Mental Health Officer

Job Description

The Mental Health and Psychosocial officer under supervision by the mental health officer, will be expected to work within the integrated IRC programs (Clinical, CHP, WPE, Nutrition, Safe programming and HIV/AIDS) to implement mental health and psychosocial support services as per WHO/UNHCR guidelines in a humanitarian setting.

Key Responsibilities:

- Participate in the strategy and mechanisms to integrate a MH/psychosocial component into IRC programmes in keeping with IASC guidelines of mental health and psychosocial support in emergencies. - Oversee and conduct mental health assessments, diagnose and plan individual case management of all psychiatric patients in the camp and refer accordingly. - Develop nursing care plans for psychiatric patients admitted into the wards and liaise treatment plans with the clinical staff on duty. - Initiate training of identified staff in appropriate skills ( e.g. frontline mental health care for PHC workers, community psychosocial support skills ) - Provide individual and group psychosocial services. - Assist and Supervise mental health assistants and ensure that data records for all the patients attended at the clinics are well kept and assist to compile weekly and monthly reports. - Participate in community awareness creation sessions on promotion of mental health and prevention of mental health disorders. - Attend medical as well as general meetings on any day and time as directed - Identify and where appropriate collaborate with existing formal and informal community leaders and service providers to strengthen community resources for persons undergoing psychological distress - Join interagency coordination mechanisms for the provision of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS working group in coordination with IRC Mental Health officer) to share relevant information and plan joint assessments and response strategies.

Key Result Areas

Collaboration:

- Participate in inter-agency working group meetings (mhpss and persons with special needs) - Respond to inter-Agency referrals

Supervision

- Supervise mental health assistants in collaboration with clinic in-charges. - Coordinate community mental health and psychosocial referral in collaboration with community health workers and community psychosocial workers - In liaison with his/her supervisor and pharmacist, ensure there is enough supply of anti-psychotic drugs in the health facilities.

Communication and Reporting

- Ensure weekly reports from the field clinics are prepared and submitted timely every Saturday - Attend and contribute during facility meetings for both clinical and community team and a report on issues raised, solutions reached and action points for different individuals submitted. - Follow and act on trends from HIS. - Participate in writing grant reports and budget management - Ensure weekly reports of activities conducted in the community and the achievements are submitted.

Capacity Building

- Conduct OJT sessions to mental health assistance, community health promoters and other groups exposed to taking care of mentally ill. - Conduct CME’S on mental health - Support primary health care staff in integration of mental health in PHC through adaption of the Mhgap.

Qualifications

- Diploma in nursing from KMTC or any other recognized nurse training institution. - Higher Diploma in community psychiatric nursing.(Counselling skills is desirable) - Registered with the Nursing Council of Kenya and have a practicing license.

Required Competencies:

- Strong communication skills; oral, written and presentation skills. - Team player. - Ready to work in difficult environmental conditions - Must be flexible and culturally sensitive - Prior working experience in a humanitarian setting will be an added advantage

Standards of Professional Conduct: The IRC and IRC workers must adhere to the values and principles outlined in the IRC Way – Code of Conduct. These are Integrity, Service, and Accountability. In accordance with these values, the IRC operates and enforces policies on Beneficiary Protection from Exploitation and Abuse, Child Safeguarding, Harassment-Free Workplace, Fiscal Integrity, Anti-Retaliation, Combating Trafficking in Persons and several others.

Gender Equality: IRC is committed to narrowing the gender gap in leadership positions. We offer benefits that provide an enabling environment for women to participate in our workforce including parental leave, gender-sensitive security protocols and other supportive benefits and allowance.

Kenyan nationals are encouraged to apply. International allowances are not available for this position. Salary and employee benefits are compliant to the Kenyan NGO Sector.

IRC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers all applicants on the basis of merit without regard to race, sex, color, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status or disability.

Disclaimer:

Please take note that International Rescue Committee (IRC) does not ask for any fees in connection with its recruitment processes.