Clinical Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist

1- GENERAL OBJECTIVE

Under the direct supervision of the MHPSS Coordinator, the Clinical MHPSS Specialist will be in responsibility of training, regular on job training and clinical supervision of psychologist, psychiatrist; social / case workers; PSS providers and other relevant stake holders.
The Clinical MHPSS Specialist is expected to actively participate, under the technical supervision of the MHPSS Coordinator, in strengthening the capacity of psychologist, psychiatrist; case and social workers and PSS providers, and in the regular follow-up of the MHPSS activities in the field. For this purpose, he / she will visit health facilities and community centers to supervise, monitor & evaluate MHPSS teams’ performance and conduct remote supervision of insecure areas. In addition to that, s/he will assist MHPSS providers and psychologists with formulating action/therapeutic plans for beneficiaries, to help the MHPSS team to identify the severely affected cases and prioritize the most urgent patients on the waiting list, to ensure doing no harm and reduce suffering S/he is also expected to develop or contribute to clinical supervision, co-vision / inter-vision sessions within PUI and with external partners and a peer support framework for providers. Besides, he / she will support providers in their self-care, and monitor their work-related distress to avoid it being projected to beneficiaries or colleagues. You can see the main goals and the associated specific tasks below while keeping in mind that based on the needs of the program those may evolve or modify.

2- RESPONSABILITIES AND TASKS
1. SUPERVISE AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE QUALITY OF MHPSS ACTIVITIES

• Ensure the close and regular on-site monitoring of the quality of MHPSS activities in the field;
• Act as a co-provider to strengthen the capacity of the supervisees and conduct live supervision and mentoring. Also, function as a co-worker to provide community awareness where needed, training and supervision of non-MHPSS staff to enable them to perform basic PSS activities independently and in a quality way;
• Ensure the proper organization and delivery of group PSS activities and individual MHPSS;
• Guarantee the follow-up of pre-defined clinical objectives of mental health and psychosocial support;
• Organize and facilitate case studies, technical team meetings with MHPSS providers and social workers in order to analyse every situation and challenge arisen by the team
• Contribute to the elaboration and contextualization of MHPSS material; including cultural adaptation, translation and testing in the field;
• Contribute to the identification of appropriate, evidence-based psychometric tools, lead the MHPSS team in conducting and improving the screening at admission and at discharge.

2. CO-FACILITATE TRAINING ACTIVITIES FOR EXTERNAL PARTNERS TOGETHER WITH MHPSS COORDINATOR

• Help to organize training activities;
• Help to identify the key persons of the community and sensitize them;
• Participate in the development of pedagogical materials adapted to the trainees profile;
• Co-facilitate the training according to the training protocol of PU-AMI;
• Co-edit training reports and provides lessons learned for each training based on the own observations and training experience;
• Evaluate the trainees’ progress before and after the training.

3. TRAIN, COACH AND MENTOR THE MHPSS TEAM AND COORDINATE THEIR PROVISION OF MHPSS ACTIVITIES IN LINE WITH PUI PROTOCOLS, GUIDELINES AND SOPS

• Suggest MHPSS activities and themes for discussions based on the field observation to MHPSS Coordinator, and based on the analysis of clinical trends observed in the field
• Provide clinical supervision, introductory and on-job training for MHPSS providers
• Provide clinical supervision to non-technical teams involved in MHPSS activities (GPs, case workers, social workers)
• Supervise and train every MHPSS team member in different intervention sites in order to help developing quality MHPSS service in every site of service provision
• Ensure that ethical and do-no-harm practices are observed in culturally appropriate way, especially with respect to gender sensitivities.
• Provide regular feedback to MHPSS Team Manager and MHPSS Coordinator about the technical gaps observed in the field, MHPSS Team’s training needs and capacities to be built
• Assist MHPSS Team Managers in elaborating performance objectives and technical capacity building plans for MHPSS Team members
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4. HELP TO DEVELOP A PROPER REFERRAL SYSTEM AND STRUCTURE THE PATIENT FLOW ON THE FIELD TOGETHER WITH MHPSS COORDINATOR

• Assist the MHPSS team in understanding and setting the limits of their respective interventions (psychiatric, psychotherapeutic, psychological and psychosocial) and a smooth coordination between those; especially on PHCC level
• Know specialized service providers in the area of intervention, their inclusion criteria and referral mechanisms
• Help MHPSS team to refer beneficiaries in need in compliance with PUI criteria for MHPSS referral
• Build and to maintain professional relationship with the partners in the field and beyond
• Identify functional gaps in the referral system and within the patients flow, communicate them and suggest improvement to MHPSS Team manager and MHPSS Coordinator

5. CONTRIBUTE TO MHPSS NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND MHPSS ACTIVITY REPORTS

• Contribute to the quality of MHPSS assessments;
• Work closely with the database staff and MHPSS Team manager to ensure quality reporting;
• Provide clinical inputs, diagnoses trends and basic clinical analysis for further reporting by the Project Manager.

6. CONTRIBUTE TO THE OVERALL QUALITY APPROACH IN THE MISSION

• Participate in MHPSS meetings and suggest improvements in the overall MHPSS provision;
• Closely collaborate with Protection Technical Advisor, Health Quality Advisor, MHPSS Specialist, Protection Specialist and other relevant colleagues within projects requiring integrated approach, to suggest ideas on clinical adaptation or optimal integration of MHPSS activities to MHPSS Coordinator.

QUALIFICATIONS

MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS

• Language Skills: Fluent in English and Arabic (speaking/reading/writing), French would be an asset.
• Education Degree: Mandatory requirement: MA in Clinical Psychology with a license to practice clinical psychology from the Ministry of Public Health.
• Strong theoretical, technical and practical knowledge of MHPSS including:
• Trained in and able to provide supervision on scalable MHPSS interventions (including psychotherapeutic methods like CBT, IPT, Trauma-centered approach; etc.)
• Good knowledge of main psychotherapeutic interventions for mild and moderate MH conditions
• Ability to provide training and guidance on clinical assessments and clear case formulation.
• Knowledge and willingness to abide to humanitarian principles
• Good knowledge of psychosocial and / or psychological support practices
• Capacity to identify technical gaps in the MHPSS knowledge and skills within the team and the PHCC staff and partners
• Experience in training facilitation
• Experience of team organization, coaching and mentoring

Work experience (mandatory requirements):

• At least 2 years of clinical experience
• At least 1 year of experience in the implementation of MHPSS program with MHPSS team supervision OR in MHPSS training/ coaching activities
• Ability and willingness to be present in the field at least 70% of working time
• Computer Skills: Excellent knowledge of the MS office software including Word, Excel, Outlook, HIS MoPH
• Desired professional requirements:
• Being certified with a diploma programme called as ‘Development and Organization of Mental Health Services’ organized by NMHP, World Health Organization and Lisbon Institute of Global Mental Health would be an asset for the deployment.
• Innovative, able to provide supportive clinical supervision and empowering coaching;
• Self-motivating and working with minimal supervision is required
• Good knowledge of Lebanon districts’ geography
• Desired transversal skills

o Strong motivation to help people in need
o Excellent communication, conflict solving and diplomacy skills to manage relationship in potentially tense situations;
o Sensitivity to the political situation and changes in the area;
o Ability to analyze and suggest improvements of the activities;
o Ability to adapt or change priorities according to the changing situation within the mission or the organization itself
o Able to manage stress and pressure;
o Analytic capacities