2. Purpose of the Position
The MHPSS Counsellor will provide accessible, confidential, culturally appropriate, and non-discriminatory mental health and psychosocial support services to conflict- and disaster-affected individuals and communities through the supported SHC in Nurgal District, Kunar Province.
The position will focus on providing psychological first aid (PFA), basic psychosocial assessment and screening, stress management support, individual and group counselling, psychoeducation, and appropriate follow-up for individuals experiencing psychological distress. Particular attention will be given to displaced persons, returnees, women, female caregivers, children, persons with disabilities, and other vulnerable individuals affected by conflict, disasters, displacement, and difficult living conditions.
The MHPSS Counsellor will coordinate with the Medical Doctor, Midwives, other health personnel, and community-based structures to integrate psychosocial support into routine health service delivery. The position will also identify individuals requiring specialized mental health or psychiatric care and facilitate timely referrals to appropriate higher-level health facilities.
3. Key Responsibilities
3.1. MHPSS Screening and Psychosocial Assessment
- Conduct initial psychosocial screening and basic assessments of individuals presenting with signs of psychological distress, emotional difficulties, stress, or other psychosocial concerns.
- Use approved, age-appropriate, culturally sensitive, and standardized screening tools where applicable and authorized.
- Identify common signs of psychological distress, including anxiety, emotional exhaustion, grief, trauma-related symptoms, sleep difficulties, and stress associated with displacement or disaster experiences.
- Assess individuals' immediate psychosocial needs, available support systems, coping mechanisms, and potential protection concerns within the scope of the counsellor's training and competence.
- Identify individuals who may require urgent clinical attention, specialized mental health services, or protection-related referrals.
- Prioritize appropriate support for vulnerable individuals, including displaced persons, returnees, women, female caregivers, children, older persons, and persons with disabilities.
- Ensure that screening and assessment are conducted privately, respectfully, voluntarily, and with informed consent.
- Avoid stigmatizing language, unsupported clinical diagnoses, or assessments beyond professional competence.
- Document screening outcomes using approved and confidential MHPSS forms and procedures.
3.2. Psychological First Aid (PFA)
- Provide Psychological First Aid to individuals experiencing distress following conflict, displacement, disasters, emergencies, or other stressful events.
- Apply the principles of humane, supportive, practical, and non-intrusive assistance.
- Help individuals feel safe, calm, respected, and supported during periods of acute distress.
- Listen actively and empathetically without pressuring individuals to disclose traumatic experiences.
- Help individuals identify immediate practical needs and connect them with available health, protection, and community support services.
- Provide information about available services and appropriate coping strategies.
- Respect individuals' dignity, choices, culture, privacy, and personal boundaries.
- Recognize situations requiring urgent medical, psychiatric, or protection-related intervention and facilitate appropriate referral.
- Avoid practices that may retraumatize individuals, including forced disclosure or unnecessary repetition of traumatic experiences.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries and ensure that PFA is provided within the counsellor's competence.
3.3. Individual Psychosocial Counselling
- Conduct individual counselling sessions for eligible beneficiaries experiencing stress, emotional difficulties, grief, anxiety, displacement-related distress, and other psychosocial concerns within the counsellor's professional competence.
- Develop appropriate support plans based on individual needs, presenting concerns, available resources, and agreed counselling objectives.
- Provide basic stress management and emotional support interventions using approved counselling approaches.
- Help individuals strengthen positive coping mechanisms, resilience, and problem-solving skills.
- Support individuals in identifying practical sources of assistance and strengthening their available social support networks.
- Conduct follow-up sessions according to individual needs and approved service protocols.
- Monitor progress and document counselling sessions using confidential records.
- Respect the right of beneficiaries to decline, discontinue, or request changes to counselling support.
- Refer individuals whose needs exceed the counsellor's competence or the SHC's service capacity to appropriate specialized services.
3.4. Group Counselling and Psychosocial Support Sessions
- Organize and facilitate structured group psychosocial support sessions for eligible community members.
- Conduct group sessions addressing stress management, emotional well-being, positive coping strategies, resilience, and social support.
- Facilitate appropriate group discussions that encourage mutual support, participation, and positive coping.
- Develop session plans and use approved MHPSS information, education, and communication materials.
- Ensure that group sessions are inclusive, culturally appropriate, and sensitive to gender, age, disability, and local context.
- Establish and communicate basic confidentiality and respectful participation expectations for group activities.
- Avoid requiring participants to share personal traumatic experiences publicly.
- Identify participants who may require individual assessment or specialized support and facilitate appropriate follow-up.
- Maintain attendance records and activity documentation while protecting participants' privacy.
3.5. Stress Management and Psychoeducation
- Provide culturally appropriate psychoeducation on common emotional and psychological reactions to stress, conflict, displacement, and disasters.
- Explain common signs of psychological distress and when individuals should seek professional assistance.
- Promote healthy coping strategies, emotional regulation, relaxation techniques, and positive daily routines.
- Raise awareness about the importance of family, peer, and community support for psychosocial well-being.
- Address stigma, discrimination, and misconceptions related to mental health and psychosocial difficulties.
- Provide information on available MHPSS services and referral options.
- Conduct awareness sessions for women, caregivers, displaced families, returnees, and other vulnerable groups.
- Use simple, locally understandable language and culturally appropriate communication methods.
- Ensure that all psychoeducation messages are accurate, evidence-informed, and consistent with approved HDDO and MoPH guidance.
3.6. Integration of MHPSS into Health and Nutrition Services
- Coordinate with the Medical Doctor, Midwives, nurses, and other health personnel to integrate appropriate MHPSS support into routine health service delivery.
- Support identification of psychosocial concerns among patients attending health and nutrition services.
- Provide basic psychosocial support and counselling to eligible patients referred by health facility personnel.
- Integrate appropriate protective and well-being messages into health promotion and nutrition-related awareness activities.
- Coordinate with health and nutrition teams to ensure that vulnerable patients receive appropriate information and referrals.
- Promote a person-centered approach that recognizes the relationship between physical health, nutrition, emotional well-being, and social circumstances.
- Participate in relevant health facility meetings and case discussions while maintaining patient confidentiality.
- Ensure that MHPSS interventions complement, rather than replace, medical assessment and treatment.
- Refer medical symptoms or conditions requiring clinical assessment to qualified health personnel.
3.7. Referral and Case Management
- Establish and maintain functional referral pathways for individuals requiring specialized mental health, psychiatric, medical, protection, or other relevant services.
- Identify individuals whose conditions require assessment or treatment beyond the counsellor's competence or the SHC's capacity.
- Facilitate referrals to appropriate higher-level health facilities and specialized mental health service providers.
- Coordinate with the Medical Doctor and designated project personnel to support appropriate and timely referrals.
- Explain referral options to beneficiaries in a clear, respectful, and understandable manner.
- Obtain informed consent before sharing personal information or making non-mandatory referrals, in accordance with applicable procedures and safeguarding obligations.
- Complete approved referral forms and document referral decisions and actions.
- Support follow-up with referred individuals where appropriate and safe.
- Maintain an updated record of available referral services, contact points, and referral procedures.
- Escalate urgent cases requiring immediate medical or psychiatric intervention without unnecessary administrative delay.
- Protect the confidentiality of referral information and sensitive case records.
- Report safeguarding and protection concerns through designated HDDO channels in accordance with applicable procedures.
- Never independently diagnose or manage severe psychiatric conditions beyond the counsellor's professional qualifications and authorized scope of practice.
- Document high-risk cases and referral actions securely and in accordance with approved procedures.
3.8. Community Engagement and MHPSS Awareness
- Support community awareness activities on mental health, psychosocial well-being, stress management, and available support services.
- Engage community elders, local leaders, community health workers, and relevant stakeholders to promote acceptance of MHPSS services.
- Address misconceptions and stigma associated with mental health and psychosocial difficulties.
- Encourage early help-seeking behavior and appropriate utilization of available support services.
- Coordinate with the Health Community Mobilizer to disseminate accurate MHPSS information in assigned communities.
- Support awareness activities for displaced persons, returnees, women, female caregivers, and other vulnerable groups.
- Promote positive family and community support mechanisms that contribute to psychosocial well-being.
- Ensure that community awareness activities respect local culture, dignity, confidentiality, and individual choice.
- Communicate community-level MHPSS concerns and service-access barriers to the designated supervisor.
3.9. Confidentiality, Case Records, and Reporting
- Maintain accurate, complete, and confidential records of MHPSS screening, counselling sessions, group activities, referrals, and follow-up actions.
- Use approved MHPSS registers, screening forms, referral forms, and reporting formats.
- Record service statistics and beneficiary information in accordance with approved project and organizational requirements.
- Prepare routine activity reports and submit them within established deadlines.
- Ensure that reports contain accurate and verifiable information on services delivered.
- Maintain secure storage of physical and electronic case records.
- Restrict access to sensitive MHPSS information to authorized personnel with a legitimate need to know.
- Avoid including identifiable personal or traumatic case details in routine project reports unless specifically authorized and necessary.
- Support authorized data verification and monitoring activities while preserving beneficiary confidentiality.
- Report any suspected breach of confidentiality or unauthorized disclosure through established HDDO procedures.
3.10. Coordination and Teamwork
- Work closely with the Medical Doctor and other health facility personnel to ensure coordinated and integrated service delivery.
- Coordinate with Midwives and other relevant staff to identify patients who may benefit from psychosocial support.
- Collaborate with the Health Community Mobilizer to promote community awareness and appropriate service utilization.
- Maintain communication with the WASH and Health Project Manager and designated HDDO MHPSS technical focal point.
- Coordinate with relevant higher-level health facilities and specialized service providers for referrals through authorized channels.
- Participate in health facility meetings, case coordination discussions, supportive supervision, and technical training.
- Share operational challenges and service delivery gaps with the designated supervisor.
- Maintain professional relationships and respect the roles and responsibilities of other team members.
3.11. Staff Well-being and Professional Boundaries
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with beneficiaries, caregivers, colleagues, and community members.
- Recognize the potential impact of repeated exposure to distressing situations and traumatic experiences on personal well-being.
- Apply appropriate self-care and stress management practices.
- Seek professional supervision and technical guidance when dealing with complex or emotionally demanding cases.
- Participate in case supervision and debriefing activities when available and appropriate.
- Avoid providing services outside professional competence or developing inappropriate personal relationships with beneficiaries.
- Maintain impartiality, integrity, and professionalism in all interactions.
3.12. Safeguarding, PSEA, and Professional Conduct
- Comply with HDDO's Code of Conduct, safeguarding policies, and Prevention of Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (PSEA) requirements.
- Maintain appropriate professional boundaries with beneficiaries, children, vulnerable adults, colleagues, and community members.
- Never engage in sexual exploitation, abuse, harassment, discrimination, intimidation, or any form of misconduct.
- Never request money, gifts, favors, or other benefits in exchange for counselling, psychosocial support, referrals, or access to project services.
- Protect beneficiaries from harm, exploitation, humiliation, and inappropriate disclosure of sensitive information.
- Ensure that counselling and psychosocial support are provided voluntarily and with respect for informed consent and individual choice.
- Report safeguarding concerns through designated HDDO reporting channels in accordance with organizational procedures.
- Respect the dignity, rights, privacy, and confidentiality of all beneficiaries.
- Participate in mandatory safeguarding, PSEA, and other relevant organizational training.
4. Key Deliverables
The MHPSS Counsellor is expected to contribute to the following deliverables throughout the nine-month implementation period:
1. Psychosocial screening: Appropriate screening and basic psychosocial assessments conducted for individuals presenting with psychosocial concerns.
2. Psychological First Aid: PFA provided to individuals experiencing distress associated with conflict, displacement, disasters, and other stressful events.
3. Individual counselling: Confidential and appropriate individual counselling sessions provided according to identified needs and professional competence.
4. Group counselling: Structured group psychosocial support sessions facilitated for eligible community members.
5. Psychoeducation: Awareness and information sessions conducted on stress management, emotional well-being, positive coping, and available MHPSS services.
6. Vulnerable-group support: Culturally appropriate psychosocial support facilitated for displaced persons, returnees, women, female caregivers, and other vulnerable groups.
7. Integrated health services: MHPSS support coordinated with health and nutrition personnel at the supported SHC.
8. Referral services: Functional referral pathways maintained, with appropriate referrals facilitated for individuals requiring specialized psychiatric or other advanced services.
9. High-risk case response: Urgent psychosocial and clinical concerns identified and escalated through approved procedures.
10. Community awareness: Community-level MHPSS awareness activities conducted in coordination with relevant project staff.
11. Documentation and reporting: Accurate and confidential MHPSS records, referral documentation, and routine activity reports maintained and submitted.
12. Indicator tracking: Achievements under Health Activity 1.1.4 and the approved Custom Output Indicator documented and reported accurately.
13. Safeguarding compliance: Full adherence to HDDO policies, confidentiality, safeguarding, PSEA, and professional conduct requirements.
