WHO Guidelines for MHPSS in Emergencies
· Do no harm
“Do no harm” emphasizes that interventions must not exacerbate existing vulnerabilities or create new risks for affected populations. This principle ensures that mental health and psychosocial interventions are carefully planned and executed to avoid unintended negative consequences, such as reinforcing stigma, causing re-traumatization, or inadvertently increasing distress. By prioritizing the well-being and safety of individuals, “do no harm” encourages culturally sensitive, context-specific approaches that respect the dignity and autonomy of affected people, fostering recovery while minimizing any potential harm.
· Provide a continuum of care
The WHO Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies emphasize the importance of providing a continuum of care, which ensures that individuals receive appropriate mental health and psychosocial services at every stage of a crisis. This approach spans from the initial response phase, offering immediate support such as psychosocial first aid, to longer-term care that includes rehabilitation, counseling, and ongoing mental health services. By integrating various levels of care, from basic support to specialized treatment, the continuum of care helps address the evolving needs of individuals, promotes resilience, and ensures that individuals are not left without support as they recover from the psychological impact of emergencies.
· Promote participation
The WHO Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies highlight the importance of promoting participation, encouraging affected individuals and communities to actively engage in their own recovery and in the design and delivery of interventions. This approach recognizes that people have valuable knowledge about their own needs, coping mechanisms, and cultural contexts, and that their involvement enhances the relevance and effectiveness of MHPSS programs. By fostering participation, interventions become more empowering, increase community ownership, and help to rebuild social cohesion, resilience, and a sense of control among those affected by crises.
· Strengthen existing resources
The WHO Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies stress the importance of strengthening existing resources within affected communities, rather than creating parallel systems. This approach focuses on enhancing the capacity of local structures, such as community networks, healthcare providers, and social support systems, to address mental health and psychosocial needs. By building on what is already available, such as utilizing local health workers, community leaders, and traditional healers, interventions become more sustainable, culturally appropriate, and integrated into the community’s social fabric. Strengthening existing resources ensures that support systems are more resilient and better equipped to continue providing care long after external assistance has diminished.
· Ensure coordination
The WHO Guidelines for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in emergencies emphasize the need to ensure coordination among various sectors and actors involved in the response. Effective coordination is crucial for aligning efforts, avoiding duplication of services, and ensuring that the full range of psychosocial and mental health needs is addressed in a comprehensive and timely manner. This involves collaboration between local authorities, humanitarian organizations, healthcare providers, and community groups to create a unified response plan that leverages the strengths of each stakeholder. Coordination fosters an integrated approach, improving resource allocation, response efficiency, and the overall effectiveness of MHPSS interventions.
Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) interventions