Half-way homes yet to be a reality in Tamil Nadu

A halfway home is a centre that can house people with mental and emotional disabilities to continue their rehabilitation therapy and follow-up treatment. After the Center announced the creation of half-way homes for people with mental illness under therapy and treatment in February 2018, the State government is yet to bring the proposal. Though the government announced that half-way homes will be made for people who are cured of mental illnesses but cannot go back to their homes, there has been no progress for more than a year.

“Half-way homes are a necessity as we have more number of patients attending therapy and getting cured after treatment. However, due to social stigma and lack of family support, many of them are unable to go back to their home. Half-way homes were to be set up under the department for the welfare of differently-abled persons, but there are no such centres functioning in any of the districts yet,” said Dr Poorna Chandrika, director of Institute of Mental Health.

When contacted, the officials said that rehabilitation centres are being run for differently-abled people only.