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We look at innovative mental health projects that focus on human rights and are accessible to the marginalized communities.
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Prior to when Raj and Harsh Mariwala set up MHI in 2015, funding for mental health initiatives had been quite limited. “In fact, people explicitly warned us not to use the term ‘mental health’ in the name of our organization because of the baggage and negativity that surrounded it,” says Raj.
Witnessing a loved one experience suicide thoughts can be overwhelming. But even those of us not trained as professionals can work towards understanding signs of distress and prepare to support those in crisis.
The mental health industry has been growing in India as awareness increases. But many who do not conform to social norms say their experiences seeking help have left them feeling invalidated.
India is at the starting point of understanding mental health and making services accessible to people. While the government has a huge role to play, we need more philanthropists in this space, and they need to do better.
Other than depleting resources for us and future generations, there are several physical damages caused by climate change. But did you know, it is also affecting our mental health?
"Access to mental health services is expensive and therefore cost continues to be a big barrier to accessing mental health services,"
"There are a lot of systemic pressures that young adults experience, be it the stress of exams, low prospects of jobs, pressure to look a certain way on social media, etc. "
India’s suicide data is massively underreported, and yet the country accounts for the highest number of suicide deaths in the world. When the National Crime Records Bureau recently released its 2021 data, two things stood out – the suicide rate was at an all-time high, and 1 of every 4 persons wh...
Video on mental health of LBGTQIA+ youth in hindi
If we are to move towards better mental health outcomes in India, it will not be possible without a multi-stakeholder approach. Ideally, such an approach should include varied actors, including the government, civil society and philanthropy
Gender and sexuality are part of our core selves, part of who we are. And when someone is pathologized simply for existing and is then a recipient of attempts to cure that core self, it harms their sense of self and takes a heavy toll on their mental and physical well-being.
The current narrative on mental health tends to be overtly biomedical with too much focus on the individual
Maternal mental health requires multiple intervention strategies starting with overhauling the medical curriculum to train and sensitise gynaecologists and obstetricians on maternal mental health for both perinatal and postpartum issues
Conversations around Queer Perspectives on Mental Health are an important moment of reckoning in the history of Psy disciplines along the like of the Mad Pride, de-institutionalising, and other survivor-based movements.
We need to design programmes that are more contextually relevant, culturally appropriate, and factor in the low resource setting of India.
With the LGBTQI+ community, it is important to understand that suicide prevention cannot take the shape of mental health intervention that is only focused on therapy; although, it can be a huge form of support
Distress, crisis and suicidal ideation arising from challenging life circumstances such as poverty, systemic social exclusion, structural violence, and discrimination, cannot be addressed solely through medical diagnoses and interventions
The QACP Resource Book attempts to create pathways moving beyond queer-friendly services towards queer affirmative practices.
Despite overwhelming evidence that media reports can either strengthen or undermine suicide prevention efforts, the quality of suicide reporting in India continues to remain poor. What needs to change?
From bizarre rituals to hypnosis, queer people continue to be subjected to various “treatments” aimed at changing their gender identity or sexual orientation
The regulatory body for medical professionals, the National Medical Commission, has empowered states to take action against those who perform such therapies.
The NSPP should articulate the need for awareness about suicide as a social issue and reduce the stigma around it
MHI, SNEHA Chennai, Policymaker’s Forum for Mental Healthm The Lancet Psychiatry and ETI held a roundtable discussion to address the need for enacting a suicide prevention policy in India.
Medical health experts have emphasised that while gay and bisexual men are the group most at risk in the current monkeypox outbreak, the infection can spread through any close physical contact
क्वीर अफर्मेटिव काउंसिलिंग प्रैक्टिस - एक किताब जो मानसिक स्वास्थ्य परामर्श में एक क्वीर व्यक्ति का दृष्टिकोण शामिल करने का रोडमैप पेश करती है
Harsh Mariwala believes self-work and educating oneself are important.
Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) has released Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice (QACP), a resource book for mental health practitioners.
The goal of the book is to aid mental health professionals in recognizing and treating the particular stressors that LGBTQIA+ people experience as they negotiate difficulties in institutional, social, and individual settings.
As a major step towards inclusion, MHI has released Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice (QACP), a resource book for mental health practitioners.
क्वीर अफर्मेटिव काउंसिलिंग प्रैक्टिस - एककिताब जो मानसिक स्वास्थ्य परामर्श में एक क्वीर व्यक्ति का दृष्टिकोण शामिल करने का रोडमैप पेश करती है
The book aims to help mental health practitioners in identifying and addressing the unique stressors faced by LGBTQIA+ persons
As a major step towards inclusion, MHI has released Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice (QACP), a resource book for mental health practitioners.
The mental health community has itself played a rather significant role in pathologising non-heterosexual sexualities, rendering invalid the lives, identities and experiences of LGBTQI+ communities and upholding oppressive structures by providing “cures” for non-normative individuals, thus system...
The Resource Book by Mariwala Health Initiative addresses the causes of unique stressors faced by LGBTQIA+ persons
Mental health practitioners can help people of the LGBTQA+ community find safe, affirmative mental health support.
LGBTQIA+ persons have condemned the queerphobic and bigoted statements made by a neurophysiotherapist during an online seminar conducted by the Kannur women’s wing of Jamat-e-Islami.
The Youth Icon Award was presented to Raj Mariwala, Director, Mariwala Health Initiative.
A three-day peer support practice workshop organised by the Social Justice department for 30 people from the transgender community got under way at Hotel Chaithram here on Wednesday.
As a community comes together to address the unique stressors they experience, in conjunction with linkages and referrals to public health and welfare systems - these provide context based, accessible care.
The toolkit underlines the psychosocial and intersectional approaches to mental health and provides a framework to organisation leaders and HR departments to understand mental well-being in the workplace. It highlights some stressors like difficult relationship with supervisor, inadequate authori...
एक बेहतर शासन-व्यवस्था में आंकड़े काफी अहमियत रखते हैं। इनके संग्रह का उद्देश्य किसी समस्या का ठोस समाधान ढूंढ़ना होता है। लेकिन कुछ आंकड़े लोक-स्वास्थ्य के नजरिये से काफी महत्वपूर्ण होने के बावजूद सामाजिक विमर्श का हिस्सा नहीं बन पाते। आत्महत्या एक ऐसी ही उपेक्षित समस्या है। हाल ही में नेशनल क्राइम रिकॉर्ड ब्यूरो ने स...
As socio-emotional learning gains popularity in India, mental health practitioners and educators must work to caution against one-size-fits-all programmes that are marketed as mental health support.
CorStone in collaboration with SNEHA organised a webinar on ‘Post-Pandemic Roadmap to Resilience- Strengthening Mental Health Care for the Youth’ on December 15, 2021.
NCRB data show that more than 1.53 lakh people in India died by suicide in 2020. Here, experts and organizations share measures to prevent suicide.
We need to recognise that suicide is a societal failure. To change this, we need policy makers, people, and the media to collaborate.
India features at the top of global suicide rates among women. But how often do you hear about female suicides?
Suicides are preventable, but it has to start with openly talking about it.
To scale beyond tier 1 cities, startups will have to spend time learning about the ground-level cultural and socio-economic realities of these regions.
Focus on mental health and work has been restricted to startups and mental health in the workplace. We have conversations about employee wellbeing, but not about the health of the leader of the enterprise, or the next generation entrepreneur.
Raj says” I think humans can learn much about self-care from animals. Humans seem to talk of self-care in a static, individual silo when actually I think we cannot speak of it without considering interdependence and balance.”
For too long, the mental health community has considered queer sexuality through the lens of heterosexuality. It must unlearn this.
Faced with a torrent of guilt, fear, worry, more youngsters are seeking help
Youth Care Network: A Project by young people for young people’s mental wellbeing
At a time when small NGOs working at the grassroots level can play a significant role in tackling the COVID crisis, amendments in the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) have cut them off from funding.
Bhawesh Jha, our Manager (Advocacy) talks about how prisons in India can become super spreaders.
Anna Cutteridge spoke to MHI Director Raj on mental health in India. The interview touches upon why it’s important to fund mental health, on challenging dominant approaches to mental health. They also spoke of intersectionality in mental health and government accountability.
The UK also has a lot to learn from organisations like Mariwala Health Initiative in India, whose work centres the redistribution of power and movement building in healing marginalised communities.
MHI Director Raj , writes for Economic Times about the personal and social factors responsible for a large percentage of deaths in India's youth population.
MHI Director Raj spoke to Mid-Day on the distress and grief experienced with the loss of a companion animal.
MHI Director Raj, writes for Live Mint on human companion animal relationships during COVID.
MHI's Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice program features in FII's writeup on the historic moments for the queer and trans community from the year 2020.
MHI intern Vandana Jogadiya writes on the interplay of caste and mental health through reflections and personal anecdotes from her own childhood experiences in educational settings.
The Borgen Project spoke with Raj Mariwala, Director of MHI, to receive insight into the nonprofit organization’s current efforts to improve women’s mental health in India.
On World Suicide Prevention Day, Cosmopolitan spoke to Raj Mariwala on experiences of distress and anxiety — and the importance of reaching out for support.
Harsh Mariwala, founder of MHI, shares how he personally deals with challenges and the practices he has adopted to enhance his mental health and well-being.
Health Collective talks to Raj Mariwala, Director, MHI on the gaps in conversations around mental health in India.
Financial Express writes on MHI's partnership with Snapchat to make available resources from mental health experts when users search for mental health-related topics.
Mariwala Health Initiative and the Manas Foundation are Snapchat's first partners in India, who have created resources around anxiety, depression, loneliness, suicide and general mental health.
Snapchat's 'Here For You' (in partnership with MHI) covers multiple topics on mental health including eating disorders, anxiety, and depression
Snapchat’s wellbeing-focused feature was rolled out in India in a partnership with Mariwala Health Initiative and The Manas Foundation.
Snapchat's partnership with MHI to provide in-app support to its users in India who may be experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis or those who want to learn more about these issues in order to help friends especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Snapchat partners with MHI to launch a “Here for You” feature, meant to promote mental health and well-being, in India.
Snapchat launches 'Here for You' initiative in partnership with MHI to help an overwhelming majority of Snapchatters in the country who experience feelings of stress and anxiety.
Snapchat partners with MHI on their 'Here for You' initiative to promote mental health and well-being for Gen Z.
MHI partnered with Snapchat to make mental health resources available for Snap users through their tool 'Here For You', which is part of Snapchat's built-in search feature.
Snapchat launched 'Here For You' in partnership with MHI a feature that provides in-app support to users experiencing mental distress.
MHI Founder, Harsh Mariwala's tweets on the importance of mental health were highlighted by Economic Times as a best practice by workplace leadership during the current pandemic.
MHI Director speaks to Livemint on the mental health impact of conversion therapy and how mental health practitioners have contributed to pathologizing the lives of queer-trans persons.
MHI Director speaks to Forbes India on COVID-related mental distress.
Hindustan Times writes about MHI's Queer Affirmative Counselling Practice training program for mental health professionals and other efforts to building an affirmative society that is respectful of individual choice.
MHI Director and CDO write on how other funders can actively support the well-being of their partner organisations and create systems and structures that enhance their partners' mental and physical health.
The Better India writes on conversion therapy and how it pathologizes the lives of queer-trans persons.
Youth Ki Awaaz published an article on conversion therapy and the petition against it that was initiated by Mariwala Health Initiative.
In the wake of recent deaths by suicide of queer-trans persons on account of unacceptable practices in psychiatric disciplines, The Quint writes on conversion therapy and how it pathologizes the lives of queer-trans persons.
Hindustan Times coverage of conversion therapy practised by mental health professionals across the country and other unacceptable practices in psychiatric disciplines that have historically pathologised the lives of queer-trans persons.
The Caravan writes on the impact of the COVID-lockdown on queer-trans persons, forcing them to live in environments where they are repressed and emotionally captive.
A NewzHook article on MHI's partnership with Mann to co-create a model on integrating mental health within programs for adults with intellectual disabilities.
MHI signs an MoU for a Technical Support Unit that will support the Government of Bihar in strengthening the State’s Mental Health system with a focus on increasing its accessibility and quality of care.
MHI Director Raj Mariwala talks to Forbes about mental health for business leaders and the next steps given the findings of a study on the Mental Health of Entrepreneurs.
Harsh Mariwala talks to Forbes Asia on his ventures including his philanthropic initiative MHI
Harsh and Raj Mariwala interview with IDR on taking a rights-based approach to funding mental health, the challenges of working with a range of stakeholders, and what philanthropy in India needs to do differently.
Rajvi Mariwala speaks to The Hindu about the findings of a mental health and mental well-being study jointly conducted by ASCENTFoundation and MHI.
Harsh Mariwala speaks to Mumbai Mirror on the findings of study on the mental health and well-being of entrepreneurs.
Globally, there is much conversation on diverse genders and sexualities. There is a need for society to accept and affirm this both in personal spaces and in workplaces.
Highlights from MHI-ASCENT Foundation's collaborative study on the mental health and well-being of entrepreneurs.
Harsh Mariwala speaks to The Times of India on the mental health and well-being of Indian entrepreneurs, basis findings from a study undertaken by his two philanthropic initiatives.
Economic Times covers salient findings from a study on the mental health and well-being of entrepreneurs, co-conducted by Mariwala Health Initiative and ASCENT Foundation.
The Health Collective published a Q&A on how iCall operates, what callers can expect, supporting those with mental health conditions and self-care for counsellors.
A deep-dive into caregivers of persons living with mental health conditions who often face burnout, fatigue, financial stress and social isolation in the process of providing care.
Mr. Mariwala speaks about to Zee Business about his philanthropy initiatives and mental health
In the wake of Cafe Coffee Day's founder VG Siddhartha's death by suicide, Harsh Mariwala speaks to The Times of India on the importance of managing stress at the workplace and his mental health initiative MHI.
Health Collective writes a ground-report on the work of MHI partner Schizophrenia Awareness Association, interviewing both caregivers and persons living with a mental illness who avail the facilities.
Unpredictability and violence are dominant stereotypes associated with schizophrenia and persons labelled as such may find themselves being distanced, isolated, seen by others as threatening or dangerous, socially excluded—thus begins a remorseless, self-fortifying cycle of poverty associated wit...
Newz Hook writes on MHI partner Schizophrenia Awareness Association and the work being done for persons living with Schizophrenia via expressive therapies provided through a Day Rehabilitation Centre in Pune, Maharashtra.
Rajvi Mariwala, Director Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) speaks to Newzhook on Accessible Elections in India and efforts by Anjali (MHI's partner), Iswar Sankalpa and The Banyan to organise voting for persons with psychosocial disabilities
Rajvi Mariwala speaks to The Quint on the importance of mental health services in India's legal system
Rajvi Mariwala, Director, Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) speaks to Express HealthCare on Bridge the Care Gap campaign—noting that mental health which has long been neglected in political manifestos, for the first time gets mentioned by few political parties.
Newzhook writes on Sukoon's latest counselling centre that was opened inside the premises of the Bombay High Court to reach out to litigants in matrimonial cases - the first of its kind across India.
Rajvi Mariwala and Aparna Joshi speak to Health Collective about why Sukoon was started, how it addresses the gap in mental health care in Family Courts across Maharashtra and how it serves as a successful, replicable model that can be scaled across all Family Courts in the country.
The Logical Indian writes on #BridgeTheCareGap, including quotes and videos from advocates, activists, care providers and user-survivors that supported the campaign.
The Hindu interviews Mr. Mariwala on Bridge the Care Gap campaign, why he is funding this initiative and how the campaign successfully put mental health on the manifestos of two political parties.
NewzHook writes on how disability rights groups and mental health activists are calling on political parties to include disabilities and mental health within the purview of their political manifestos. The article cites examples of how CPI (M) and Congress dedicated a section of their election man...
The Wire writes on MHI's #BridgeTheCareGap campaign and its success in putting Mental Health on the manifestos of two political parties: Congress and AAP. The articles covers the 'gap' in mental health care that the campaign seeks to address - describes how the mental health of certain marginali...
Shruti Chakra, Chief Advisor at Mariwala Health Initiative writes via Youth Ki Awaaz on what makes 'Bridge the Care Gap' a historical campaign that has reframed the discourse around mental health by including first-person, user-survivor voices, multi-lingual videos, representation from those on t...
The Swaddle writes on how Mental Health Care in India has transitioned from a bio-medical approach rife with human rights violations — to a user-survivor, rights-based approach advocated by the new Mental Health Act of 2017, and why we should all be concerned about 'Bridging the Care Gap' in ment...
Feminism In India publishes an article on why Mental Health is a deeply feminist issue and how we can #BridgeTheCareGap for those on the margins.
EconomicTimes writes on the #BridgeTheCareGap, describing it as a guerrilla campaign that made history by lobbying political parties to commit to the implementation of the Mental Healthcare Act and the National Mental Health Policy, and pushing mental health into Congress and CPM’s election mani...
Mental Health Innovation Network (MHIN) published an article on Bridge the Care Gap campaign that describes the processes and strategies adopted to advocate for mental health in an innovative manner.
PatientsEngage published a blog on the Bridge the Care Gap campaign, discussing the mental health care gap, why the campaign is crucial at the point, salient features of the Mental Health Care Act and why implementing the act requires a people's campaign.
NewzHook writes on why Bridge the Care Gap in Mental Health is a crucial campaign to support with excerpts from interviews with Rajvi Mariwala, Soumitra Pathare, Ratnaboli Ray and Pooja Nair.
Times of India journalist Malathy Iyer writes on the Bridge the Care Gap campaign, including excerpts from interviews with Harsh Mariwala and Soumitra Pathare. The article makes a case for why Mental Health must be a priority for all political parties and included in political manifestos.
The Health Collective publishes MHI's post explaining what a Rights-Based Approach to Mental Healthcare looks like, and why it is important.
Forbes talks to business scions including Rajvi Mariwala who expand the boundaries of philanthropy in innovative ways
Forbes talks about MHI and our partners' work.
Article by our Chief Adviser Shruti Chakravarty on Youth Ki Awaaz
The Mental Healthcare Act suffers from several gaps that the original Bill had covered
Harsh Mariwala is investing in organisations and startups that are part of the mental health scale up initiative.
"The mental health of children and adolescents has suddenly become a cause of concern in India."
MHI plans to create a mental health ecosystem in India
She The People writes about MHI's views on mental health
Article about MHI on Pharmabiz.com
Nearly 150 million citizens suffer from common mental disorders
Research shows that the causes of student suicides are varied and intersectional.
Harsh Mariwala Launches Mariwala Health Initiative.