The purpose of this document is to provide agencies with a guide with three tools containing key assessment
questions that are of common relevance to all actors involved in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support
(MHPSS) independent of the phase of the emergency. This guide will be useful for rapid assessments of MHPSS
issues in humanitarian emergencies across sectors. The guide is designed for use by various humanitarian
Mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) is a priority component of any emergency response. MHPSS should be based on knowledge, available resources and effectiveness of interventions. To achieve this research has a key role to play. Recognizing the complexities of emergencies and the need for ethical recommendations to support MHPSS research in emergency settings, this specific guidance was developed to: . Ensure MHPSS research in emergencies benefits affected people;
The IASC Reference group on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support developed a 4Ws tool to map MHPSS activities in humanitarian settings across sectors. This tool can be used by groups with MHPSS coordination responsibilities in emergencies with numerous MHPSS actors.
The tool exists of 2 parts:
Based on the Guidelines on Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Emergency Settings (IASC, 2007), this document provides an overview of essential knowledge that humanitarian actors within the CCCM cluster/sector should have about mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in humanitarian emergencies.
This document is targeting protection programme managers working at national and sub-national level in low and middle income countries and protection cluster coordinators (and coordinators of the five specific areas within the Cluster) in government, UN and non-UN international organisations and local NGO protection programmes.
The guidelines set forth standards to enable humanitarian actors to plan, establish and coordinate a set of minimum multisectoral responses to protect and improve the mental health and psychosocial well-being of people in the midst of an emergency. The guidelines are designed for all actors engaged in humanitarian assistance. In an emergency situation it is important that aid workers recognize that people are affected by emergencies in different ways.
