Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Specialist (MHPSS)- Kosovo At Center for Victims of Torture

Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Specialist (MHPSS)- Kosovo

The Mental Health Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Specialist will strengthen the quality of psychological services provided at a locally-run torture treatment center and build the capacity of the center to better meet the MHPSS needs of torture survivors. Activities include assessment, training, clinical supervision, supportive therapy, program development/evaluation and community collaboration.

This position focuses on the capacity development of clinical activities via coaching and mentoring, training and empowering staff to conduct services, without the direct provision of client services by the MHPSS specialist.

About the Project:

Helping Survivors Heal is a capacity development project which supports the mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) work of 12 torture rehabilitation organizations around the world by providing subgrants and technical assistance.

Organization:

The Center for Victims of Torture works toward a future in which torture ceases to exist and its victims have hope for a new life. We are an international nonprofit dedicated to healing survivors of torture. We offer rehabilitation services to those who have been tortured, train partners around the world who can prevent and treat torture, and advocate for human rights and an end to torture. We are headquartered in Minnesota, and we have US offices in Georgia and DC, as well as offices in Africa and the Middle East.

Responsibilities:

• Strategic Clinical Support: Collaborate with the center staff on developing and strengthening MHPSS services. Support the development of an MHPSS unified approach and effective clinical policies, guidelines, practices, and tools, as needed.
• Case Management: Provide guidance, mentoring and modeling in order to improve the case management system of the center.
• Training: Design and carry out training programs for local MHPSS practitioners, including formal and informal training sessions. Continually assess development of counselors and adapt trainings to meet their changing needs. Build capacity of staff members to design and conduct trainings for their own staff, as well as external stakeholders.
• Assessment: In collaboration with the HSH and center research teams, develop clinically appropriate assessment tools and strategies. Support teams in data collection and assessment of organization’s existing systems and methods of mental health and psychosocial service delivery. Support implementation of HSH Institutional Strengthening Plan (ISP) and the Annual Work Plan (AWP), in collaboration with center staff and HSH advisors.
• Supportive Clinical Supervision: Provision of individual and group clincal guidance, role modeling, coaching and mentoring to local MHPSS practitioners including: case discussions, live case observation, guidance of center supervisors, and role modeling for center practitioners, with an emphasis on staff well-being and self-care components.
• Reporting: Write and submit regular reports regarding clinical and training activities. Mentor staff on report writing.
• Other Duties: Participate in other department and organization-wide activities, meetings and trainings. Complete administrative responsibilities. Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

Required education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations

• Advanced degree (Master’s degree, PhD or equivalent) in clinical psychology, clinical social work, clinical counseling
• At least 4 years of experience providing mental health/psychosocial support service to a variety of target groups including torture and trauma survivors, prisoners, adults, families, and adolescents.
• At least 4 years of experience providing MHPSS trainings for professionals with diverse backgrounds, knowledge and experience.
• At least 3 years of demonstrated successful experience providing clinical supervision.
• Experience working with locally-run NGO partner organizations and negotiating multiple relationships within and between organizations.
• Demonstrated experience in drafting and developing MHPSS guidance documents (such as guidelines, handbook, unified approaches, etc.)
• Demonstrated experience in using family/systemic and/or psychodynamic approaches.

Preferred education, experience, certificates, licenses or registrations

• 6 years of experience providing mental health/psychosocial support services.

• 5 years of experience supervising MHPSS practitioners

• Experience working with a torture survivor-led organization.

Competencies (knowledge, skills and abilities)

• Experience working with sexual violence survivors is preferred.
• Experience conducting program needs assessments, program development, program evaluations and reporting.
• Knowledge and experience with case management services.
• Flexibility, adaptability, diplomacy and self-sufficiency to work within a local partner organization.
• Training and experience in cross-cultural sensitivity and contextualization.
• Demonstrated flexibility to adapt to changing program requirements, client needs and political climate.
• Extensive experience implementing culturally appropriate mental health interventions, including individual, group and community-based approaches for people who have suffered torture and trauma.
• Experience in developing curricula and providing training for mental health professionals on counseling approaches, sensitization on the effects of trauma and conflict, and designing interventions.
• Appreciation of and desire for participating in and receiving clinical supervision by CVT Clinical Advisor (primarily remote).
• Understanding of the connection between MHPSS and human rights.
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail and time management (including the ability to meet deadlines).
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word and Excel)
• Fluency in English is required Proficiency speaking, writing and reading Albanian is highly desired.
• Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal cross-cultural communications skills.
• Ability to travel by car for up to 8 hours/week.

Supervisory Responsibilities: support clinical activities and KRRCT clinical supervisors (no direct supervisory responsibilities toward beneficiaries are expected).

Work Environment:

• Typical office environment
• Time spent on the computer is approximately 30%
• Time spent in virtual meetings is approximately 30%

Travel: Ability to travel to a variety of locations within large city, rural and metro areas, surrounding communities, etc.