PPE Kit for Emotions
A Mental Health Response Initiative
In November 2020, during the global pandemic, we launched the National Mental Health Support Helpline (NMHSH) - a FREE, youth-designed service ensuring accessible mental health care for all, especially vulnerable communities. Multilingual and trans/queer affirmative, it offered a confidential space to heal. Alongside the NMHSH, we introduced Breath which was a 7-day emotional wellness journey, and led a campaign to normalise seeking mental health support.
India’s National Mental Health Policy (INMHP) 2014, Mental Healthcare Act 2017 and National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) provide a strong rights-based and participatory framework for mental health care, supported by government de-addiction and rehabilitation services. However, gaps in implementation, awareness and last-mile access continue to persist. These challenges are further deepened by limited funding, affordability barriers, and long-standing social stigma. Even before the pandemic, public investment in mental health remained critically low. Therapy was often unaffordable due to high costs and lack of insurance coverage and accessible helplines were limited.
COVID-19 intensified these concerns, as isolation, loss, gender-based violence and economic uncertainty significantly increased trauma and suicide risks. Grounded in the constitutional understanding of the right to life as dignity and quality of life, YfPI works to complement national efforts by spreading awareness, reducing stigma and creating youth-friendly pathways to inclusive, community-based support—demonstrating that timely emotional care can rebuild resilience and restore wellbeing.
‘I had been feeling chronic sadness for months…to the extent that I even had trouble getting out of bed. I tried solutions recommended online – yoga, meditation, journaling. Nothing worked. I knew I needed professional help but I was ashamed of my emotional sensitivity and didn’t want to worry my family either. When I learnt about the National Mental Health Helpline by YfPI, I realised that through this service, I could access Mental Health Care from my home confidentially. That first call broke the ice; it made me realise the importance of professional care and also made me comfortable to seek further support.’
- testimonial of a caller, year 2021
THE NATIONAL MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT HELPLINE
In response to the emotional toll of the global pandemic, we launched the National Mental Health Support Helpline in November 2020 as part of the “PPE Kit for Emotions”, a free counselling service designed to ensure accessible mental health care for all, especially vulnerable and underprivileged communities. Envisioned as a safe and confidential support system, the helpline operated via telecom and Zoom calls, allowing individuals to seek care from the safety of their homes during a time of isolation and uncertainty.
Multilingual and trans/queer affirmative, the youth-designed and implemented initiative provided immediate emotional support and guidance to those in distress. Every caller was compassionately assessed by trained professionals and categorised into high, medium or low-risk groups to ensure the appropriate level of care. With a strong emphasis on privacy, no personal data was recorded, making the service a trusted, stigma-free space for healing and support.
Designed and led by young people, the initiative was grounded in peer empathy, relatability and community care. We believe listening is healing; many individuals were navigating grief, isolation, anxiety and uncertainty without an outlet. Our trained professionals offered non-judgmental listening, emotional validation and empathetic presence allowing callers to share, feel lighter and gain clarity. Sometimes, being heard is the first step towards healing.
OUR MODEL OF CARE
The helpline followed a tiered care model to ensure individuals received support aligned with their emotional needs.
- One-on-One Counseling (High & Medium Risk)
Individuals identified as high or medium risk were offered personalised 45–60 minute counseling sessions with clinical psychologists via phone. These sessions focused on coping strategies, emotional regulation and building resilience and created a consistent therapeutic space for deeper support.
- Group Healing Spaces (Low Risk)
Low-risk participants were engaged through virtual group workshops hosted on Zoom. Using creative and community-based approaches including art, movement, music, mindfulness and dialogue. These spaces encouraged expression, connection and collective healing.
Cove Values
BREATH : A Guided Stress & Anxiety Support Program
As part of its mental health response, YfPI launched “Breath” — a structured online emotional wellness journey designed to support individuals navigating stress and anxiety during the pandemic. Grounded in research-based psychological insights, the program focused on building self-awareness, emotional resilience and healthy coping mechanisms.
Facilitated by a professional mental health expert, the course combined scientific understanding with practical self-help tools including reflective exercises and guided meditation practices. Designed for individuals experiencing everyday stressors (not limited to diagnosed mental health conditions), the initiative created an accessible space to better understand emotional triggers and develop sustainable wellbeing practices.
The program strengthened preventive mental health care by equipping individuals with practical tools to understand, manage and respond to stress in healthier ways.
Impact at a Glance
The initiative created meaningful psychosocial support during one of the most emotionally challenging periods in recent history by combining direct care with awareness-building.
500k+
Social Media Impressions
The campaign significantly amplified conversations around mental health, normalising seeking help and reducing stigma during the pandemic.
1200+
Individuals Benefitted from Safe Listening Space
Through the helpline, over 1,200 people accessed a confidential, non-judgmental space to share their emotional struggles, process distress and feel heard during isolation and crisis. Additionally, the Breath emotional wellness program supported 50 participants through structured sessions focused on stress management, self-awareness and coping practices, extending preventive mental health care beyond crisis counseling.
350+
Therapy Sessions Delivered
Individuals requiring deeper psychological support were connected to professional counseling, receiving structured therapeutic care to build coping mechanisms and emotional resilience.
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