Mental Health Psychosocial Officer at International Rescue Committee

Job Purpose/Objective

• The Mental Health Psychosocial Officer will be responsible for providing evidence based preventative and curative services to people suffering with mental health concerns currently living in Kakuma who are referred by other actors through the established referral pathway system. He/she will also be responsible for handling cases, conducting appropriate referrals to a psychiatrist if needed and protection services.
• He/she will provide psychological interventions based on the client’s needs and presenting complaints. There will be a focus on vulnerable populations, specifically, but not limited to separated and unaccompanied children, separated families, survivors of gender-based violence, and people with serious security and medical concerns.

Key Responsibilities

• Adhere to internationally recognized best practices for evidence based psychological interventions and the management of clients with mental health concerns. This includes ensuring the confidentiality of clients and respecting their decisions.
• Establish a safe space to conduct private and confidential sessions acceptable to those on the site and safely accessible by women and children.
• Assess the client’s needs and presenting complaints and develop a care plan with the client based on those needs, including referrals to other services.
• Provide age-appropriate culturally relevant individual and/or group psychological counselling for population at risk including but not limited to survivors of torture, asylum seekers and unaccompanied minors.
• Support the client(s) coping process and mobilize their internal and external resources for processing utmost adversity.
• Identify concerns related to and support adherence to referral protocols and guiding principles.
• Maintain an effective working relationship and regular communication with other mental health personnel working on the same project.
• Maintain effective working relationships with relevant collaborators including referral organizations community groups and other implementing partners.
• Complete daily case reports and data collection according to donor requirements.
• Collaborate with the rest of the team to exchange information and ensure that refugees Programs are responding to the evolving needs of the refugees.
• Attend regular supportive supervision conducted by the Health Manager.
• Refer patients to other health professionals whenever vital.
• Provide psycho-education sessions to the family members of clients when needed.

Others

• Other duties as assigned by the supervisor to enable and develop IRC programs.
• Participate in weekly team meetings.

Key Result Areas
Collaboration

• Participate in inter-agency working group meetings (MHPSS TWG and persons with special needs)
• Respond to inter-Agency referrals.

Supervision

• Supervise mental health nurse and clinical psychologist in the management of out-patient and in-patient mental health patients.
• Coordinate community mental health and psychosocial referral in collaboration with community health workers and community psychosocial workers.
• In liaison with the health manager and pharmacist, ensure there is enough supply of anti-psychotic drugs in the health facilities.
• In conjunction with the health manager develop proposals and budgets for mental health activities
• Follow the spending of the mental health budget and ensure activities are on track.

Communication and Reporting

• Timely submission of data and reports
• Interagency communication for information sharing

Capacity Building

• Conduct OJT sessions to mental health nurse, assistants, community health promoters and other groups offering services to beneficiaries.
• Conduct CME’S on mental health.
• Support primary health care staff in integration of mental health in PHC through adaption of the MhGAP.
• Train community para-counsellors on GPM+ implementation
• Train staff and first responders on Psychological First Aid
• Spearhead staff self-care sessions, post-employment debriefing and capacity building staff on Critical Incident Stress management.

Key Working Relationships
Position Reports to : Health Manager and will receive additional technical support from the MH Technical Advisor.
Minimum Qualifications

• Minimum education requirement: a higher diploma in mental health or psychology, or a degree in psychology.

Required Experience & Competencies

• Minimum two-year professional experience providing psychological interventions to refugee populations including but not limited to survivors of torture.
• Knowledge of different culturally relevant therapeutic techniques.
• Experience conducting assessments, using screening tools and creating individual care plans for clients seeking mental health services.
• INGO experience preferred.
• Knowledge of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) MHPSS in emergencies guidelines;
• Demonstrated understanding of and ability to maintain confidentiality and respect for beneficiaries.
• Positive and professional approach, including ability to work well in a team setting.
• Strong ability to maintain composure, prioritize work, thrives in fast paced environments, and work in a difficult environment.
• Ability to conduct counselling sessions via interpreters/cultural mediators, whenever necessary.
• Personal qualities: Works well in and promotes teamwork, comfortable in a multi-cultural environment, flexible and able to handle pressure well.
• Proficiency in English.

Professional Standards

• All MHPSS staff are required to adhere to THE IRC Way Standards for Professional Conduct and the IRC country employment policies.
• Adhere to the Code of Conduct every day – in the site and in the community.
• Maintain confidentiality.
• While in transit sites, all IRC staff must wear appropriate IRC visibility.