Background: It is a well-known fact that there is a huge gap between mental health service availability and needs of people in the community. Community Mental Health Program (CMHP) appears as a solution for it. Paripurnata (a non-governmental organization) has been running a CMHP at Habra, West Bengal, India since 2000. Since 2005 a psychiatric out-patient department is functioning and community work is focused on capacity building of different stakeholders. Several awareness camps, community preparedness workshops have been organized. However, the work is yet to be consolidated with initiatives from the community. It has to be facilitated more with an objective analysis of the situation. The need of the hour is to assess the previous work. So an evaluation study was planned.
Aims: The primary aim of the following study is to assess the impact of the CMHP on the local population and secondary aim is to evaluate that what extent the CMHP have been able to prepare them to take responsibility of the CMHP as a whole.
Materials and methods: Using systematic random sampling method 1486 respondents were selected and data collect using a questionnaire. In-depth interviews, focus group discussions, participant's observation and secondary data sources were also used. Inferences drown based on above all data sources.
Results and conclusion: Two-third of the studied population and more so in the target area expressed that the community can take responsibility of running their own CMHPs. Though, the larger population of them is still not acquainted with the activities of the CMHP, the program deserves support to sustain.
Keywords: Community mental health program; community psychiatry; health education; mental health promotion.