Three-day training workshop on Queer Affirmative Counselling Practices (QACP) for mental health professionals as part of the Queer Inclusive Health System (QIHS) initiative.

The State Health Systems Resource Centre-Kerala (SHSRC-Kerala), in collaboration with the Mariwala Health Initiative (MHI) Mumbai, organized a three-day training workshop on Queer Affirmative Counselling Practices (QACP) for mental health professionals as part of the Queer Inclusive Health System (QIHS) initiative. The workshop aimed to equip mental health professionals with the necessary skills to foster LGBTQIA+ inclusivity within Kerala’s healthcare system. Participants included psychologists, psychiatric social workers and Adolescents Friendly Health Clinic(AFHC) counsellors from across all fourteen districts, working under the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) and the National Health Mission (NHM).

The event began with the welcome address by Dr. Jathavedus Mohanlal, Assistant Director of SHSRC-Kerala, who welcomed the participants and resource persons from MHI. He also highlighted the progress of the QIHS project, emphasizing its previous phases and achievements. Smt. Seena KM, Head of Social Development at NHM shared insights on the project’s inception, its current status and the role of MHI in previous training programs involving officials and community link workers.

The training sessions were conducted by Dr. Shruti Chakravarty (Chief Advisor, MHI), along with Pooja Nair and Gauri Shringarpure, faculty members of MHI specialized in Queer Affirmative Counselling Practices (QACP). The workshop included engaging activities and discussions, focusing on the basic concepts of gender and sexuality, to create a more inclusive and affirming healthcare environment for the LGBTQIA+ community. The workshop also delved into discussions on gender affirmative practices, taught through interactive sessions, case discussions and lively debates.

Following the three-day session, valuable feedback was gathered from the participants to assess insights and perspectives. Dr. V. Jithesh, Executive Director of SHSRC-Kerala explained the future plans under the project and the role of mental health professionals in making the health systems queer inclusive. He extended gratitude to all participants and the MHI faculty for their contributions. Dr. Bijoy E, State Programme Manager, NHM presented the participants with certificates in Queer Affirmative Counselling Practices (QACP). Dr. Shweta Ashok, Dr. Bhavya Fernandez and Dr. Manju Madhavan, along with the Research Assistants of SHSRC-Kerala coordinated the workshop activities.