lso, there are some family groups in India— the one in Chennai is ASHA
. SCARF has been working closely with them right from the beginning. It will be good for the cause of mental illness if such support groups can lobby with government in a unified way. Q. Can you highlight some Research and Training programs that are an integral part of SCARF?
The fourth International Conference on Schizophrenia (IConS IV) hosted by SCARF is scheduled for October 22-24, 2010 on the theme "Schizophrenia & Related Disorders: Advances, Updates and Reviews."
conducted every alternate year since 2004 has had about 400 international delegates and is ranked among the best scientific conferences world over.
SCARF has presented more than 150 research papers published in peer reviewed journals. Students from mental health and allied disciplines are regularly trained at SCARF. Q. Please share with our readers the proudest moment in your work so far?
One of the most significant milestones in my work over the last thirty years has been the development of a tool to measure disability caused by mental illness. IDEAS (Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale) is used nationwide and has been gazetted by the Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment, Govt of India as the official tool to measure disability. Q. Your vision for treatment of mental disorders in India?
My desire is that no Indian, wherever he or she lives, rich or poor should be denied treatment and help for mental disorders
. Those severely disabled by schizophrenia should receive some disability benefits which will be a boon to them and their families. I would also like a national anti stigma campaign to be launched by government along with NGOs and the media to reduce the stigma of mental illnesses so that more people seek treatment and do it early. I also hope that soon, research will find a definite cause for schizophrenia, so that it can be prevented. Q. How can Medindia help SCARF's mission?
Medindia can provide useful and correct information on schizophrenia, its signs and symptoms, treatment available etc. It can also provide a directory of rehabilitation centers in the country. It can build a network of patients, family members and professionals who can discuss some relevant issues and plan how to impact national and state level policies. It can also have a forum or panel in which some FAQ's can be answered. "You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do except the limitations of your own mind."
Darwin P. Kingsley Medindia wishes Dr. Thara and SCARF more breakthroughs in exploring new approaches to care and rehabilitation of the mentally ill. Medindia assures its continued support to SCARF in the field of mental health, particularly schizophrenia.