Health department launches counselling initiative for students
The State government had launched the counselling initiative a few years ago to reach out to students who did not pass the board examinations and National Eligibility cum Entrance Test aspirants.
Based on instructions from Arun Thamburaj, Mission Director, National Health Mission, Tamil Nadu, the counselling initiative took off this year as well. V. Venkatesh Mathan Kumar, psychiatrist, Institute of Mental Health, said that through this, they will reach out to 39,241 students - 13,820 girls and 25,421 boys.
'We have got their contact details from the School Education department. If their parents pick up the call, our counsellors will talk to them seeking details of how the children reacted to the result, their mood and so on. If the students answer the call, they will directly ask them for details including if they are facing any issues or parental pressure. Based on the symptoms, we will classify students as high risk, for instance, if they are crying, refusing to come out of their room, feeling guilty, having suicidal thoughts and so on,' he explained.
If they are identified as high risk, the calls will be escalated to clinical psychologists. They will be counselled including with coping mechanisms or emotional support based on their needs. 'If we find them as having suicidal tendencies, we will put them on to the District Mental Health Programme teams,' he said.
(Assistance for overcoming suicidal thoughts is available on the State's health helpline 104, TeleMANAS 14416 and Sneha's suicide prevention helpline - 044 - 24640050)
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