Mental Health
COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES
In urban slums and low-resource areas, the confluence of fragile mental health, HIV/AIDS and abuse of all kinds is often overlooked. As a community-based organization, our Mental Health Services seek to address this situation in the population of Kamwokya and surrounding areas.
Picture (right): Father and Child get blood sample taken
Our program is based on a "Basic Needs: Mental Health and Development" model.
As such, key programs include:
• Awareness meetings for concerned families and guardians
• Sensitization of the community concerning the links between mental health fragility and HIV / AIDS / STD
• Research and advocacy on key mental health-related issues
• Promotion of income-generating activities for the mentally fragile and their families/guardians • Effective program management
Picture (below): HIV / AIDS Care and Support at KCCC
At the end of the first year (2004) of the KCCC Mental Health Services program, 53 people (25 male, 28 female) had accessed our community health care service. By September 2006, 360 people were accessing our service-a huge increase in the number of people interested our services. Of these, 56 (38 female, 18 male) were affected by both mental illness and HIV/AIDS. Because so many of the people who come to us are destitute to the point of day to day hunger, we provide a meal to all workshop attendees.