Department of Psychiatry Started in 1994 Recruitment Rules for Faculty Outpatient services started in June 1995 Inpatient services in June 1996.

The department started providing following additional services:

• Community Outreach programme. (May 1996)
• Half way home ( April 2002)
• ECT clinic.(May 1996)
• De-addiction Clinic.(April 1997)
• Psychosexual Clinic.(April 1997)
• Behaviour Therapy Laboratory.(July 1997)
• Child Guidance Clinic (December 1998)
• District Mental Health Programme( November 2001)

The department is soon going to start the following services :

• Community Day Care Centre
• De-addiction Centre
• Genetic Lab. at GIMRC
• Implementation of Grameen Punarvas Yojna under NPRPD
• Suicide Prevention Help Line

From the very beginning, department has given priority to Human Resource Development (HRD) in the field of Psychiatry. Department started training programme for the nurses and psychology students.

The first clinical attaché (clinical psychology) joined the department in September 1998. So far 21 clinical attaches have received practical experience in area of clinical psychology.

The Department took over the Govt. Institute for Mentally Retarded Children (GIMRC), Sector 32, in December 1998. Training facilities for mentally retarded children and their families have been improved Psychological and psychiatric assessment and interventions have been started in the premises of GIMRC.

a) At OPD level

(Upto Year 2000)  

b) Psychiatry Ward:

Ward has 30 beds Facilities and activities include daily morning prayer and exercises, recreational facilities consisting of television, indoor games, book/magazines/newspaper and weekly staff meetings with patients and their relatives. Psychiatric patients and patients of alcohol and drug dependence who are unmanageable at home are admitted in the ward for short periods.

c) Community Clinic:

Regular services, three times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) at Daddu Majra, Maloya and Palsaura  Village respectively are provided by the Department of Psychiatry. Clinic provides comprehensive services for patients of drug and alcohol dependence and mental illnesses.

d) Clinical Psychology Services:

It includes both psycho-diagnostic and therapeutic services by a consultant, clinical psychologist, play therapist, assistant clinical psychologist and counsellor. Department has carried out 3385 diagnostic tests and has provided therapy to 7231 patients.

e) Consultation Liasion services:

Department is providing 24 hours services for psychiatry emergencies as well as routine psychiatric consultations for inpatients and outpatients of other specialities.

f) Community outreach Services:

Department is taking active participation in community education and outreach activities. Following camps and have been organized:

1. De-addiction Camps :May 1997 and November 1998, November 1999, July 2000
2. Mental Retardation Awareness Camp : August 1999 (One day), April 2000 (one day)
3. De-toxification camp : June 2000 (One day)
4. Symposium on adolescent sex education on 18.5.2001.
5. Press Conference on World Mental Health Day 10.10.2002
6. Painting competition amongst School children on International Day against Drug abuse and illicit trafficking on 26.06.2002
7. Workshop on Austin on 4th & 5th July 2003     

g) Govt. Institute for Mentally Retarded Children (GIMRC):

At the moment, Govt. Institute for Mentally Retarded Children has 280 children on roll and is providing following services:

• For the children:

1. Teaching by special educator.
2. Vocational training in chalk making , caning, bread, bakery products, tailoring, masala grinding and envelop making   
3. Recreational activities.
4. Day Care
5. Rehabilitation of mentally ill and mentally challenged 
6. Hostel for boys 
7. Free medical treatment.
8. MR and early intervention  Clinic

1. Training of parents of Mentally Retarded Children.
2. Counselling.

Training of trainers organized by rehabilitation council of India at Saket Hospital, Panchkula.

Training of Medical Officers and teachers in the area of mental retardation. They will subsequently train other categories of staff sponsored by WHO

• Diploma in vocational Training and employment ( Mental retardation :- the institute is running 1 year 
• Diploma in  vocational Training and employment ( Mental retardation :- the institute is running since July 2002

Further detail about GIMRC can be found on website www.gimrc.nic.in

h) Research work and publication – include projects (funded and non-funded) both by faculty and other staff:

Department has published 51 national and International papers. Department is actively participating in various conferences and CME. Department has taken following funded and non-funded research projects.

1. Knowledge and attitude towards ECT.
2. Prevalence of Smoking in Hospital Staff.
3. Level of stress in resident doctors and medical students.
4. Follow up study of patients treated in camp setting.
5. Study of dropped out cases.
6. Follow-up of patients whose diagnosis was deferred on first contact.
7. Study of burden of mental retardation.
8. Study of Psychopathology in children suffering from Atopic Dermatitis (in collaboration with Department of Dermatology).
9. Study of epidemiology of substance use disorders in rural areas and JJ colonies of Union Territory of Chandigarh.
10. Study of compliance and effect of psychological intervention in patients of Pulmonary Tuberculosis (in collaboration with department of Chest & TB).
11. Study of quality of marital life of psychiatric patients.
12. Comparitive study of temperament and psycho-pathology in children of working and non working mothers.
13. Clinical study of patients referred from Burail Jail.
14. Study of factors preventing relapse in treated addicts.
15. Study of late onset schizophrenia.
16. Study of 'Nil Psychiatric' cases.
17. Study of reasons for non compliance in psychiatric and non psychiatric patients.
18. Study of reasons for not seeking treatment in alcoholics and drug dependents.
19. factors Associated with suicide in Chandigarh
20. Study of abstinent rates in substance use
21. Psychiatric profile of patients attending  the general emergency    

Department has been actively involved in developing health educative material on mental disorders. This also includes write ups and articles in leading Newspapers and magazines. So far, more than 30 articles have been written in papers and magazines of vernacular languages.

i) Teaching:

Department has given a very high priority for teaching undergraduate medical students.100 hour of training provided to Medical undergraduates. It includes both theory lecture and practical clinical classes   

j) Important achievement of the faculty and staff :

• Prof.B.S.Chavan has been awarded WHO Fellowship in the area of Community based De-addiction services.
• Prof.B.S.Chavan has been awarded membership of National Academy of Medical Sciences.
• Prof. B.S. Chavan has acquired diploma in Hospital Administration.