Shakti Organisation, in collaboration with The Live Love Laugh Foundation, has launched the Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) 2025 in Rayagada and Kashipur blocks of Odisha. The initiative focuses on improving access to mental health services and reducing stigma in rural and tribal areas where access to professional support is limited.
The program focuses on building a community-based mental health support system, where early intervention, awareness, and consistent care are central.
What the Program Offers
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Mental Health OPDs: Regular outpatient services are being conducted to offer clinical support, diagnosis, and treatment for common mental health conditions such as anxiety, depression, and trauma-related issues.
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Follow-up Support: Many people drop out of mental health care due to distance, cost, or social pressure. This program ensures consistent follow-ups, so no one is left behind once treatment begins.
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Community Champion Training: Over 100 local volunteers and workers are being trained to identify early signs of distress, offer first-line emotional support, and connect individuals to care. This is critical in areas with limited professional services.
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Street Plays & Awareness Campaigns: With over 48 street plays and campaigns planned, mental health messages are being delivered in local languages using relatable, everyday stories. This method helps break myths and normalizes seeking help.
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Home Visits & Open Talks: Trained teams conduct door-to-door visits, offering quiet, non-judgmental support in spaces where people feel most safe—inside their homes.
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Advocacy & Rights: Beyond care, the program promotes awareness of mental health as a basic human right. This includes the right to dignity, inclusion, and non-discrimination.
Why It’s Important
According to the National Mental Health Survey of India (2015-16), nearly 1 in 7 Indians experience mental health issues, but treatment gaps—especially in rural India—exceed 70–80%. Stigma, lack of awareness, and poor accessibility are major barriers.
Rayagada and Kashipur, being tribal-dominated and geographically remote, face higher risks due to poverty, displacement, and limited health infrastructure. CMHP 2025 addresses this gap by bringing services to the community itself.
This initiative sets a replicable model for rural mental health care, where awareness, accessibility, and empathy go hand-in-hand. Programs like CMHP 2025 are key to making mental wellness a priority— not just in urban centers, but at the grassroots.
