PART-B
7. Role of Media in creating Awareness
Media plays an important role in society today. Awareness about disabilities and the potential of persons with disabilities needs to be created among families of disabled
persons, community planners, decision makers, employers, academicians etc. Print media along with electronic media i.e., Radio and T.V. will have to play avery important role. Media can play a useful role in disseminating information about disability to the general public,remove myths from the minds of the people regarding disability and educate them about the abilities of the disabled.
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Profile of
Thakur Han Prasad Institute
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TheThakur Han Prasad Institute (THPI) a voluntary orgamsatibn with three decades of field-based experience in Mental Retardation, is an organisation that aspires perpetually for excellence in services to promote the quality of life of persons with Mental Handicap.
It was established in the year 1968 by a parent Dr. Thakur V. Han Prasad. It is the culmination of the manifestation of his humanitarian concerns and scientific temper. Staffed by qualified faculty in Neuro-paediatncs, Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology, Special Education, Speech Pathology and Audiology, Physio Therapy and Occupational Therapy, the institute also offers augmentative interventions to supplement clinical therapies through Dance Therapy, Music Therapy, Yoga, Hydro Therapy, Art Therapy, Horticulture Therapy etc. The Institute has great concern for environmental hygiene and maintains a picturesque landscape at its campus. both at Hyderabad and its Rural Project, at Lalacheruvu, near Rajahmundry.
The service-users of THPI belong to all strata of society both urban and rural. The organisation is very secular bringing into its fold beneficiaries and team members hailing from different parts of the country, following different faiths. Thakur Han Prasad Institute has been a trend-setter in many ways which brought about many unprecedented outcomes for the benefit of people with disability, nationally and internationally.
The progress in the field of Rehabilitation in the past two decades in India owes not a little to the perseverance of THPI to improve, update and promote quality of services for persons with disabilities in the process national and international acclaim. THPI's concern for persons with disabilities, especially those with Mental handicap transcends the Indian boundaries, to provide a better quality of life for persons with disabilities globally. Ithas made several strides in National Level initiatives for promoting quality of life of persons with disabilities, and has created history as an NGO by initiating a National Policy onMental Handicap, a State Policy for all disabilities and bringing about legislations in the field of disability.
The THPI hosted the World congress on Mental Retardation, organised an International Integrated Children's Summer Village Camp and many such initiatives which stand as striking illustrations of the borderless world of THPI while addressing issues related to the problems of disabilities and rehabilitation. Among the services offered are prevention, diagnostic assessment, early detection, early intervention, integrated early education, integration, special education, foster-care-home services, vocational training, career guidance, employment, post-employment monitoring, sex and marriage counselling, therapeutic interventions throughtraditional arts - performingarts and visual arts, hydrotherapy, Yoga, etc. In all its services, the emphasis
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is on a comprehensive multi-disciplinary approach by involving team members at apex, mid- level and grass-root level who interact in interdisciplinary and
multi-disciplinary forum. Emphasis is also laid on empowering family members with skill, knowledge and attitudes to support persons with Mental Handicap as co-therapists. Direct services are extended to over 11,000 beneficiaries with Mental Handicap annually at the Hyderabad centre and 5000 beneficiaries at its Rural Project at Rajahmundry. Many innovative programmes with viability for replication at National and International level have been initiated by the organisation. The quality of services with very systematic documentation have enabled TI-IPI toassume the role of a resource centre for many field-based researchers.
THPI has been represented internationally at various conferences,congresses, seminars and workshops by its President Dr. Thakur V. Han Prasad. Many culturally relevant models of service-delivery, scientifically field-tested experiences and explorations ofTHPI have been shared in such forums.
THPI has also invited many internationally renowned professionals as resource persons for workshops and seminars at Hyderabad which were attended by delegates from all over the country.
The urge to cater to rural people's rehabilitation needs resulted in designing a Rural Camp Approach to detection, intervention and follow-up of services forpersons with Mental Handicap. To date the THPI, Hyderabad and Rajahnnmdry have conducted innumerable rural camps. Individuals with other disabilities are also supported and referred for appropriate services.
The philosophy behind the camp approach is the convergence of existing servicesand also community participation.
THPI is involved in Human Resource Development at all levels. Apart from pre-service training programmes, in service training, refresher programnies and crash training courses for different target groups are offered. The human development approach is applied to internal professionals who are always encouraged to improve levels of competencies and also the development of personal efficacy.
'Integration' means much more than desegregation' to THPI. It implies 'inclusion' in as many opportunities in the mainstream as possible to as far as can be achieved with no compromise on efforts to meet the special needs and challenges caused by disabilities. The lessons of integrating children in pre-schools and primary schools and adults in supported open employment in the community both in the urban and the rural centres of the Institute, led to the cost-effective mode of value-addition to the quality of life ofpersons with Mental Handicap.
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