Mobile intervention units for mentally challenged kids

Chennai: “The state will soon have 32 mobile intervention units to help mentally disabled children,” said V. K. Jayakodi, State Commissioner for the Differently Abled, on Saturday.

“The government is in the process of procuring the vehicles, the move will help benefit people in the rural pockets of the state. So far the units have been available in the district headquarters, but the new scheme will help reach many children affected by aut­ism, Do­wn’s syndrome and other mental disorders,” the com­missioner said, addr­essing the valedictory fu­nc­tion of a three-day se­m­inar on exceptional ch­ildren, organised by the Madhuram Nara­ya­nan Centre for Exceptional Children. The centre, which trains around 120 children currently, focuses on children aged between 0-6 years.

“Much awareness is needed to be created among people about such disorders and early intervention after detecting the problems is also required,” Jayakodi said, adding that the screening of new-born babies for mental illness was essential.

“Tamil Nadu is leading the cou­nt­ry in interventional ed­uc­ation and the government provides Rs1,000 to me­ntally ill kids every month while it also helps th­em with other su­b­sid­ies. The people must al­­so start giving em­pl­o­y­m­e­nt opportunities to me­ntally ill people and he­lp them come up in life,” the commissioner added.

“We request the government to make the interventional programmes more accessible and affo­rd­able,” said P. Jaya­ch­andiran, psychologist and special educationalist at the Madhuram Na­ra­y­anan Trust.