To conduct needs assessment and situational analysis on MHPSS ( Open to Bhutanese national only)

The purpose of the assignment is to support the PEMA Secretariat and UNICEF in gathering evidence on MHPSS situational analysis and information/communication needs among children, young people, pregnant women, lactating mothers, parents, care givers and service providers and recommend strategic SBC interventions for mental health promotion and engagement of communities, specifically in schools, institutions and at the community level to help improve MHPSS literacy, build coping skills, and improve preventive and support seeking practices.

Purpose of Activity:

The global landscape of mental health presents a formidable challenge. WHO estimates one in every eight individuals to be having mental health conditions. Adolescents, bear a significant burden, with one in seven estimated to experience mental health conditions, predominantly driven by anxiety and depression. This pervasive issue not only inflicts profound personal suffering but also imposes a staggering annual cost of $340 billion on societies worldwide. The World Mental Health Day sheds light on the gravity of this situation, urging comprehensive efforts to address the multifaceted challenges posed by mental health. In Bhutan, there is an increasing trend of mental health disorders in the country, during and post COVID-19 pandemic. Anxiety and depression accounting for around 55% of the total mental health related cases (Ministry of Health, 2022). There were 4,131 cases of anxiety disorders and 2,410 reported cases of depression in 2021 which is almost 100% increase compared to 2020. Mental disorders related to alcohol and substance abuse are also on the rise. In addition, the current suicide incidence also points toward more cases among younger and productive age group. There is a growing concern of child and adolescent mental health. Young people are grappling with the psychological impact of the pandemic and other changes in our communities and societies. Particularly alarming is the rise in suicide incidence among the younger population, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive mental health support and awareness to address these distressing challenges through evidence-based interventions. Furthermore, the rise in mental disorders linked to alcohol and substance abuse, coupled with a concerning surge in suicide incidence among the younger demographic, underscores the pressing need for targeted interventions. Children and adolescents, grappling with the psychological aftermath of the pandemic, face an urgent requirement for evidence-based mental health support.

Mental health concerns span various stages in an individual’s life, from childhood to adolescence, adulthood, and into the elderly years. Consequently, adopting a life course approach that considers the unique challenges and interventions required at each stage of life is imperative in promoting comprehensive mental well-being and mitigating the diverse array of mental health issues that people may encounter throughout their lives. Public Health models recommends prioritizing prevention and promotion in mental health to reduce the increasing burden of mental disorders. Mental health promotion involves promoting the value for mental health and improving the coping capacities of individuals and broader community. WHO-UNICEF joint programming on  Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Strategic Action Plan identified the need for improving literacy and addressing associated stigma through development and implementation of a strategic multisectoral Social and Behaviour Change (SBC) intervention.

not seek adequate psychological, counselling, or timely psychiatric services to address the trauma of the experience. Social norms, associated stigma and poor literacy on mental health are underlying factors inhibiting early preventive and support services. Currently, basic mental health services in Bhutan are integrated into general health care services. This enables people to access mental health services at all health facilities, close to where people live, and monitor their recovery. Similarly, more than 160 School Guidance Counsellors are placed in schools by the Ministry of Education and Skills Development to ensure access to counselling services in schools. And specialized psychiatric services are provided in the Psychiatry Department, JDWNRH. While there are several commendable ongoing initiatives from a wide range of stakeholders, these initiatives need coordination and harmonization to address mental health issues in a whole societal approach in contrast to silo clinical curative approach.

Scope and Purpose of the Work

The purpose of the assignment is to support the PEMA Secretariat and UNICEF in gathering evidence on MHPSS situational analysis and information/communication needs among children, young people, pregnant women, lactating mothers, parents, care givers and service providers and recommend strategic SBC interventions for mental health promotion and engagement of communities, specifically in schools, institutions and at the community level to help improve MHPSS literacy, build coping skills, and improve preventive and support seeking practices.

The specific scope and objectives of the consultancy are:

1. To do an in-depth analysis and assessment on to generate evidence on the MHPSS information/communication needs among the target audience (children, adolescents, young people, parents, pregnant women and postnatal mothers, caregivers, service providers and community leaders) – What do people know? What would they want to know? How and from whom would people like to know? etc.
2. To do an in-depth analysis and assessment on existing MHPSS promotion and community engagement initiatives implemented by various organizations in both school, health facility and community settings with a focus to validate if the interventions are related to SBC; are these interventions implemented in a harmonized approach for efficiency and effectiveness.

Approaches and Methodology

The assignment will be carried out by a national consultant using the most current information/data available. Data and information gathering could be both primary and secondary methods. Primary through key informant interviews, focus group discussions, stakeholders’ consultation and secondary through literature review, desk review of the previous relevant studies and projects in the past five years.

The national consultant will be required to develop a work plan outlining their detailed individual and joint responsibilities in the Inception report.

Submission of Proposals and Evaluation Criteria

Proposal should include the following:

• Consultant’s qualification and experience with detailed CV.
• Approach and methodology that will be followed in executing the assignment.
• A lump sum fee in local currency indicating a breakdown of professional fee for the anticipated number of working days/months, including fee for travel if local travel is required.
• Name(s) of collaborator(s) with CVs (if applicable) with their full curriculum vitae.
• Consultancy License
• Reference to similar work (final products or links to previous work can be shared along with the proposal)