Org. Mental Health Risk Management
As a result of the global pandemic, there has been a big shift toward the mental health well-being of individuals both in personal and work-based settings. Circumstances have aligned in that individuals are far more aware and more accepting of mental health-related issues; there is growth in studies and evidence for mental health-related issues within the humanitarian sector, and organisations demonstrate a willingness to support staff through key mental health intervention. Such alignment provides an ideal situation whereby the humanitarian sector can reflect and reverse the longstanding reactive model for addressing the mental health of HAWs.
A proactive approach is required when addressing the factors that are known to impact individual mental health. Having greater control over one’s situation and circumstances, continued development opportunities, feelings of a healthy work-life balance and reliance on social networks all correlate with improved mental health and well-being. The proposed OMH RM concept aims to do precisely that. It is not a reinvention of already established systems and processes for mental health intervention for HAWs, but rather a tool to be utilised by the humanitarian sector and its vast array of organisations to bridge mental health policy gaps and support their staff with realistic, relevant, timely and targeted mental health intervention.
About OMH RM.
Humanitarian aid workers (HAWs) play a crucial role in providing critical assistance to people affected by crises such as conflict, natural disasters, and pandemics. They provide basic needs such as food, shelter, and medical care to vulnerable populations, but their work is challenging and dangerous. Working in difficult operating environments, they often face high levels of stress and trauma, witnessing the suffering and trauma of others, exposure to violence and conflict, and living in insecure conditions. As a result, HAWs are at a higher risk of developing mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than the general population. Therefore, it is essential to prioritize the mental health well-being of HAWs to ensure they can continue to provide effective and sustainable support to those in need.
To support the mental health well-being of HAWs, humanitarian organizations and HAWs have a duty of care to provide a safe and healthy working environment. This duty of care includes workers' mental health and requires organizations to take steps to mitigate mental health risks. The Organisational Mental Health (OMH) Risk Management (RM) model is a critical tool for supporting the development and delivery of proactive initiatives to promote mental health well-being among HAWs. The model provides an analytical process for assessing the operational context of a Humanitarian Response, including the interconnectedness between HAWs, key interventions, and the overall operating environment, enabling organizations to take a proactive approach to mental health risk management.
OMH RM is essential for guiding the development and delivery of proactive initiatives that promote and support mental health well-being in humanitarian settings. Reactive initiatives remain the predominant form of intervention, and they may not effectively address the complex and dynamic nature of mental health risks in humanitarian settings. Proactive initiatives that focus on prevention, promotion, and intervention can help to reduce or buffer exposure to prolonged traumatic stressors and/or critical incidents. By identifying possible sources of mental health traumas, risks, and associated negative outcomes, OMH RM can inform the design and targeting of initiatives to support and improve the mental health well-being of HAWs.
The OMH RM model aims to identify dimensions that could lead to tailored Promotion, Prevention, and Intervention initiatives. By focusing on when and how to support and guide humanitarian organizations when delivering sustainable humanitarian interventions in complex operating environments, OMH RM can inform the design and targeting of initiatives to support and improve the mental health well-being of HAWs. The model includes an eight-step process that pulls together established and accepted tools and guidelines to provide an analytical method for assessing the operational context of a Humanitarian Response.
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Step 1: Setting the Geographical Scop and Timeframe.
Step 3: MHPSS Programme Assessment.
Step 4: Mental Health Outcome Assessment.
Step 5: Mental Health Risk Analysis.
Step 6: Mental Health Well-being Risk Management Decisions.
The OMH RM, as a tool, can be seen as an essential process for promoting and facilitating a proactive approach to mental health risk management in humanitarian settings. By enabling organizations to identify and address possible sources of mental health traumas and negative mental health well-being outcomes, the model supports the development and delivery of tailored initiatives that aim to prevent, promote, reduce, or buffer exposure to mental health risks. By supporting the mental health well-being of HAWs, organizations can improve the effectiveness and sustainability of their humanitarian interventions.