SC’s mental health guidelines in place since many years at SIU, says Dr Rajiv Yeravdekar

Understanding mental health from a public health perspective, customised to young millennials and Gen Z, Symbiosis International (Deemed University) had set up a facility on campus dedicated to providing mental/emotional health services and redressing the same. Considering the stigma around mental health, the facility was named Centre for Emotional Wellbeing (SCEW).

“The Centre has adopted a triple pronged approach towards mental health problems on campus. This includes de-stigmatisation (hence Centre for Emotional Wellbeing rather than Centre for Mental Wellbeing), de-medicinalisation (Hence providing mental health services through a team approach beyond qualified psychiatrists and including psychologist, counsellors, trained teaching and non-teaching staff, life coaches, yoga and movement therapists, and expressive arts practitioners and even peers), and finally educationalisation (commissioning of formal degree programmes in Behavioral Sciences to raise community awareness),” Dr Yeravdekar said.

September marks National Suicide Prevention Month and Dr Yeravdekar further mentioned that a host of promotive, preventive, and curative mental health services are provided to students and staff on campus by the Centre, such as Psychological First Aid workshops, Suicide Gatekeeper Training Programme which equips hostel wardens, administrative personnel, security staff, and student leaders to identify early signs of distress and respond effectively. Preventive efforts also include structured student and parent inductions, Emotional Wellbeing Screening and early intervention strategies. All these initiatives aim to enhance psychological preparedness and support among students and their families.

Higher educational institutions (HEIs) have been asked to prioritise extracurricular activities, including sports, arts, and personality development initiatives, thereby ensuring a safe and healthy living and learning environment for all students. HEIs are now mandated to depict all such initiatives on institutional websites and notice boards including Suicide helpline numbers in hostels, classrooms, common areas. Failure to take timely or adequate action in such cases, especially where such neglect contributes to a student’s self-harm or suicide, shall be treated as institutional culpability, making the administration liable to regulatory and legal consequences.

According to Dr Yeravdekar, a unique facility has also been established on campus – the Mind Studio. “This is a dedicated quiet, serene and calming space created for ensuring mental wellbeing by offering sessions on mindfulness, sensory regulation and cognitive enhancement. Rather than focusing on a curative approach alone, we have adopted a holistic approach for promotion of Mental Health, by encouraging students to engage in physical activity pursuits,” he said.