Mental health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Social Worker within Primary Health Care (PHC) settings provides psychosocial assessment and management services as part of a multi-disciplinary team that provides medical, psychosocial, social, and mental health services to host communities and refugees/displaced populations in Lebanon – moreover, the social worker delivers psychosocial support consultations based on the principles of Psychological First Aid (PFA) for those affected by displacement, conflict, or trauma in-line with the MoPH (Ministry of Public Health) accreditation standards for PHCCs, following community-based guidelines for service provision, and adhering to the National Model for Mental Health Services developed by the National Mental Health Programme (NMHP) at the MoPH following WHO’s (World Health Organizations) Optimal Mix of Services Pyramid.
Main Responsibilities
Care Planning and Assessment
• Check for and identify mental health red flags
• Screening for mental health conditions part of the national packages (Note: not applicable in emergency contexts)
• Conduct a general assessment for all services users
• Administer psychological scales (if trained on and if needed)
• Administer WHODAS and assess for functioning and improvements in functioning
• Conduct assessment of psychosocial stressors in-line with the bio-psycho-social model
• Assess for risk of suicide
• Open a mental health file for the service user
• Develop, implement, and update a care management plan after liaising with the GP/Psychiatrist and the Clinical Psychologist
MHPSS Interventions
• Setting a Crisis Management, Recovery, and Relapse Prevention Plan
• Address psychosocial stressors (i.e., unemployment, family conflict, etc.)
• Provide psychoeducation sessions on priority mental health conditions (Depression, Anxiety-PTSD, Psychosis, Developmental Disorders, Behavioral Disorders, and Substance use)
• Promote functioning in daily activities and community life, as needed
• Provide support and general guidance for caregivers, as needed
• Protect children from any form of maltreatment, as needed, and promote children’s and adolescent wellbeing, and within the scope of the social worker’s role.
• Liaise with school staff for children with psychosocial difficulties requiring support
• Provide strategies for preventing harm from alcohol and substance use, as needed and within the scope of the social worker’s role.
• Manage suicide risk and conduct safety planning
Referrals and Coordination
• Ensure referrals to community services (protection, education, social, income generation, etc.) as needed
• Refer service users to self-help interventions (like the Step-by-Step electronic application, Self-Help Plus Podcast) or mutual help groups, as needed
• Ensure adequate follow-up of services users and referrals
• Coordinate with the care coordinator at the PHCC in case of referral of users to specialists
• Follow-up and coordinate with all care providers.
Reporting
• Report to the PHCC management.
• Fill all relevant reporting and documentation tools
• Submit monthly reports and the data collection sheet to the PHCC management
• Ensure weekly or monthly submission of deliverables (such as number of awareness sessions, number of training workshops, number of assessment sessions, etc.)
• Report emerging issue firsthand to the PHCC management
• Receive technical oversight from the technical unit on matters related to capacity building and reporting.
Other responsibilities
• Maintain accurate records and clinical files in-line with PHC requirements
• Stay up to date with community mapping exercises for social, educational, protection, and other community-based services in the catchment area
• Conduct outreach sessions and identify individuals in need of psychosocial support
• Conduct home visits, as needed
• Participate in coordination and technical meetings
• Participate in regular monitoring and evaluation exercises to identify challenges and gaps and improve the quality of services
• Attend capacity building training workshops
Qualifications
Academic Degree and Experience
• BA in Social Work, social studies or any other relevant field (Master’s degree is a plus)
• One to three years of experience in the field of social work
General Skills and Competencies
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills (building rapport, listening skills, etc.) and facilitation skills
• Knowledge of Psychological First Aid (PFA)
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Fluent in Arabic and English languages. French is a plus
• Ability to work as part of multi-disciplinary teams
• Demonstrated ability to work in a multicultural environment, prioritize tasks, meet deadlines, and ensure high quality work
• Ability and agility in working in fast-paced environments and under pressure.
• Demonstrated cultural sensitivity, non-discrimination, and readiness to work with diverse gr