Right from its inception, the Institute has been maintaining a Day Care Center (special school) for the Mentally Retarded children. The children getting special education from this program are classified according to educational classification as ‘Educable’, ‘Trainable’, ‘Custodial’ and ‘Care Groups’. Special Education and other related rehabilitation services like Physiotherapy, Speech therapy and Yoga & Dance therapies are offered to these children. At present 264 children are availing this benefit.

Systematic special training facilities have been] provided, for about 40 children hailing from different parts of the state like Karimnagar, Warangal, West Godavari, Krishna, Prakasam and Guntur district areas, where sufficient training facilities are not available. By admitting them in the hostel, with the help of qualified Special Educators and Caretakers they are being trained in different personal skills like, brushing, toileting, bathing etc. Free boarding, lodging and uniforms are given to these children and qualified Psychiatrist & Pediatrician undertake regular medical check-ups.

Depending on the interest, family background and learning capabilities of the adult Mentally Retarded Individuals, training in the following vocations are imparted to help them to earn their living for about 30 trainees.

• Chalk piece making
• Candle making
• Machanized Leaf plate making
• Manufacturing of phenyl
• Manufacturing of detergent powder
• Tailoring unit

These services are intended to provide preventive, curative and remedial services for children of the age range of 0 to 6 years with delay in milestones development for about 30 children. A team of professionals consisting of early intervention specialists, development therapist , speech therapist social, worker and pediatrician carries out this program. Early Intervention programme provide individualized care by helping the child to achieve full potential. At present these activities are undertaken as...

• Center based and
• Home based programmes

This Service is launched with the support of National Trust (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment), New Delhi for the Welfare of the families having persons with Mental Retardation, Autism, Cerebral Palsy and Multiple disabilities.

Prolonged Care Centre provides temporary relief & long term to the family members seeking care for their children. In this service a child benefit by receiving quality care in the absence of the family. Similarly the family is also benefited by taking a break.

The main objective of this training program is to build up a pool of trained caregivers, for looking after the day to day care of the Mentally Handicapped individuals at their respective homes. The National Trust, New Delhi (Ministry of Social Justice & Empowerment) also supports this programme. Dakshinya has already trained 40 persons in two Batches and the Training of 3rd Batch is going on in the year 2005.

In this program the family members of Mentally Retarded are given comprehensive training by a team of highly qualified professionals, periodically both at the institute premises and at their homes alternatively.

The Institute has a special diagnostic and assessment center consisting of a pool of well qualified professionals, who work together to assess and diagnose individuals according to their impairment, and severity. Apart from this, psychological tests are being conducted to assess the intelligence, self help skills, personal skills, social skills, academic skills, language skills and motor development of the child.

For children lagging behind in their studies - such as slow learners and individuals with learning disabilities (dyslexia, and aphasia), special training is given to them to cope up with their school activities.

Children, who are able to cope up with normal stream to a large extent, are integrated in normal school and a periodic follow up is made to record their progress. It is proposed to start a nursery and elementary school inside the campus where these Mentally Retarded children will be made to interact with normal children for learning the activities of daily living and socialization skills.

The institute offers counseling services by trained psychologist, to the family members of Mentally Retarded individuals, depending upon their family needs, either individually or in-group.

Pre-Vocational training is provided to the Mentally Retarded individuals within the age group of 14-18 years. These children will undergo a transition programme, where the skills already learnt, in the school are transferred to vocational activities.

Regular training & orientation programmes for parents, grand parents, siblings and care- takers of Mentally Retarded individuals are conducted, which facilitate them to learn about the needs and necessities of the Mentally Retarded individuals.

The Institute organizes workshops and seminars to orient the regular School Teachers, Village Health Workers, Social Workers and Anganwadi Workers so as to orient them in early identification, assessment and training of disabled individuals.