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The National Mental Health Survey 2016 (NMHS 2016) was a large epidemiological study, one of its kind, conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru to overcome the shortcomings of the previous surveys. The detailed report of the study is available in two parts- 'mental health systems' and 'prevalence, pattern and outcomes'. Though done comprehensively, there are some inevitable limitations. The private sector, a substantial health care provider in the country was not a participant in the survey. Though MINI version 6.0 is a standard and structured instrument, it does not cover many commonly encountered mental illnesses like somatoform disorders. Further, the methodology of the survey makes it difficult for an accurate calculation of the prevalence of individual major psychiatric disorders. The survey has been appraised using a standard checklist for prevalence studies. The detailed qualitative data has not been shared in the report. The contribution of the traditional indigenous systems of healthcare and accessibility of services in rural areas have not been elaborated. Thus, the need for a comprehensive and culturally sensitive assessment tool, involvement of the private sector, and enhancing funding provision to improve the infrastructure are emphasized as future directions for the subsequent phases of the survey.

The National Mental Health Survey 2016 (NMHS 2016) was a large epidemiological study, one of its kind, conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bengaluru to overcome the shortcomings of the previous surveys. The detailed report of the study is available in two parts- 'mental health systems' and 'prevalence, pattern and outcomes'. Though done comprehensively, there are some inevitable limitations. The private sector, a substantial health care provider in the country was not a participant in the survey. Though MINI version 6.0 is a standard and structured instrument, it does not cover many commonly encountered mental illnesses like somatoform disorders. Further, the methodology of the survey makes it difficult for an accurate calculation of the prevalence of individual major psychiatric disorders. The survey has been appraised using a standard checklist for prevalence studies. The detailed qualitative data has not been shared in the report. The contribution of the traditional indigenous systems of healthcare and accessibility of services in rural areas have not been elaborated. Thus, the need for a comprehensive and culturally sensitive assessment tool, involvement of the private sector, and enhancing funding provision to improve the infrastructure are emphasized as future directions for the subsequent phases of the survey.

The quality of life of a person with psychiatric disability is often determined by illness outcomes, personal journey of recovery, coping with the illness, family support, and successful integration into the community. Biopsychosocial factors either hamper or improve the quality of life of a person with psychiatric disability. To depict the usefulness of the biopsychosocial approach of assessment and intervention in improving the quality of life of a patient with mental illness in India. Case study method using the Biopsychosocial approach. Biopsychosocial approach of assessment and intervention helped in understanding the medical and psychosocial circumstances existing in the patient and his family. This helped in providing appropriate interventions such as psychoeducation about the illness, managing patient’s problematic behaviour, improving patient’s functionality, and ensuring regularity in follow up thus eventuating enhanced quality of life. Mental health professionals can use the biopsychosocial approach of assessment and intervention to gain a comprehensive understanding of the patient and his/her community needs and provide appropriate interventions to help improve the quality of life of a patient suffering from psychiatric disability.

Background and Objective Employment is a way to reintegrate and increase participation in social life for persons with mental illness. This would in turn facilitate recovery through reduction of symptoms and disability and, through regaining many lost skills. The legal provisions in India for providing job opportunities for persons with disabilities are poorly organized and implemented. This case report portrays the processes involved in providing supported employment for a person with mental illness, initiated through a rehabilitation facility. The case report highlights the success of supported employment in term of positive outcomes in the client. Materials and Method A person with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Mixed and Alcohol Dependence Syndrome was referred to the residential rehabilitation from the tertiary psychiatric care hospital. The major reason for referral was the sociooccupational dysfunctioning of the patient. After giving sufficient in-house training, social workers in the treatment team arranged supported employment for the patient. The job could be arranged by networking and collaboration with the institutions like schools, industries and warehouses. International Classification of Functioning checklist, Vocational Training Compliance Scale and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale were used to assess clinical and socio-occupational outcomes. Result and Conclusion After initiating the supported employment, severity of the symptoms came down and self-care improved. Psychosocial functions of the client such as interpersonal relationship, economic self-sufficiency and social life also showed improvement.

Persons with mental illness experience discrimination due to the stigmatizing attitudes of the society. Desired social distance was greater for the person depicted in the psychosis, and the main predictor of greater social distance was perceiving the person as dangerous. In India men with schizophrenia reported being unmarried, hid their illness in job applications and from others, and experienced ridicule and shame. They reported that their experience of stigma was most acute at their places of employment. Women reported experiences of stigma in relation to marriage, pregnancy, and childbirth. The current paper narrates a step model community-based intervention programme that was attempted to reduce stigma prevailed in the community towards persons affected with mental illness and their family. Four members affected with mental illness from a family were reported to the psychiatric hospital with the help of a voluntary organization. Four of them were suffering from chronic schizophrenia and malnutrition. Psychiatric social work team made use of Home Visit, Family Burden Schedule and Stigma Questionnaire to assess the family condition. The assessments revealed that the family was facing serious discrimination in the village; neighbours were not coming home, children threw stones to the home and people considered the family was under the attack of evil spirits. All the family members were deprived of their basic needs like food, water and social living. Other than giving hospital-based treatment for the family members affected with mental illness, availing disability benefits, and rehabilitating the persons, the psychiatric social work team organized one day community-based intervention programme targeting knowledge and attitude of community members towards mental illness. The key elements of community-based intervention were home visits, one to one interaction, collaborative work with local governing bodies, street play, experience sharing by a person affected with mental illness, display and distribution of IEC material, interactive sessions and oath taking. The community-based intervention could bring changes in the stigma, reduced discrimination and increased social acceptance and social support of the family members.