Lebanon: Research mission to support building mental health and psycho social support intervention strategy in Lebanon

Presentation of the mission

1. Utility and interest

The mission research/exploration result will mainly help the HI Lebanon mission to build and develop a global relevant MHPSS strategy in close collaboration with the mission teams.

Thus, first recipient for the mission report will be HI teams at all levels. It will allow HI teams to having a better understanding of the context, an identification of the needs and the gaps in service provision, and to identify, based on the needs’ analysis and a several years’ experience of the team in MHPSS, the best modalities of interventions in the MHPSS sectors for the coming years.

2. Mission objectiveand expected results

General objectives of the mission: To support HI in building its mental health and psycho social support intervention strategy in Lebanon for the coming 3 years.

Expected results:

1) Situational analysis of the MHPSS sector in HI’s areas of interventions, including analysis of:

a. Leading causes of mental health distress in HI’s targeted areas

b. Help seeking behavior and stigma related issues for people with mental health disorders in HI’s targeted areas

c. Elements related to dynamics inside and between communities

d. Access to mental health services in the targeted areas in Lebanon with a focus on referral and coordination mechanisms and the level of acceptance and awareness of the persons of the community of these services. A mapping of service providers in the targeted areas including information about the services offered has been elaborated by HI team and will be shared with the consultant.

2) Situational analysis of HI’s MHPSS intervention

a. Support HI team to analyze strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities of its MHPSS different interventions modalities.

3) Strategic and operational orientations are defined with the teams based on the situational analysis, the context and security constraints as well as all relevant national policies and strategies.

3. Location

· North: Tripoli, Batroun, Akkar, Bsharre, Koura, Zghorta, Minieh, Danniyeh

· Beqaa: Baalbek, Hermel, Rashaya, Western Beqaa , Zahle

· Mount Lebanon: Aley, Baabda, Chouf, Jbeil, Keserwan, Metn 5in'>

4. Target Population

· Population at risk of mental health problems (that include psychological distress and mental health disorders)

· Public and private MHPSS service providers including HI current partners available in the targeted locations.

· Formal and informal supportive resources (key community leaders, religious leaders, head of mental health program, etc.)

5. Methodology

This consultancy will follow qualitative method including:

· Literature review (National policies, grey literature, reports, evaluations and studies)

· Individual interviews and focus group discussions with key informants

· Formal discussions and workshops with HI team

All tools designed for collecting and analyzing data will be developed by the consultant and validated by HI.

The consultant is required to adopt participatory methodology with HI team playing an active role in data analysis and in the definition of the pluri-annual operational framework of intervention.

6. Ethics

· HI Guidance Note relative to Ethics issues.

· The informed consent process will be shared with all respondents and their written consent obtained.

7. Deliverables

A- Inception report prior to data collection that includes method and tools to be used according to the set objectives of the mission.

B- Final report that includes the outcomes of:

a. Methodology used

b. The literature review

c. The situational analysis of :

i. Leading causes of mental health distress

ii. Elements related to the dynamics inside and between communities

iii. Help seeking behavior and stigma related issues for people with mental health disorders in HI’s targeted areas.

iv. Access to mental health services in the targeted areas in Lebanon with a focus on referral and coordination mechanisms and the level of acceptance and awareness of the persons of the community of these services.

d. Key lessons learnt from HI’s MHPSS intervention and opportunities in the context of identified needs.

e. Minutes of key lessons learnt in annex together with all tools used and the list of organizations met.

C- Draft strategic operational framework resulting from the collaborative work with HI teams that is strongly articulated to the context and security analysis including information about targeted area and population, objectives of the intervention, modalities of intervention, actors involved and respective roles, key indicators etc.

8. Time Schedule

· The consultancy should be finalized no later than mid-October. The detailed schedule will be proposed by the consultant as part of the proposal.

REQUESTED PROFILE AND APPLICATION PROCEDURE

Individuals and teams are eligible to apply

1. Expertise

· Mandatory:

§ Minimum Diploma: Masters in psychology, social sciences, development or in relevant fields.

§ Experience in the following sectors: research, community work with refugees, mental health in community based settings.

§ Experience in project cycle management and strategic planning

§ Experience in development and/or humanitarian context in delivering MHPSS.

§ Proven and recognized experience in methods of qualitative data collection, treatment and analysis

§ Analysis, synthesis and writing demonstrated capacity (provide a list of publications)

§ Ability to train and manage investigators teams

§ Knowledge working languages ​​(written & oral): English + Arabic desirable

· Desired:

§ Experience in conducting surveys including people with disabilities (Adaptation of tools or support of communication).

§ Ability to work in collaboration with public and associative actors

2. Applications must include:

· About the consultant:

§ Curriculum vitae of the team leader and of involved experts and list of previous assignments, highlighting those focused on strategic planning and/or MHPSS intervention

§ References

· About the technical proposal:

§ A methodological proposal to conduct this mission

§ A time schedule and work plan detailing clearly activities for implementation of the research.

§ A budget breakdown for the consultancy including fees, travel, accommodation etc.

Complete applications should be sent by e mail to: Mrs. Camilla Stecca, Development Operations Coordinator, Handicap International. Email address: doc.leba@hi-me.org

Applications submitted by email should indicate as subject: “MHPSS mission research”. The email should have the option “request a read receipt” selected.

Applications submitted after the deadline will not be considered.

Selected applicants may be invited for a phone/skype interview.

“Handicap International is committed to protect the rights of the children and opposes to all forms of child exploitation and child abuse. HI contractors must commit to protect children against exploitation and abuse”.