India has 1000 clinical psychologists, 1000 psychiatric social workers, 9000 psychiatrists, 2000 psychiatric nurses, the study highlighted. Assuming that India needs three mental health professionals for each category per 100,000 population. The given scenario would desperately require an additional 30,000 psychiatrists, 37,000 psychiatric nurses, 38,000 psychiatric social workers and 38,000 clinical psychologists.
Specialized Courses, Affiliated Workshop
Capturing the focus and spotlighting solutions, Symbiosis Institute of Health Sciences (SIHS), Pune introduced BSc in Mental Health this year. There are many courses on mental health which are mainly related to psychology, psychological counseling and psychotherapeutic courses. BSc (Mental Health) is a widely popular course in the West, especially in universities in the UK and US.
“The newly introduced curriculum focuses on mental health advocacy for seeking treatment among the masses. That is why, we believe there is no shame in using mental health in the title of the course” Dr. Girija Mahale, Program Head , They say, Symbiosis Center for Emotional Wellbeing (SCEW).
Noting the worsening of the problem due to inaccessible mental health services, Dr. Girija also says, “The curriculum modules are designed to bridge these gaps. Students are taught about the various aspects of mental illnesses and their signs and symptoms. Another important aspect involves understanding child and adolescent mental health and diagnosing early symptoms. They are also provided training to provide them with basic skills such as psychological support, so that they can effectively reduce situations like suicide and self-harm in their future job roles.”
Mental and emotional health are closely related to our physical health. A healthy mind cannot exist without a healthy body and vice versa, says Sandeep Gautam, co-founder of performance and mental strength coaching PeakMind. Discussing interventions to support victims and families, Sandeep says, “During our research and experimentation with students, we realized that this issue needs comprehensive and coherent work that can address awareness , find out where they stand, and help them understand the concept. Enables the individual to develop desired coping skills.”
To extend a helping hand, workshops were initiated to prepare exam aspirants and their families to deal with anxiety and restlessness. “Therefore, we have designed a one-year program that includes workshops covering approximately 100+ relevant topics, and provides assessments, handouts, self-care tools, personal coaches and community education to help each student make a progressive journey involved,” Sandeep explains. ,
specific core components
psychology course are more theory-oriented, whereas curriculum in mental health focuses on building the skills and competencies needed to deal with patients. Psychology students without a master’s degree cannot treat patients, whereas a UG degree in mental health qualifies a student to treat patients. “The BSc degree allows students to study the core components of mental health, various psychosocial determinants of mental health, cognitive psychology, and other important topics such as assessment in mental health, collaborative care in mental health, management strategies, quantitative and qualitative research. , mental health advocacy and much more,” says Dr. Girija.
Explaining the difference between psychology and mental health courses, Sandeep says, “The former creates curiosity about the subject in the mind of the student, while the latter builds the mental resources and abilities in the students, which are important for life. To meet the challenges ahead and achieve excellence. their chosen area. Mental health students can also learn how to recognize and provide support when they or their friends are stressed and vulnerable. ,
rising jobs
BSc (Mental Health) students will be allowed to join the mental health workforce immediately after completing graduation, helping them to jumpstart their careers early. Dr Girija adds, “New individuals can assist clinical psychologists/psychiatrists to timely and accurately refer a patient to specialist services for neuro-developmental disorders or learning disabilities such as ADHD and other behavioral issues. Can give referrals. They are also hired as mental health advocates, tasked with making teachers and parents aware of mental health and incorporating socio-emotional learning into the school curriculum. Graduates can work in both private, public and non-profit organizations as allied health professionals, mental health counselors, case managers, case liaisons and research assistants.