BMC and TISS join hands to help 3 lakh students

First-of-its-kind initiative to provide mental health counselling to civic school pupils.

A groundbreaking initiative is being launched in Mumbai under which lakhs of students in BMC schools will benefit from free mental health counselling over the next five years. This is the first time that such a large-scale programme is being implemented in the city. It will see principals and teachers being trained to identify children suffering from depression and stress who need counselling from doctors. The Smiling Schools Project – which will bring together Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), prominent psychiatrists, non-profit organisations and the BMC – aims to target more than 3 lakh students in the 13-17 age bracket. The programme was conceived by Project Mumbai and developed by TISS. On Monday training of 150 principals from various MCGM schools will begin at a BMC school in NM Joshi Marg, Parel. Dr Kersi Chavda, practising psychiatrist and consultant at Hinduja Hospital, Dr Mona Gajre, psychiatrist at the BMC-run Sion Hospital, Dr Henal Shah, psychiatrist, BYL Nair Hospital, Dr Chetna Duggal, assistant professor, TISS, Shishir Joshi, CEO and founder, Project Mumbai, will train them. As per data released by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences, Bangalore, one in five children and youth in India has a diagnosable emotional or mental health challenge severe enough to impair functioning at home, school or in the community, Joshi told Mirror, adding that the most common mental health concerns among children aged 13-17 are depression and anxiety. “Project Mumbai is taking the initiative to launch this project. It is a first-of-itskind comprehensive mental wellness programme aimed at building the mental and emotional resilience of every child across the municipal schools in Mumbai and the MMR region,” Joshi said. Affluent parents, who are more educated and aware of the importance of mental wellness, can afford treatment, Dr Chavda said. Most students in BMC schools come from an economically weaker background and cannot afford to visit psychiatrists or seek treatment, he said. “With this programme we want to ensure that every child has access to counselling. “Adolescents often are sensitive and more likely to get depressed, self-harm, get involved with drugs. Identifying mental problems and counselling and treating them is very important. Early diagnosis gives better results. We are even seeing depression in under-12s,” Dr Chavda said. In its first year of implementation, The Smiling Schools Project will reach out to 150 schools, close to 600 teaching staff, 12,000 students, 12,000 parents and approximately 50 counsellors. By the end of the fiveyear period, the project will have covered approximately 1,200 schools and more than three lakh students, parents and staff members, thoroughly covering topics such as bullying, teacher-student relationships and peer relationships, happiness and wellbeing, stress and coping mechanisms, emotional regulation, and selfcare. The project will employ a ‘trainthe-trainer’ model, wherein facilitators from partner organisations will receive training from Project Mumbai mental health team and experts on a set curriculum, which has been put together through a widely consultative process. “Two years ago TISS launched an awareness programme called School Initiative for Mental Health Advocacy, in 16 schools. There is huge stigma attached to depression. Many parents and children are reluctant to meet psychiatrists. We wanted to spread awareness of these issues,” Dr Duggal, a knowledge partner in the initiative, told Mirror. “With this programme, we are implementing our idea on a large scale. Students who receive support from teachers and peers are likely to have more self-esteem and fewer depressive symptoms.”


Source: Mumbai Mirror, 16/09/2019