Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist

International Medical Corps started its operations in Yemen in the North in 2012 and expanded to the South of Yemen in 2014 to contribute to the humanitarian efforts in Yemen by addressing the critical needs of the communities in the most affected areas through relief, reconstruction, and early recovery response. Presently, International Medical Corps has maintained an active field presence in six governorates across North and South Yemen—Sana’a, Ibb, Taiz Aden, Lahj, and Al Dhale’e, with field offices in Sana’a, Aden, Al Mukha, and Ibb. This countrywide presence alongside working closely with the existing public health structures and systems, coupled with mobile teams, enables International Medical Corps aims to take life-saving services closest to vulnerable people, with the focus on addressing the special needs of women, children, the elderly people, persons living with disabilities (PWDs) and other most vulnerable groups. Over the years, International Medical Corps has consistently delivered integrated multisector lifesaving and life-sustaining programs on Health, Nutrition, WASH, and Food Security, while mainstreaming safeguarding, protection, inclusion, diversity, resilience, and localizing aid as much as possible by taking service closest to people in crisis, involving them in finding solutions and supporting their transition from relief to self-reliance, among other cross-cutting issues.

International Medical Corps will continue the provision of a high-quality comprehensive package of Primary Health Care, including Mental Health, reproductive, maternal, newborn, child, and adolescent health (RMNCH) for Children, Women, and Men affected by the protracted armed conflict in Yemen. Concurrently, IMC shall strengthen the Ministry of Public Health and Population (MoPHP) and reinforce community engagements to boost early recovery and ownership to be able to sustain the impact of the intervention.

International Medical Corps’ MHPSS Needs Assessment – conducted in 2019 highlights that the ongoing conflict-related challenges are causing a reported high prevalence of emotional distress and mental health conditions, such as despair, depression, anxiety, worry and fear, isolation, anger, and violent behavior. Yemen has almost no advanced MH services available outside a few hospitals, a weak national MH care system with a limited workforce, a dearth of psychotropic medications, and an insufficient amount of MHPSS actors, as well as a shortage of donor funding. The people of Yemen also experience significant stigmatization of MH and MNS conditions, with the centralization of MHPSS service delivery at the secondary healthcare level, highlighting the immense need for locally available, accessible, and acceptable forms of MH service provision. Primary healthcare in Yemen is critically unprepared to offer any type of MHPSS support.

International Medical Corps will provide training, mentorship, and supervision for 12 healthcare providers who will provide Mental Health Services in Al Dhale, Sana’a, and Ibb Governorates. This will include but will not be limited to: Psychological First Aid (PFA), PFA for Children, IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergency Settings, WHO mhGAP-HIG, Self-Care, Brief MH Case Management, and WRAP Plans, along with ongoing additional capacity and continuous professional development on MH literacy, MNS conditions and Psychoeducation, Counselling Skills, and Psychological Theory. Other service providers and frontline workers, as well as office-based humanitarian and healthcare staff, will receive training on MH detection and referral, PFA, PFA for Children, and Self Care and Stress Management. IMC will, if possible, facilitate participation in ToT training, mentorship, and supervision in mhGAP-HIG and related interventions for MoH supervisors/psychiatrists.

JOB SUMMARY

The mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) specialist will be responsible for implementing and managing the technical components of a comprehensive MHPSS project. International Medical Corps’ approach to mental health is heavily based on training and developing the capacity of local partners and national staff; the successful candidate should therefore have experience in training, on the job supervision and mentoring, coordination and in building referral links to other formal service providers and informal community supports. The mental health specialist will train, supervise, coordinate and oversee a national team of mental health officers and a team of community outreach volunteers who will engage in outreach, follow-up and basic mental health and psychosocial support. The MHPSS specialist will closely work and coordinate with the project mental health and psychosocial coordinator (psychiatrist) who is tasked to oversee all MHPSS related activities including training and supervising general health care providers in mental health using mhGAP Intervention Guidelines

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function with or without reasonable accommodation:

MAIN TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Actively lead or participate in coordination mechanisms in the area (e.g. Health, general coordination, potential MHPSS coordination group) and advocate for principles of IASC MHPSS guidelines.
• Identify and train local mental health officers and refugee staff/volunteers in community outreach, mental health case management, follow-up and mental health promotion
• Provide training in the identification and non-pharmacological management of priority mental health condition to general health staff in line with WHO mhGAP Intervention Guidelines in coordination with project MHPSS coordinator (psychiatrist)
• Engage trained staff and volunteers in on the job mentoring and supervision
• Provide mental health and psychosocial support services along with health staff as needed
• Ensure completion and analysis of pre post knowledge tests and on the job supervision checklists.
• Support collection and reporting of mental health project data including HMIS reporting and patient outcomes (e.g. functioning, satisfaction with services)
• Provide training in other MHPSS topics as appropriate, depending on identified needs (e.g. key aspects of psychological first aid and relevant aspects of IASC guidelines) to IMC and staff from other agencies
• Implement social and recreational activities (e.g. youth friendly activities)
• Assist with the development of new proposals
• Assist with hiring of national staff as needed
• Implement the project in line with IMC and global MHPSS standards and guidelines and closely coordinate with IMC’s Technical Unit Global Mental Health Advisor for development and review of training materials and reports.
• Represent IMC in MHPSS related meetings and coordination groups

Perform other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed in this document are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and not necessarily all inclusive.

Code of Conduct As applicable to this position, an individual must promote and encourage a culture of compliance and ethics throughout the organization and maintain a clear understanding of International Medical Corps’ and donor compliance and ethics standards and adheres to those standards.

If this is a supervisory position, one must set an example of ethical behavior through one’s own conduct and oversight of the work of others; ensure that those who report to you have sufficient knowledge and resources to follow the standards outlined in the Code of Conduct & Ethics; monitor compliance of the people you supervise; enforce the Code of Conduct & Ethics and International Medical Corps’ policies, including the Safeguarding Policy and the Protection from Harassment, Bullying and Sexual Misconduct in the Workplace Policy, consistently and fairly; support employees who in good faith raise questions or concerns.

Safeguarding It is all staff shared responsibility and obligation to safeguard and protect populations with whom we work, including adults who may be particularly vulnerable and children. This includes safeguarding from the following conduct by our staff or partners: sexual exploitation and abuse; exploitation, neglect, or abuse of children, adults at risk, or LGBTI individuals; and any form of trafficking in persons. Staff are also responsible for preventing violations to our Code of Conduct and Ethics, which may involve Conflicts of Interest, Fraud, Corruption or Harassment. If you see, hear or are made aware of any violations to the Code of Conduct and Ethics or Safeguarding Policy, you have an obligation to report.

Equal Opportunities International Medical Corps is proud to provide equal employment opportunities to all employees and qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or status as a veteran.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Typically a 4-year University degree in related area. Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate
• The qualified candidate will be a mental health professional (psychologist, clinical social worker, psychiatrist, or psychiatric nurse)
• Typically, 5+ years’ experience working on MHPSS programs, preferably in humanitarian settings
• Training and clinical supervision practice and experience required
• Knowledgeable in and experience following IASC Guidelines on MHPSS in Emergencies and international best practices on the integration of MHPSS into primary health care settings
• Demonstrable technical expertise in the assessment, design, and delivery of responses to pre-existing and emergency-induced MHPSS needs
• Training experience required; capacity and proven track record in national staff and partner training and capacity-building
• Strong organizational and supervisory skills
• Honest, hardworking and self-motivated
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work within different cultural environments
• Strong written and communication skills
• Ability to work within a team structure or independently, flexible, and can cope with stressful workload
• An excellent command of verbal and written English

Additional Technical or Language Requirements

• Knowledge of Arabic language is desirable.
• Successful candidate is likely to have an additional role of Co-leading the National Health Coordination Cluster with WHO. So, experience in health cluster coordination is an added advantage.

MISCONDUCT DISCLOSURE SCHEME

All offers of employment at International Medical Corps are subject to satisfactory references and background checks. International Medical Corps participates in the Inter-Agency Misconduct Disclosure Scheme from the Steering Committee for Humanitarian Response (SCHR). In accordance with this, we will request information from an applicant’s previous employers about any findings of sexual exploitation, sexual abuse and/or sexual harassment during employment, or incidents under investigation when the applicant left employment. By submitting an application, the job applicant confirms his/her understanding of these recruitment procedures.