Mental Health Programmes
Many persons living with a mental illness spend crucial years struggling with it and its impact on their lives and those of their families. Most withdraw and isolate themselves, wherein their lives are drastically disrupted, and they lose time, energy and motivation to realise their potential and enjoy a meaningful life in society. They lose hope, feel worthless and have the constant feeling of not fitting in.
The Sambandh Community Integration Centre (CIC) is a Resource Centre designed to support people living with mental illness to regain their self-worth and live a meaningful life within society. While helping in the important work of running the Centre, members (PwMI who engage with us) also build their confidence and skills to help achieve individual success.
CIC is the Central Hub from which all other programmes extend into the community.
One trustee astutely called CIC “the “motherboard” of Sambandh Mental Health, providing a rich culture and constant source of encouragement and nourishment for this rewarding but challenging work.
The heart of our organization, these CICs offer a welcoming, respectful and collaborative environment, and provide pre-vocational training, employment and educational supports, wellness activities and peer support. The training for our unique Recovery Model based on latest research, and participation with members at CIC prepares our team for our different programmes.
For Members-
Community Integration Centre (CIC) – The CIC is operational in Gurugram in collaboration with the Haryana Government and is part of the DMHP (District Mental Health Programme. It is a free-of-cost Recovery programme for adults living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
Outreach Programme- People with mental illness who are unable to leave their homes or come to CIC are supported by our Programme Officers through home visits and telephonic support.
For Families-
Family Self Help Group (FSHG): Families meet at the CIC and at the Civil Hospital, Gurugram for the purpose of increasing their mental health literacy, emotional support-sharing and professional support.
Family Counselling Unit: The lives of families are often as devastated as those of the PwMI and our Family Counselling services help families to cope and recover their own lives.
Others-
Awareness Programmes: There is a lot of stigma and myths attached to mental illness and this is one of the key reason, why it remains hidden to a great extent. To address this, Sambandh organizes awareness programmes in the form of street plays, talks, workshops and distribution of materials. These take place in schools, universities, villages, police stations, temples, dargahs and the community as a whole.
Village Mental Health Programme: Late 2016, the community mental health programme – ‘The village project’ came into being. This project takes the Recovery Programme to hitherto, relatively untouched areas, nearby villages, and makes it accessible to the local people.
The village Programme has been possible with the support of MPS Limited.
Sambandh carried all its experience and learning to four villages in and around Gurugram – Gurgaon Gaon, Basai (including Basai Enclave), Gandhi Nagar (including Shivji Park and Sakti Park) and Jharsa, with very fruitful results.