SAATHI

Overview

SAATHI is a peer support training program for people living with severe mental illness (SMI), co-developed over two years with peer supporters and stakeholders across India. The program aims to bridge the gap in standardized peer support training and promote recovery-oriented, rights-based mental health care that values autonomy and dignity. Development followed three stages-

1. Formative research identifying key competencies and skills required by peer supporters

2. Participatory co-production workshops held across India to refine the content and structure

3. The ongoing phase of testing the training manual through feedback from individuals with lived experience of SMI.

The finalized curriculum integrates foundational and advanced peer support skills, delivered through interactive, hybrid modules featuring activities such as the Tree of Life, mood charts, and role-plays.

Rationale

SAATHI was developed to address a critical gap in community-based care for people with severe mental illness (SMI) in India. While evidence shows that peer support improves recovery, quality of life, and social functioning, there are no standardized peer support training programs in the country. Most mental health initiatives, including in Goa, focus on common mental disorders or substance use, leaving limited support for individuals with SMI. Through extensive co-production with people with lived experience, caregivers, and professionals, SAATHI aims to build a recovery-oriented, rights-based training model that equips peer supporters with the skills and confidence to promote autonomy, dignity, and inclusion in mental health care.

Partner/s

Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA