Evolution of Community Telepsychiatry in India Showcasing the SCARF Model

Abstract

This review chronicles the origin of telepsychiatry services started by the Schizophrenia Research Foundation (SCARF) in the community and traces the birth of the Scarf Telepsychiatry in Pudukkottai (STEP) program at Pudukkottai in Tamil Nadu. This paper also examines the trajectory of STEP and highlights other relevant models existing in the country in the last decade.