Our Goals
Recognize and respect the rights of each patient.
Provide individualized treatment.
Assure continuum of care.
Provide a safe environment.
Assure a competent workforce.
Improve organizational performance.
Our Vision
“To make the world a place of love by sharing, caring, loving and praying for the least, lost and the last of society”.
Our Mission
To extend love and care to the uncared people.
To provide excellent, integrated care in evaluation, treatment, crisis intervention, rehabilitation, support, and self help/empowerment service to individuals with serious psychiatric illness or addictions.
To facilitate a closely coordinated relationship with public and private health and service providers in order to ensure continuity of care and rehabilitation.
To participate proactively in regional planning for services to individuals with serious psychiatric illness or addictive behaviour.
To work respectfully with individuals with serious psychiatric illness to maximize their functioning and reach their fullest potential, in an environment of respect and autonomy.
To collaborate with academic communities to advance knowledge in the area of treatment for individuals with serious psychiatric illnesses and addictive behaviour.
Serve people as a not-for-profit health system with voluntary community participation.
Provide quality services in a compassionate and pleasant manner.
"It is a Center offering love and care to the mentally ill, the abandoned streets and rejects of society".
About Us
As a student, Fr. Sebastian Vechookarottu had opportunities to interact with prison inmates while participating in the Prison ministry. This interaction gave him an insight into the abject suffering and misery caused to the person, his family and society by alcoholism and drug abuse. After becoming a priest, Fr. Sebastian continued his ministry to alcoholics and drug addicts in the parishes which he was posted. Conducting awareness programmes on the ill effects of alcoholism, helping addicts to overcome their addictions, care and rehabilitation to mentally sick became a priority in his pastoral ministry.
In 1997, as a Parish Priest in Thampalakkadu parish, he successfully de-addicted 3 alcoholics through counselling, prayer and group therapy. This was the beginning of similar group exercises which steadily grew into a monthly program. Gradually the number of people attending these sessions increased and Emmanuel Ashram, a center for retreats, counselling and rehabilitation of drug addicts and alcoholics was born.
Simultaneously Fr. Sebastian observed that many people with psychiatric problems were abandoned on the streets. He brought them to a temporary shelter which functioned in rented premises and cared for them. This was the beginning of Penuel Ashram which came into existence in response to a crying need. By the end of 1998, the number of inmates increased and a permanent building was acquired. Now Penuel Ashram is a home - for mentally sick destitute. The Ashram provides shelter, food, clothing, medical aid, entertainment, counseling and rehabilitation services. It is a Centre offering love and care to the mentally ill, the abandoned streets and rejects of society. The volunteers pick up sick people from streets, bus stations, rail stations etc. All our services are offered free of cost to the beneficiaries.