Sambandh Health Foundation is a charitable trust working in the area of public health, within which there are two focus areas - Mental Illness and Tobacco Control. Started by a small group of caregivers and family members of persons living with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder in 2011, Sambandh has grown to be a respected name in the field of mental health in India.
The National Mental Health survey undertaken in 2016 reported that the incidence of mental health disorders in individuals above the age of 18 years is 10.6%, and severe mental illness affects about 1.9% of the population in India. Additionally there some 150 million Indians in need of active intervention.
Despite the chronic and long-term nature of some mental disorders, with proper treatment, people suffering from these can live productive lives and be an integral part of their communities. Stigma, fear and lack of awareness of the illness are major obstacles in seeking medical help and recovery.
With its programmes, Sambandh works to promote better understanding of mental illness, besides addressing various related issues. In this, Sambandh’s goals are:
- To build capacities of people living with mental illness and their families
- To educate the public about mental health and illness, and
- To advocate for improved treatment and community supports
At Sambandh we firmly believe that the web of relationships between all stakeholders (the person living with mental illness, the family, society, state and professionals) must be strengthened, and work together to provide education and community-based supports needed by the person to recover and become a contributing member of the community.
We have been successfully running a Community Integration Programme (CIC), the ultimate objective of which is to see people with mental disorders lead productive and independent lives. We do this by helping people regain their self-esteem, build confidence and social skills, and the independence to choose their desired career paths. An important indicator of success of our various programmes is in people living with mental illness gaining employment or going back to complete their education.
Different support programmes are designed using findings from the most up-to-date research, which indicates that people living with mental illness can achieve meaningful lives and fully participate in society.