ASTITVA

SCHIZOPHRENIA CAREGIVERS ASSOCIATION OF INDIA

(SCAI)

1. This is an Association of caregivers and parents of those patients who are suffering from a brain and behavioral disorder called ‘SCHIZOPHRENIA’.
2. The conditions and symptoms of these patients is well perceived by all but very few steps of remedy are available to relieve their pain and protect their basic human rights. 
3. Since, the condition called Schizophrenia has no definite treatment modality and is more or less a permanent disability and more so the mental disability the suffering of the caregiver or parents need special attention and support. 
4. The signs, symptoms and disturbances with growth of any schizophrenic patient is troublesome to the caregivers and the society. This makes the issue of caring these intelligent brains more global and a responsibility of the society in general. 
5. The understanding, diagnosis, treatment modalities, facilities to provide the schizophrenic patient their basic rights to live and develop are at very low level to-day in our developing society and nation. 
6. The stigma of having an abnormal looking patient with a. permanent condition of schizophrenia impedes the process of seeking national and international aid and support available for these conditions.
7. The caregivers or parents remain isolated due to the burden and stigma of this condition and seldom share and shell off their inner stress or depression. This is due to the lack of cohesive bonds between the sufferers. 
8. The lack of facilities and awareness compels the caregiver to seek therapies which may not be appropriate to the schizophrenic patient. These remedies or support systems are inadequate and at times inappropriate for schizophrenic patient. 

 Considering the above scenario, parents, like-minded persons and specialists involved in  the treatment and support of schizophrenia are hereby joining hands, heart and mind to form a task force called “SCHIZOPHRENIA CAREGIVERS ASSOCIATION”.

 This group is only to enhance the strength of each

  mind and courage in the heart of supporters: -

The task force forms a society on the following agenda and guidelines: 

I - Self Help Project 

(a) This would be the first of its kind in Central India of a group exclusively belonging to the caregivers 

     and parents of schizophrenic patient.

(b) The cohesive bonds of parents with each other would provide a mental and social support for each 

     other. To share and shell out burdens of handling the schizophrenic patient. The emotional and 

     moral support would provide additional strength to caregivers.

(c) Sharing knowledge and experience of day to day problems. 

(d) Joining strength of each other for acquiring resources and developing services for the betterment of 

     schizophrenic persons for in rehabilitation.

(e) Standing together to voice their needs and fight for basic rights of these patients. 

II - Service Development: 

(i) To educate masses of the state and nation about the disease. To build up awareness, conduct 

     sensitization programs all over the region, state, nation and even beyond.

(ii) To develop basic and special skills amongst interested and involved parents for their own and for 

other schizophrenic patient. 

(iii) To avail, organize, delegate or create personnel providing special therapies for schizophrenia viz. 

      family therapy, insight, orientation, cognitive behaviour therapy, medication and others.

(iii) To develop a common consortium of specialists like psychiatrist, psychologist, physicians,  

      occupational therapists, special educators and others.

(iv) To generate scientific data of development in therapies by using standard protocols for 

      schizophrenia. 

(v) Developing special sections and providing special inputs in the form of persons, techniques and 

     tools to the organization and individuals involved in the management of schizophrenia caregiver

     society. 

(vii) Meet every month to discuss the program of the society, its work and its agenda for further 

       work.

(viii) Objectively records and report the activities, development and addition to the work by the 

         society in a scheduled and standardized way.

  (ix) To avail information and services of national and international specialists. 

(x) To develop guidelines to make a standard working environment and effective training and 

     therapy modules for therapy centers. 

III - Rehabilitation Services: 

(i)The Society is formed to share longitudinal knowledge of the patient specific to 

     Schizophrenia, to know their outcome in life and to provide this knowledge to society in general  

     and each member of the society.

   (ii)To search sections of services and rehabilitation centers where schizophrenic persons can have 

         better recovery and" normalization".

   (iii) To develop fields or search fields which can make schizophrenic persons more viable and 

          successful. 

   (iv) To avail or seek grants, aids, funds or help from public, non-govt. organization, govt.  systems of  

         organization or other national, international or local trust or bodies for developing all the 

         necessary tools, persons and techniques for treatment, rehabilitation and research. 

    (v) To support every member of schizophrenia caregiver society to reach maximum efficiency 

         and optimum life skills by searching or developing special vocational teaching institutes.  

   (vi ) Arranging special jobs or services for the schizophrenic persons. 

    (vii) Standing together to demand the attention of the government to develop independent 

       status of the schizophrenic persons. This is their basic human rights. 

AIMS AND OBJECTS –

The basic aim of the association is to provide proper care to schizophrenic patients so that they can lead normal life and are acceptable in the society.

• To provide proper guidance to caregivers to understand the needs of schizophrenic patients.
• To encourage caregivers to face schizophrenic patients through lectures, sharing of experience with other caregivers.
• To increase membership of caregivers association by arranging seminars through appeal in media.
• To create awareness in the society about schizophrenia.
• To make all out efforts for acceptance of schizophrenics in the society. 
• Will effectively work for the betterment of the schizophrenic patients.
• Arrange informative lectures for caregivers and patients.
• Will approach government / NGO / Industrialist / Social organization / educational institute and any other authorities for providing jobs help and other facilities to schizophrenics.
• Arrangeto get better facilities for schizophrenics and caregivers for their medical, social and financial problems.
• Raise funds to carry out proposed activities.
• Will approach government / NGOS to provide support for relocation and accommodation schizophrenia patients.
• Will appoint, advisors, panelist, consultants, etc- as a consortium for providing standardized, optimized and advanced management of schizophrenia.

• To develop centers like, rehabilitation centre, institutions, vocational training centre and entrepreneur ship programs for schizophrenic patients.

MEMBERSHIP – 

Any individual who looks after a schizophrenic patient is eligible to become member of the association.