Why MHPSS?
Addressing mental health and psychosocial needs is a central part of the Movement’s broader objectives to prevent and alleviate human suffering, to protect life, health and dignity and to promote health and social welfare among individuals and communities. All Movement components (National Societies, the IFRC and ICRC) are expected to fully implement the comprehensive measures critical to addressing mental health and psychosocial needs as captured by the MHPSS Policy and Resolution.
Where does one start? On this page you will find more information on MHPSS in the Movement, have access to the numerous Movement-wide MHPSS surveys, learn more about the MHPSS Framework and basic PSS, and guidance on how to integrate and advocate for MHPSS.
MHPSS in the Movement
In 2020, a joint roadmap was developed by the IFRC, the ICRC and National Societies as a way forward for the Movement to implement the policy and resolution. The roadmap supports a strategic and coordinated approach to implementation of the policy and resolution and identifies six priority action areas. These areas were selected as areas on which all Movement components could work and show collective impact and highlight MHPSS as part of our core identify and brand. It sets out key activities for National Societies, IFRC and ICRC and for the Movement as a whole and outlines the outputs and outcomes expected by 2024. The roadmap is not intended as a standalone document but should be read together with the policy and resolution. IFRC, ICRC and National Societies are supporting and coordinating the rollout of the roadmap through a number of working groups, representing the priority action areas.
Implementing the Policy
In doubt about how to use the MHPSS policy and resolution? – See the below resources for support and inspiration.
The MHPSS Framework
From the most basic psychosocial support to specialist support – see the Framework to understand the levels of MHPSS within the Movement.
Learning basic psychosocial support
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement aspires to have all staff and volunteers in the ICRC, IFRC and National Societies gain an awareness of basic psychosocial support. In order to enable as many staff and volunteers to do this, resources with the following criteria were identified: that they were accessible (so usually delivered online); could be completed in between 30 and 60 minutes, and include an introduction on communication and listening skills and self-care. By completing one or more of these resources staff and volunteers will have an awareness of basic psychosocial support but will not have the competence to deliver psychosocial support such as Psychological First Aid. To be competent at delivering psychosocial support, staff and volunteers are required to have additional training which includes a greater detail of information and skill development in order to be able to safely support people of different ages, backgrounds and experiences in a variety of settings. This resource contains a mapping of available basic psychosocial support (PSS) training courses.
Integrating MHPSS
All National Societies, the IFRC, and the ICRC should guarantee the basic level of psychosocial support, as described in the Movement’s Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Framework, and assess needs, refer and advocate to the full spectrum of the Movement’s MHPSS Framework. Integrating MHPSS across sectors will allow the components to reach more people and ensure that persons in need of more specialized MHPSS services are identified and properly referred.
Integration is also critical to reducing stigma, discrimination and exclusion. In this context, integration refers to awareness raising and ensuring MHPSS factors, evidence and resources are considered and included in all aspects of our activities given how people are impacted variously regarding their mental health and psychosocial well-being.
MHPSS advocacy and awareness-raising
When engaging with authorities and decision-makers to influence policy and mobilize resources for the MHPSS cause, National Societies will find key messages from the Movement on MHPSS and the importance of MHPSS below.
Barriers to the provision of MHPSS
Mental health and psychosocial needs remain unmet for different reasons, some of these include the prevalent stigma around mental health; the lack of protection of affected people; limited access to services; including the understanding of the continuum of MHPSS care with reference to the Movement MHPSS framework varies between the Movement components. This impacts the coordination, communication and collaboration resulting in a lack of access to services across the layers of MHPSS framework, as well as inefficient use of resources.
