban areas, but in rural pockets, using indigenous modes of communication. Our teams of allied health professionals take on an active role in training community agencies, village level health workers, and Self Help Groups in recognizing the signs and symptoms of mental health problems, making appropriate referrals after identification, delivering medication at the homes of the ill and supporting the families. SCARF has brought out many educational films which have been used by other NGOs in increasing and spreading awareness about mental illness. Research & Collaborations: SCARF is actively involved in research, and in collaborations with national and international agencies, to develop appropriate psycho-social interventions that help understand the mechanisms underlying various mental disorders and transform the findings into interventions that will change the way we think about mental health and the way we treat those with mental illness. The objective is also to develop and replicate innovative service delivery models and build capacities for research under the SCARF Academy Initiative. Key Research Areas: SCARF’s Research Programmes have been designated among the top 11 Medical Research Foundations in India and ranked 4 on H-index (research impact rating) & citations with over 70 projects completed and several ongoing research projects including 3 international collaborative projects, Researchers have over 200 publications in peer reviewed national & international journals. SCARF is recognized by WHO & DST, Govt. of India as a research organization. Collaborations for Research: SCARF is one of the few NGOs working in the field of mental health which has been recognized as a Collaborating Center of the World Health Organisation (WHO) for Mental Health Research and Training. Academics & Capacity Building: Education and capacity building are vital for improving mental healthcare services in India. Towards this end, SCARF is: • A Collaborating Centre of the WHO for Mental Health Research and Training in India. • A Recognized Centre for PhD research under the Tamil Nadu Dr.MGR Medical University. • Training Centre for a Post Graduate Course in Psychiatry- the Diplomate of the National Board. • Recognized by the Department of Science and Technology. • A centre that offers block placement and training for students of Social Work, Psychology, Occupational Therapy and Nursing. • The students are exposed to practical programmes of treatment and rehabilitation of the chronic mentally ill apart from theory classes. • Runs training programmes on mental health and workshops on research methodology for various target groups. Events Held by SCARF 1) IConS – A calendar event, our show piece is the International Congress on Schizophrenia which is one of the well-attended conferences in this part of the world. ICONS, which has seen 6 editions so far, is conducted every two years and attracts a very eminent national and international faculty. 2) Frame Of Mind- A unique film festival that we hold every two years showcasing the winners of the short film-making competitions held by SCARF. During this festival, we also screen feature films on the subject of mental health (www.frameofmind.in). Awards Instituted by SCARF Recognition &Awards Received acknowledge We have received en number of National and International awards. Among which remarkable ones are, 2014 - Dr.Thara, Director, Schizophrenia Research Foundation conferred the Fellowship of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK. 2009 - She received the President’s Gold Medal from the Royal College of Psychaitrists, UK. 1995 - Dr.Sarada Menon was awarded the “InternationalAchievemnet Award’ by the International Association of Psychosocial Rehabilitation Services, Boston, USA. 1992 - Dr.Sarada Menon was awarded the Padma Bhusham for her work in the field of mental health.