AMHA - Association for Mentally Handicapped Adults

Now it is materialized into a registered charitable society, AMHA (Association for Mentally Handicapped Adults), registered under Travancore-Cochin Literary, Scientific and Charitable Societies Act 1955 with register number 666/97.

AMHA is also registered under Persons With Disabilities Act and under Orphanage Control Board. The Governing body of AMHA consists of 9 members – all are one way or other related to this cause.

The general attitude towards the Intellectually challenged and persons with Autism needs to be changed. They are not to be sympathized with, not to be over protected or ridiculed, but to be helped in growing and developing within their strength and limitations. Fear is often a major obstacle to these people’s adjustment to the normal world – fear of failure, fear of ridicule or fear of isolation. AMHA’s aim is to remove this fear by developing a feeling of usefulness and responsibility by making the Intellectually Challenged and persons with Autism, feel loved, more important and needed. AMHA believes in a programme that would provide Intellectually Challenged and persons with Autism, a sense of purpose and self-growth. We use Yoga, Music and Theater as therapeutic tools.

AMHA has two functioning units now - a special school cum rehabilitation Centre for adults at Karyattukara, and an Early Intervention cum Sensory Integration Therapy center for children (2–10-year age group) at Ambadikulam ground, Olarikara, Thrissur Dt. Kerala.

AMHA’s special school is one of a very few special schools exclusively for Mentally Challenged Adults with residential care, in the state. Mentally challenged adults above 18 are admitted here. AMHA provides free special education and vocational training to such persons, irrespective of cast, creed or sex. The academic year starts by 1st June and ends by April 30th.

AMHA Neuro Rehab Center

Children with Autism are having a lot adjustment problems in different situations, even after the therapy. Knowing this fact, we started a new project for them - a “NEURO REHAB CENTER”, to teach them the essentials in daily life, environmental awareness, social behaviour, how to behave in a class room, time management etc, to make them a social being. Along with this we are arranging a large sensory park exclusively for the Intellectually Challenged and Autistic persons, any age, with Aqua therapy, Virtual reality area etc at Thaikattussery, Thrissur.

AMHA Autism Center

In this modern world, Tension filled life situations, polluted environment, toxic food intake, etc., resulted in the increase of autism which is a great concern of our times. At the same time, training and therapy for them is a costly business and so usually it is unaffordable to common man.

Autism is not a disease, but a state developed due to Neurochemical, Genetical, Environmental and many other known and unknown reasons. The persons with Autism are not to be sympathized with or to be over protected, but to be helped in growing and developing within their strength and limitations. It cannot be cured, but, through continuous trainings and therapy from a very early stage, many of them can lead to near to normal life.

In such circumstances AMHA thought of setting up a training center with all facilities and started functioning the same at Ambadikulam Ground, Olari, Thrissur, Kerala on June 2nd 2018, inaugurated by the then Education Minister Prof.C.Ravindranath

We are giving Occupational Therapy, Speech Therapy, Behavioral Therapy, ADL and IEP. Our therapy center has a sensory park with beautiful wall paintings and a Cycle Fountain (Cycle Fountain and wall paintings are Unique and the first one of its kind in India and may be even in the world). The cycle fountain gives physical exercise, Intellectual exercise, visual stimulation and mental pleasure. It increases the concentration power too. AMHA’s ADL home is one among the BEST, now available in India

Every week end we are arranging a “LEVEL UP PROGRAM” - a football program for the children with Autism. AMHA is trying to mold each child into a self -reliant and dignified social being, in spite of the problems and challenges caused by their special needs.

At Autism center AMHA has Occupational Therapist, Psychologist, special educators, and speech therapist.

All the therapies and exposures are free of cost, because AMHA’s motto is that such facilities must be available to the lower strata of the society too.

At present about 70 children with Autism (1-10 age group) are taking therapy at our Autism center.

Adult Center

AMHA’s adult center at Karyattukara is now an abode to 60 Mentally Challenged persons- out of which 30 are residents. We provide them free education, food, accommodation, medical care etc. About 95% of them are belonging to economically backward strata of the society and remaining from middle class families.

Twelve of our students are orphans. We have our own bus for the transportation of Day Scholars.Out of these 60 students only 5% are coming under mild category.

Others are moderate and severe Mentally Challenged, Down syndrome, Microcephaly, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Marphan Syndrome and Fragile X syndrome. At AMHA they are getting vocational training as a part of their rehabilitation.

Life Long Care Center

30 inmates, including orphans are looked after here, for life long. All of them are on life long medication. Monthly expense – 5 lakhs (Rs.500,000/). It's been for last 24 years. Services rendered here are also absolutely free.