Procedures for Provision of Psychosocial Support

Provision of psychosocial support has been divided into several steps. It is important to note that, it is not in all cases that service providers need to follow all the steps – start where it is deemed relevant.

• Receive, see, greet, talk, observe and identify the client.
• If it’s a child play with child if possible,
• Ensure the client about confidentiality of information
• Considering age, sex, maturity, and understanding of the client during intervention.
• Avoid anything that may put your safety and the safety of your client at risk of COVID-19

• Seek the permission of the client and client system before services engagement.
• PSS service providers should ensure the client of confidentiality and privacy of the collected information collected throughout the service

• Assessment should guide to respond adequately on the required needs for the clients
• Identify the client and clients system
• Conduct home/field/site visit to collect all necessary information-document them
• Interview the client and client system
• Grade the needs and risk factors that affect the client and client system
• Observe the unconscious and conscious mind actions
• Use open and close ended question to capture information
• Be attentive in listening and speaking (paraphrase, summarize and repeat what the client has said)
• Avoid leading questions when is undesirable, imagination and prediction

• Observe the best interests of the client
• Engage the client in developing the plan (assign task,)
• Use needs and risk identified to develop the plan (objective, activity, time frame, output and responsible person)
• prioritize client’s needs
• Define the problems and agree remedies to client and client system
• Develop clear and specific tasks and set time frame
• Identify the areas which needs immediate intervention such as health status testing (HIV, T.B, EVD, COVID-19 ), child protection cases and GBV etc.
• Identify the available resources
• List needs which is beyond your service limit for linkage and referral

• PSS service provider should ensure all required services are provided basing on the care and support plan.
• Referral should be done for services that the PSS service provides can not offer.
• All services offered (including referrals) should be properly documented in service provision form
• Ensure case management principles are properly followed
• This involves engagement of broad range of other actors to support different services

• PSS service provider should review the plan to see the progress towards achieving the intended objectives through involving the client and the client system in each step of reviewing the plan
• PSS service provider should monitor progress and identify challenges.
• If the intended objectives are not met PSS service provider should reassess the client needs and re-plan for intervention

• PSS service provider should make follow up to monitor the progress to support the client on adherence and avoid relapse.
• Ensure that necessary steps have been taken and that there is a continuum of care and support to ensure that intended objectives are met

• Psychosocial care and support is a cross cutting issue which requires collaborative and collective actions at all levels to adequately respond to needs of various groups.
• To ensure effective and sustained approach that addressed psychosocial issues, it is important that the interventions are diffused both down and across all programs and procedures in different levels and sectors.

• Activation of key PSS structures such as Women and Children Protection Committees
• Children’s play and Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs;
• Trainig of aother actors on provision of Psychological First Aid (PFA)
• Establishment of Parenting Programmes
• Establishment of alternative care programmes (fit families, shelters)
• Advocacy programs to support community access to services;
• Livelihood activities
• Activation of social networks such as community-run clubs or gender specific groups (e.g. women’s groups, youth clubs and male groups);
• Promoting community and peer group activities. For example, religious or cultural activities;
• Education, including life-skills programs;
• Encouraging positive coping (e.g. positive culturally appropriate relaxation methods, social activities);
• Supporting communities in carrying out traditional ceremonial activities adapted to the context.
• Basic Psychological First Aid (PFA), for individuals who may experience distress reactions;

• Social Workers
• Case workers
• Primary Health Care Workers
• Women and Children Protection Committees
• Traditional leaders;
• Religious services and groups;
• Individuals (parents, friends, family, caregivers)
• Community-based groups (e.g. clubs or associations);
• Traditional healers
• Schools, teachers
• Elders’ Councils
• Committees for People with disabilities
• NGOs
• Others…

• Behavioural activation, including problem-solving and stress management;
• Cognitive behavioural therapy; (incl with a trauma focus)
• Interpersonal psychotherapy (individual or group; particularly for depression);
• Stress management;
• Case management support for following up, linking and supporting people with MHPSS problems and monitoring of general protection and wellbeing indicators;
• Contingency management therapy (for alcohol and drug use disorders);
• Family counselling or therapy, including negotiated problem solving and crisis management (for psychosis and/or alcohol and drug use disorders);

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