Tarasha

Supporting women living with mental illness towards reintegration back into the community and mainstreaming mental health. Tarasha, a field action project of Centre for Health and Mental Health, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai facilitates the transition of women recovering from mental illness from institutions to the community by networking and capacity building. We also work with diverse populations in the community towards creating mental health friendly spaces in the community: college students, employees/professionals/staff/beneficiaries of companies and organisations,

Tarasha believes that women recovering from mental illness are entitled to an independent and a dignified life and need not be institutionalised forever. Thus, women who lack adequate family and social support and hence end up becoming 'long stay patients' of hospitals, despite being asymptomatic are supported by the Project in building social networks and locating self shelters outside of an institution. Most importantly, Tarasha supports the women in achieving economic independence through psycho social support, vocational training, job development and job support, thereby facilitating the process of breaking the cycle of unemployment, poverty, marginalization and increasing disability. Through our Care-givers' Support Programme we provide home based care and psycho-social support to care-givers of people living with mental illness struggling from the burden and exhaustion of care-giving. We work with colleges and conduct mental health orientations and sessions to build resilience in young people as well as to create more opportunities for them to engage and volunteer for the cause of community mental health. Our 'Mental Health at Workplace' initiative focusses on increasing dialogue around mental health in organisations while raising awareness on mental health issues as well as impacting their policies and culture to build more inclusive and mental health friendly workspaces.