One in seven adolescents experiences a mental disorder. The need is well recognized but few receive appropriate care, impairing them physically and mentally. IF’s Youth mental-illness programs involve
Two goals: Early identification and Practical intervention, in
Two Settings: i) School/University CAMPUSES, ii) COMMUNITIES, and
Three innovative strategies i) ENGAGE young people, ii) FACILITATE dialog (around mental health & wellbeing), and iii) ENCOURAGE help-seeking behavior.
Here are examples of our Programs:
Issue: Depression and anxiety are a large and growing issue amongst college students, ineffectively addressed since resources are scarce, and training of caregivers woefully inadequate.
Our Approach: Train peers to help be part of the solution, using best-in-class knowhow.
We are partnering with one of India’s leading mental health organizations through the ‘YES’ program. YES, focuses on “peer support initiatives” for depression & anxiety in students at three Chennai colleges. These initiatives are customized, curated, and carefully monitored. Our joint goal for this pilot is to validate & fine-tune the approach. The next step would be a broader rollout across more campuses.
About our partner, SCARF: Since 1984, SCARF has worked steadily on a range of mental health issues. SCARF’s work started with schizophrenia, but now spans a wider range. To read more, please visit https://www.scarfindia.org/schizophrenia-research-foundation/
Context: The analytical power of software is growing exponentially. Yet it remains largely untapped for early detection & treatment of mental illness.
One potential solution: Teen Dream is a University of California (UC) San Diego program that integrates screening for depression amongst young people in primary care. The start point of the program is software designed to screen, intervene and follow-up young people with depression, often even before the symptoms manifest into full blown disease. It is performed by primary care doctors in the UCSD Health system. We are one of the donors supporting Teen Dream.