Projects
Sakal Sobat Boluya Mental Health Support
Helpline (020 - 71171669)
Sharing and ventilation are the most important cores of modern society’s psychosocial wellbeing. Statistics say that unexpressed feelings and emotions lead to stress, which further proves to be an open invitation to mental health issues. Understanding this need of the hour, a joint initiative of Sakal Social Foundation and Centre for Mental Health, Karve Institute of Social Service, Sakal Sobat Boluya (सकाळ सोबत बोलूया) Mental Health Support Helpline is functioning 24x7 since 3rd August 2020. Supported by Punit Balan Group this helpline provides an unbiased listening space for the caller who are struggling with emotional management and distress issues.
The Helpline stories reflect discomfort and distress expressed by a huge lot, crossing 6750 calls in last six months. While the number of calls received from the male population (61%) and urban population (65%) is higher, there is also a considerable call flow from people working in the private sector (27%). While the younger generation, aged 18-30, is still to reach out for sharing, senior citizens and homemakers are finding the helpline quite helpful to vent out their situations of suppression.
Major issues faced by people in the last two months mainly show stresses related to current pandemic- COVID 19, coupled with financial stresses. Apart from these stresses, low mood, and depression, anxieties is related to future uncertainties, complex and multiple relationships and occupational stresses also top the major concerns. The helpline is receiving calls from all over Maharashtra, Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Sangli, Kolhapur, from towns like Bramati, Barshi, Karad, Latur, Osmanabad and from the interiors such as Junnar, Shirur, Shirval, Uralikanchan, Gadhinglaj and so on.
Objectives
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Provide Mental Health Support to Callers
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24x7 Helpline
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Identifying Mental Health Issues
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Providing Free of Charge Telephonic Counseling to the Caller
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Providing Free of Charge Telephonic Family Counseling
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In exceptional cases providing Face to Face Free Counseling at KINSS, Pune
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Referral to Psychologists, Psychiatrists, Test Centres and/or Hospitals
Dr. Mahesh Thakur
Program Director
With over 15 Counselors working on the Helpline around the clock, taking up the day-to-day administrative and academic responsibility as the Knowledge Partner, Karve Institute of Social Service, takes care of the successful implementation of this project through round the clock coordination of various mental health professionals on-board, organizing workshops and training modules for the Helpline Counselors, acquiring technological support, and maintaining statistics. Various observations and research findings that fetched from this project is going to be a significant referral resource for the researchers in near future.
Team Involved
Mr. Chetan Diwan, Program Manager
Shilpa Tambe, Program Coordinator and Counsellor
Dr. Medha Kumthekar, Psychologist
Dr. Pravin Pargaonkar, Psychotherapist
Ms. Amruta Bokil, Psychologist
Mrs. Rashmi Patwardhan, Counsellor
Mrs. Vrushali Diwan, Counsellor
Mrs. Smita Londhe, Counsellor
Mrs. Medha Pujari, Special Educator and Counsellor
Mrs. Bhagyashri Dixit, Counsellor
Mrs. Dhanashree Ghate, Counsellor
Dr. Alpana Vaidya, Psychologist
Mr. Viren Rajput, Counsellor
Dr. Yogesh Pokale, Psychiatrist
Dr. Sneha Mulchandani, Counsellor
