PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

CONTACT

Dr. Inka Weissbecker, PhD, MPH
International Medical Corps UK, IMC Regional Technical Unit – Middle East

International Medical Corps is an experienced leader in responding to mental health and psychosocial needs in the context of humanitarian crises, strengthening mental health systems, and informing national policies in the longer-term development context. International Medical Corps works in about 30 countries and implements mental health and psychosocial programs in 20 countries.

As part of its holistic approach to health, International Medical Corps incorporates mental health and well-being into several of its programs to address both crisis induced and pre-existing mental health problems. International Medical Corps has been a contributing member of the Guidelines Development Group for the WHO mhGAP-IG and has contributed to several tools in the WHO/UNHCR Mental Health and Psychosocial Support Assessment Toolkit for humanitarian settings including the ‘Mental Health Primary Health Care Integration Checklist’.

In addition, International Medical Corps has developed six instructional videos corresponding to six modules in the mhGAP in collaboration with WHO.

International Medical Corps has extensive mental health and psychosocial support initiatives throughout the Middle East, including integrated responses to the Syria crisis within Syria as well as in Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and Iraq. These activities are comprised of comprehensive mental health and psychosocial support service provision, training and capacity building for service providers and first responders supporting Syrians, community-based outreach and awareness-raising, coordination of humanitarian MHPSS working groups, advocacy and policy efforts, and assessment and research projects.