Objective

The Department of Psychiatric Social Work (DPSW) came into being in 1998. The department has the onus of dual responsibility of initiating psychiatric social work services and teaching programs in the field. The primary focus of the department has been in initiating psychosocial services at the hospital, conducting academic training in psychiatric social work (PSW) and researching relevant areas in Mental Health.

Manpower Development:

The academic training for Psychiatric Social Work manpower started in 2009 with the commencement of the M.Phil course in Psychiatric Social Work. The full-time PhD program in Psychiatric Social Work was started in 2017 as per the MPhil/PhD Regulations,2016. Both the courses are run with the affiliation of Gauhati University. The intake capacity for M Phil in Psychiatric Social Work has increased from 2 in 2009 to 8 seats in 2022. The two year MPhil course is clinical and hospital based and all trainees form the primary service providers in the hospital & other extra-mural services in the community.

Psychiatric Social Work Service Provision:

Faculty and clinical staff consisting of Psychiatric Social Workers supervise all activities at Outpatient Department (OPD), Inpatient Department (IPD) and in the community. The Ph.D scholars (post-MPhil in PSW) also function as clinical supervisors for all services. They also conduct research in the selected areas chosen for Ph.D. The department offers psychosocially oriented therapeutic and liaison services for persons with mental illness and their families. The major areas of work are Psychosocial Interventions, Family Intervention, Re-integrative Services for homeless persons with mental illness and Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Initiatives. The department net-works with the government and non-government organizations for the recovery, rehabilitation, welfare and well-being of persons with mental health problems. The Department is also engaged in consultancy, training and promotive activities for both governmental and non-governmental sectors.

Research:

It supervises research required for the award of M.Phil and Ph.D degrees. The department also undertakes sponsored and independent research on socially relevant themes in mental health. The department has received research project from ICMR and ICSSR.

Initiatives:

Besides, the objective of services provision, manpower training and conducting of research, the department has also initiated the Community Extension program, Centre of Rehabilitation Services and the Family Therapy unit in the institute during the last two decades.

Contact us:

Phone no.: 03712-233160(O), 232947