Mental Health Supervisor

WHAT IS MSF ?

Médecins Sans Frontières/أطباء بلا حدود  بلا أطباء (MSF) is an international, independent, medical humanitarian organization that delivers emergency aid to people in 70 countries who are affected by armed conflict, epidemics, natural disasters and exclusion from healthcare. MSF offers assistance to people based on need, irrespective of race, religion, gender or political affiliation and our actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of neutrality and impartiality.

We offer basic healthcare, perform surgery, fight epidemics, rehabilitate and run hospitals and clinics, carry out vaccination campaigns, operate nutrition centers, and provide mental healthcare. Our activities include the treatment of injuries and disease, maternal care and the provision of humanitarian aid. Where necessary, we set up sanitation systems, supply safe drinking water, and distribute relief to assist survival.

A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE PROJECT

The project started in Sept. 2013 in Shatila, where MSF currently manages an outpatient center for chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs), vaccination services with transversely integrated mental health services and health promotion, and referrals for patients who require services beyond the scope of MSF activities. Additionally, MSF opened a women’s health center with sexual and reproductive health care.

The project having also a maternity and family planning activities in Rafik Hariri Hospital with a midwife led model care working in collaboration with other medical and mental health departments.

Also, the project is providing mental health activities including individual counselling and psychotherapies, in addition to therapeutic group activities. Some of group are also providing in collaboration with other departments (medical, health promotion…) to insure an holistic care to patients.

Responsibilities:

Participate in the planning, supervision and coordination of mental health / pycho-social related services in the programme in accordance with MSF standards in order to provide the most appropriate mental health support for patients.

Accountabilities:

• Participate in the planning, organization and coordination of Mental Health activities, in close collaboration with the Mental Health activity manager and other medical team members, in order to ensure an efficient and effective implementation of the resources needed while maintaining high levels of quality in Mental Health MSF programs and activities.
• Coordinates activities of counselling services with other relevant actors and liaises with the local counterparts (like MoH, WHO, ICRC and NGO) on mental health matters, including referral services.
• Supervise the daily mental health activities and patient support according to MSF protocols and standards in order to provide the most appropriate support for clients with psychosocial needs
• Liaise with the other MSF team members of the project.
• Supervise, in close coordination with the HR department, the associated processes (recruitment, training/induction, evaluation, potential detection, development and communication) of the staff under his/her responsibility in order to ensure both the sizing and the amount of knowledge required
• Oversee the administrative processes associated with psychosocial functioning.
• When needed, give psychological support to patients according to MSF protocols to improve mental health conditions of patients and enhance their functionality.
• Compile the data and statistic linked with Mental Health activities and report to the Mental Health activity manager
• Offer clinical counselling supervision to mental health counsellors in collaboration with the Mental Health Activity Manager.
• Ensure the patient’s related information is kept confidential
• Provides technical and clinical support (by case discussions, clinical meetings, co-therapies, etc.) to psychologists and counsellors, by taking in consideration the cultural specificity of patients and the context (cultural expression of symptoms, behaviour, speech, believes, etc.), in collaboration with Mental Health Activity Manager/ Mental Specialized Activity Manager whenever needed
• Ensures the continuity of Mental Health activities, including individual follow-up and group sessions
• Ensures the appropriate referral pathway of Mental Health patients in and outside the project to insure qualify and holistic care
• Supports Project Medical Referent on referrals to psychiatric hospitals
• Reports Mental Health activities, under Mental Specialized Activity Manager and Project Medical Referent supervision, including the data analysis of the Mental Health department at the occasion of the quarterly reports in accordance to the Project’s Logframe, as well as the completion of the Logframe indicator’s results on a quarterly basis
• Ensures management of patient’s files and data collection according to MSF protocols, ensuring they are up to date
• Ensures communication, teamwork and referral pathway between Mental Health staff members as well as other MSF departments (medical, social workers, health promotion team, etc.)
• Participates in the design of the Mental Health strategy at project level, in close collaboration with Project Medical Referent, Mental Specialized Activity Manager/Mental Health Activity Manager and managers from other departments
• Participates in the covid-19 taskforce, ensuring follow-up of the Mental Health component as per defined strategy, and updates the strategy whenever is needed
• Reports to line manager cases requesting specific validation
• Respects patients, colleagues, line manager and the framework put in place by MSF in the project
• Respects the code of deontology/conduct of Mental Health caregiver

Qualifications:

Education: 

• Master’s degree in Clinical Psychology essential.
• An official certificate of completed clinical training/practicum in a university center consisting of at least 100 hours of training under supervision by a scholar and 300 hours of applied training (an official form is available). For psychologists who graduated since 5 years or more and cannot get this certificate a substitute exists.
• Lebanese colloquium certificate for clinical psychologists.
• MoPH License to practice clinical psychology profession in Lebanon

Experience: 

• Essential 2 years’ experience minimum as a Clinical Psychologist
• Basic computer literacy is mandatory (excel, word, outlook)
• Desirable previous experience with MSF or other NGO’
• Desirable previous experience with violence related programs, ethnopsychology, psychodynamic approach and/or clinic of trauma, and/or transcultural clinic

Languages: Fluency in English and Arabic are essential

Soft Skills: Results and Quality Orientation, Teamwork and Cooperation, Commitment to MSF Principles, Stress Management