Humanitarian Response Roster - Emergency Mental Health Officer

Save to Favorites

The purpose of the Emergency Mental Health Officer is to assist in delivering life-saving programs during emergency events in a holistic and sustainable way, keeping in mind how the humanitarian response will set the ground work for transitional and development programming.

Medical Teams International maintains a humanitarian response roster in order to facilitate the rapid response of humanitarian professionals and volunteers to emergencies around the world. Medical Teams International’s humanitarian response activities are designed to provide rapid and coordinated humanitarian response to the most vulnerable populations during and after a humanitarian emergency. Collaborating with local government agencies and other humanitarian actors, Medical Teams International evaluates the emergency’s overall impact and mobilizes a humanitarian assessment and response team to respond within 48 hours. Through partnerships with local health organizations, we provide emergency medical care, transitional health, and community programming for impacted communities, from humanitarian response to development, saving lives and improving quality of care. MTI’s humanitarian response interventions include health, nutrition, and WASH.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Conduct initial mental health sector-specific assessments and make technical recommendations for appropriate activities, both for initial humanitarian response phase and for the transition phase and longer-term humanitarian risk reduction/development programs.

At the field level, provide assessments of the mental health situation as it relates to the health status of the population. Be able to assess health sector’s ability to respond to the mental health needs of victims of emergencies and make recommendations to MTI in-country team and to headquarters on how to best respond to those needs programmatically.

Be able to determine the cause of the mental health problems in the humanitarian response and formulate appropriate responses that will address the cause.

Be able to assess the immediate lifesaving mental health interventions needed in addition to prevention activities.

Assist in coordinating MTIs mental health response and recovery activities across a wide range of stake holders including donors, host governments, UN and NGO partners to ensure consistency of programming.

Actively participate and represent MTI in country-based mental health Cluster meetings.

Develop the mental health program strategies, with collaboration through the protection cluster, for the specific humanitarian response.

Assist in development of, or provide technical review for, humanitarian response proposals to be submitted by MTI to ensure that proposed activities and programs align with best practice in the mental health sector. As appropriate, apply new developments in the mental health sector to MTI.

If appropriate during the response, provide technical support to assist in the development of humanitarian risk reduction programs that mitigate the effects of emergencies on populations and communities; identify disaster mitigation measures, where appropriate, that could be linked to humanitarian response activities. Other duties as assigned. The duties and responsibilities listed are representative of the nature and level of work assigned and are not necessarily all inclusive.

Committed to the values and principles of MTI.

Experience:

Currently licensed to practice as one of the following: Psychiatrist; Clinical psychologist; Psychiatric nurse; Occupational Therapist; or Clinical social worker.

International experience in mental health program, including experience in humanitarian response and recovery following an emergency an advantage.

Experience in assessment, program design and evaluation and technical training and support.

An up-to date understanding of mental health, risk reduction, humanitarian response and development concepts.

Knowledge in designing and implementing appropriate and effective holistic mental health programs including ensuring that beneficiaries have access to other health care and referral programs.

Familiarity with design and programming processes of different donors and a general familiarity with recent initiatives in mental health and psychosocial support programs.

Proficient analytical skills that demonstrate an understanding of the current concepts, priorities, and issues in program monitoring, data collection and evaluation.

Skills in technical proposal writing, designing and implementing mental health programs.

Ability to exhibit tact, diplomacy, and resourcefulness in dealing with high level officials from donor agencies, international organizations, and other foreign and domestic government officials and partners.

Must have excellent English written and oral communication skills and the ability to work collaboratively with other departments within MTI, donors, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector.

Please visit: www.medicalteams.org/take-action/volunteer/disaster-response-volunteering