TERMS OF REFERENCE – INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
MHPSS Training Consultant, Trauma Treatment and Rehabilitation Center
Location: Iraq (Baghdad, Basra) and remote
A. Organizational Background
Heartland Alliance International (HAI) is the youngest and fastest growing part of Heartland Alliance for Human Needs & Human Rights, a family of organizations that has been leading anti-poverty and social justice work in Chicago for more than 125 years. HAI is comprised of nearly a dozen country offices implementing programs on a broad range of human rights issues globally, as well as the Chicago-based Marjorie Kovler Center for the Treatment of Survivors of Torture, which serves individuals from more than 50 countries. HAI has significant expertise in the fields of trauma-informed mental health care and access to justice for survivors of rights abuses. It is also an industry leader in access to high-quality and stigma-free health care. Across all of its programs, HAI promotes progressive, innovative approaches to human rights protections and gender equality.
Heartland Alliance International (HAI) has been working in Iraq since 2004, providing legal, mental health and other services to vulnerable Iraqis throughout Federal Iraq and the Iraqi Kurdistan Region (IKR). Based in Sulaymaniyah, HAI works to protect, train, and educate through (i) direct legal and mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS); (ii) training and capacity-building for local agencies, professionals, and service providers; and (iii) outreach sessions providing information about legal rights and other services available to those in need.
The Project: HAI, together with HI (Humanity and Inclusion, also known as Handicap International in Iraq) and War Child UK (WCUK) have formed a consortium to implement the Marla Ruzicka War Victims Fund. This two-year project comprehensively addresses the challenges civilian victims of conflict and their families and communities face to access the necessary resources to recover in safety and dignity and contribute to the rebuilding of a democratic, just, and inclusive Iraqi state. The project will focus on Baghdad and areas of Anbar and Basra that experienced extreme violence during the recent conflict and where there are significant unmet needs. Advocacy and systems-level work will also take place nationwide, and legal services will reach those in need of assistance with housing, land and property (HLP) issues in Baghdad and Anbar. Finally, the project establishes trauma treatment centers in Basra and Baghdad as key civil society institution that enables direct service, medical-legal evaluation, and professional training in southern Iraq.
The program specifically envisages setting up two Trauma Rehabilitation and Treatment Centers (TRTCs) in Baghdad and Basra which will include physiotherapy, psychiatric, psychological and psychosocial support and case management services, as well as legal assistance to women, men, boys and girls victims of war, including persons with disabilities, whose rights have been grossly violated as a result of the war. The centers will use a case management model and group sessions and will involve both center-based and outreach mobile services.
B. Overview
The Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Training Consultant will be responsible for developing and implementing training to TRTC staff, with focus on clinical work with the victims of war experiencing trauma in Iraq.
C. Key Responsibilities
Training:
- In collaboration with the MHPSS coordinator, assess capacity of in-country TRTC staff and finalize MHPSS training strategy.
- Deliver capacity building training for providers working with survivors of war violence on topics such as: MHPSS in emergencies (ethics, international best practices), trauma and trauma-informed care including special considerations for work with war victims (including survivors of torture, sexual and gender-based violence, etc.), risk assessment and response, gender-based violence, counseling skills and evidence-based specialized therapeutic interventions, and others.
- Assess effectiveness of trainings through participant pre-post tests and satisfaction surveys.
- Provide comprehensive training reports summarizing training implementation and results and providing all training materials.
- In partnership with MHPSS Technical Team, support implementation of Staff Support and Well being Plan
Integration of technical tools:
- Together with the project MHPSS coordinators, ensure the accurate implementation of technical evidence-based interventions and guidelines developed in association with trainings.
Follow-up
- Provide remote follow-up sessions (2 per month, per site) for three months to MHPSS coordinator and service provider staff to ensure smooth implementation of training materials and trouble-shoot challenges.
D. Deliverables
- Training materials (powerpoint slides, handouts) provided in Arabic and English to MHPSS technical team at least one week prior to training implementation.
- Two to three-week visit to the field to implement trainings.
- Training reports summarizing each training (including monitoring and evaluation (M&E) results) submitted within two weeks of training completion.
- Remote follow-up with MHPSS technical team/service providers twice months (in each of 2 sites) for three months
- Complete final report of consultancy including objectives, deliverables achieved, successes, challenges, and suggestions for technical quality improvement, and action plans put to place to address any program quality concerns.
E. Qualifications/Bid Evaluation Criteria
- Education and/or Experience:
- Master’s degree in clinical or counseling psychology, social work, or related field with a minimum of 5 years of professional experience
- At least 3 years of experience implementing MHPSS programming in development and/or humanitarian settings, preferably in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
- At least 2 years of experience conducting MHPSS trainings for staff related to treatment of individuals impacted by displacement, conflict, gender-based violence, torture, and human rights violations
- Demonstrated experience/knowledge of mental health considerations and best practices related to the treatment for war victims is required.
- Knowledge of MHPSS global guidelines and best practices
- Demonstrated ability to provide clinical supervision to mental health professionals
- Experience in MHPSS with children and adolescents preferred
- Experience in work with people with disabilities preferred
Language Skills:
- Fluent Arabic language skills (oral and written) required
- Intermediate or greater oral and written English language skills required
- Kurdish language skills preferred
- Demonstrated competency in public speaking preferred
F. Anticipated Timeline
HAI anticipates the Contractor beginning in mid-April 2020. The Contractor will work both in country (Iraq) for four weeks and remotely for the remainder of the consultancy. All deliverables must be completed before July 31, 2020.*
Subject to revision
G. Management
- The Contractor will report to the WVF Program Manager and will receive technical support from HAI’s global Mental Health Technical Advisor. Iraq based MHPSS technical staff, including the WVF MHPSS Coordinator, will collaborate closely with the Contractor. HAI will provide overall logistical support and assistance to the Contractor, as needed and when possible.
- The Contractor is responsible for arranging and completing all activities listed in the approved proposal, in coordination with HAI’s local project and logistics staff, if applicable. The Contractor will advise HAI prior to each of those activities. The Contractor will be responsible for completing and submitting to the Company the deliverables listed in Section D of this document. The Contractor will be responsible for procuring his/her own work/office space, computers, Internet access, printing, and photocopying throughout the consultancy. The Contractor will be required to make his/her own payments for such services. The Contractor will be responsible for any expenses beyond the fee provided by the Company as determined in this document.
H. Payment Schedule
Payment(s) will be made upon completion of deliverable.
How to apply:
Submission Process To be considered for this contract, please submit an application in English to ljames@heartlandalliance.org on or before April 17, 2020.