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Monday 28 October 2013

For the cause of mental health : CHENNAI

Institute of Mental Health, Social Sciences and Trans disciplinary Research (IMHS), started by Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health has been offering an MA in social work in mental health  since last June in association with Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai and Virje University, Amsterdam. Edex caught up with Nalini Rao, dean of the institute, to know more about the course.


Rao is excited that the course functions from Banyan’s rural healthcare centre in Kovalam. “In the ground floor you have the rehabilitation centre while classes are functioning in the first floor. This is an excellent opportunity for students to learn mental healthcare that too within a practical setting. Like how you have a medical school and hospital functioning together to mould students, here you have an NGO and a mental healthcare institute co-exist,” she says.


The course



Coming back to the course, Rao informs that right from admissions, curriculum, fee, etc, everything is under the guidance of TISS while Virje is helping out with research, deputation of teachers and student-teachers exchange which will begin next semester. The programme is spread over two-years covering four semesters. In order to graduate, students need to achieve 79 credits and finish a dissertation.



As of now, 15 students have enrolled for the course, which is in the first year of its running. There are two full-time faculty with Rao doubling up as a professor. Experts in the field of sociology drawn from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, and other streams, pitch in for guest lectures. On the anvil is introduction of two more courses — MA in social work in counselling and community organisation and development.




Careers



While admitting that students aren’t in for lucrative job opportunities, Rao says, “The placements are taken care of by TISS.” The course is also practical-based with “Four days spent on theory and two on practical field work. Our students get a taste of how things work at the grass-root levels, panchayats, etc.” Fee comes to `50,000 approx per year. While the first year is spent on generic modules, the second year is where you will get to know more of sociology, psychology and other related streams that will help you grasp the nuances of treating the mentally ill. Details at www.thebanyan.org.




Source : The New Indian Express , 28th October 2013

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