Introduction
The Department of Psychiatry consists of a team of experienced psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers and psychiatric nurses with adequate infrastructural facilities and services.
As the economic cost of mental disorders is more than 4% of GDP worldwide, and majority of the people with mental illnesses are cared for by their families with low awareness, the department takes an active role in delivering the mental health services. It co-ordinates various mental health care activities at individual and community level with team work, capacity building and training, with periodic monitoring and evaluation.
The Government of India has released Mental Health Policy in 2014 and this is the first mental health policy in India. The strategic areas and actions identified in the policy are promotion of mental health, prevention mental disorders and suicide, universal access to mental health care, enhanced availability of human resources for mental health, community participation, research, monitoring and evaluation.
We provide adequate psychosocial rehabilitation to the surrounding villages in an eco-friendly and user-friendly way, by combining it with the primary care services. We have separate accommodation for women, children and the elderly. Similarly, we have all the facilities for various treatment procedures like ECTs, psychotherapy, group therapy, student counselling etc with adequate ventilation and lights, maintaining human rights and dignity. We have an excellent library for regular studies and research reference works.
In short, a comprehensive department from emergency care to community level activities with our National Policy strategies.
Objectives
The objective is to provide comprehensive care not only to the common mental health problems and psychiatric problems with medical and surgical illnesses but also to cater issues in the management of “difficult” patients, competency and ethics related areas, end of life care issues and teaching and importing various skills to students, post-graduates and other professionals.
Focus of the Department
The focus is to make the department into a highly specialized teaching Institute with academic and research activities in addition to the regular health care services to the mentally ill individuals at various levels.
Teaching and education involving medical and paramedical faculties and communities, patients, and patient’s attenders with the objective of primary prevention of psychiatric illnesses.
Emergency care, early detection and intervention with the aim of secondary prevention.
Tertiary prevention in the form of psychosocial rehabilitation and other related activities for the mentally ill individuals in and around Kulasekaram.
Research & Publications
Original Research Articles
- “Study of Body Mass Index in psychiatric patients in both sexes of South Indian populations” in International Journal of Contemporary Medicine, Vol 4, No 1, Jan-Jun 2016 by Dr K.Kanesalingavelan.
- “Study of depressive illness in retired people of South Indian population” in IJCM, Vol 4, No2, Jul-Dec 2016 by Dr K. Kanesalingavelan.
- “Alternate approaches to Intellectual Disability” in Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences Vol 5, Issue 75, Sept 2016 by Dr K.Kanesalingavelan.
- “Correlates of personal variables of teachers and their knowledge and attitude towards learning disabled children” in JEMDS Vol 6, Issue 39, May 2017 by Dr K.Kanesalingavelan.
- “Social perception of deformities in Hansen’s Disease” in International Journal of Contemporary Medicine Vol 5, No 2, Jul-Sep 2017 by Dr K. Kanesalingavelan.
Review Articles
- “Intellectual Disability (Mental Retardation) – Review of literature and some complementary approaches of management” in Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences Vol 6, Issue 5, Jan 2017 by Dr K. Kanesalingavelan.
Facilities Available
- All psychiatric emergencies beginning from casualty
- De-addiction and related areas
- Suicide prevention facilities
- Psychotherapy, Counselling, Relaxation therapies, Family therapy, IQ assessment, personality assessment and other psychometric assessments
- ECT related procedures
- Intellectually challenged children assessment and care
- Geriatric care and management
- Students counselling and guidance at various areas
- Psychosocial rehabilitation
Teaching Programmes
- Regular psychiatric classes for MBBS and post graduates of other departments
- Case discussions
- Journal Review
- Topic presentations
Conferences & CMEs
- Regional conferences and CMEs
- National conferences and special training sessions
- All faculties participate for academic upgradation.
Awards / Recognition
- Dr K.Kanesalingavelan is in the Journal Review Board of the Journal – Journal of Evolution of Medical and Dental Sciences.
