The Timeline

Vandana and Vaishnavi rented a three-bedroom house, envisaged as a safe space for homeless women with mental illness in Chennai.

Tata Trusts joins us as our first institutional donor.

Partnered with Loyola College Dept. of Social Work to offer clinical and aftercare services for the community.

Partnered with the Chennai Police Dept. a helpline for homeless persons with mental illness was initiated.

Following the 2004 Tsunami, a program that offers clinical and social care services in Kovalam.

A home-style facility was initiated for clients with long term care needs.

The Banyan Academy of Leadership in Mental Health sets up a facility with a focus on training.

Clinical services for people at Puzhal Prisons and capacity building on mental health for prison staff.

300 individuals were trained on mental health across 12 panchayats across 3 districts in Tamil Nadu.

In partnership with Chennai Corporation and HCLFoundation, an open shelter for men with psychosocial needs was opened in Dooming Kuppam, Chennai.

The Banyan obtained a license from the govt to issue disability certificates.

Initiation of 3 Masters programs (Clinical Psychology, Applied Psychology and Social Work Courses) in collaboration with Tata Institute of Social Sciences.

Institutional support from Azim Premji Foundation buttresses core and operational costs for The Banyan and BALM.

In liaison with Sundram Fasteners Limited, a Center for Research and Social Action was launched.

Inauguration of The Banyan’s Kerala Chapter.

Endowment grant by Rural India Supporting Trust to establish the Centre for Mental Health and Inclusive Development that operates the Home Again programme.

Inauguration of The Banyan’s Maharashtra Chapter.

– Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, The Banyan remained undeterred in providing comprehensive mental health care and support.

– Following an MoU with the Tamil Nadu Govt.,ECRCs scaled up across 8 locations in the state, in partnership with implementing CSOs and supported by Azim Premji Foundation.

-Scale up of Home Again programme through the ‘Transition To Scale’ partnership with Grand Challenges Canada.
-Inauguration of The Banyan’s Andhra Pradesh Chapter.
-Initiation of a state wide policy on mental health with the Tamil Nadu Govt.

-The Azim Premji Foundation and The Banyan, in August, launched Aaladamara’s first ECRC in collaboration with HBS Hospital and Project Smile.
-In November, Meghalaya released its first-ever Mental Health and Social Care Policy, in which The Banyan and BALM representatives were part of the drafting sub-committee.
-The Banyan and BALM, in collaboration with the Madras School of Social Work, hosted a part of the Global Mental Health Summit, in a day-long conference in Chennai.

-Inauguration of Mental Health and Social Care Hub: Home Again in Tiruchirappalli.
-Inauguration of ECRC in Tiruchendur, Thoothukudi district, with R Soya Trust.
-We partnered with the Schizophrenia Awareness Association (SAA) in Pune to create a sustainable “Home Again” for mental health support in India.
-Yield Giving, instituted by MacKenzie Scott, gifts an endowment grant of Rs 33 crores that will go towards supporting the Home Again programme and the upcoming Keshav Desiraju Museum of the Mind.