Suicide Prevention / External Evaluation

Context

Médecins du Monde Switzerland (MdM-CH) is an international solidarity association with a mission to care for and cure the most vulnerable populations who are living in situations of crisis and exclusion throughout the world.

Brief presentation of the program: MdM Switzerland implemented between July 2018 and June 2021 a 3-year program aiming at reinforcing the capacities of healthcare professionals in order to provide support to patients of attempted suicide. The program was launched through a field study assessing the Suicide Attempted Patients Risks Factors and medical strategies for suicide prevention in the Southern West Bank and included activities at community, Community Mental health Center & Emergency Rooms of Public Hospital levels; together with a specific support at the institutional level (participation in the National Suicide Prevention Committee led by the Ministry of Health)

First year 2018-2019: 

1. Mixed research study on attempted suicide patients risk factors conducted based on data collection from 4 governmental hospitals. Outcome: the findings informed the National Strategy and helped MdM-CH build the training plan, materials and thematic targeting for ER staff from 5 hospitals in the West Bank. Click here for study
2. Awareness raising and advocacy at the community-level aiming to sensitize the public towards suicide prevention, fight against stigma and enhance behavioral changes in the way people are seeking help. 

Second year 2019-2020:

1. Dissemination plan of the study and networking on the research findings with the INGO, local and UN community 
2. Preparation of training materials and thematic/modules and first implementation of trainings with one out of the five total targeted hospitals in the West Bank. The training plan was designed in cooperation with local authorities and partners (Ministry of Health- Mental Health Unit, Directorate of Hospitals, Directorate of Emergency Rooms, International Cooperation Department and health professionals). Therefore engagement, commitment, participation of the health professional target group, was enhanced in order to achieve project ownership a fact that further lead to reinforce accountability towards more sustainable results and improve medical practices to the fight against suicide.
3. Gaza registration and preparation for a comparative study on suicide prevention.
4. Awareness raising and advocacy at the community-level aiming to sensitize the public towards suicide prevention, fight against stigma and enhance behavioral changes in the way people are seeking help.

Third year 2020-2021: 

1. Finalization of the trainings into all of the targeted ER of the 5 hospitals in the West bank, evaluation (ongoing until now, end date June 2021)
2. Workshop for Ministry of Health (MoH) psychiatrists to create the guidelines for a national protocol for suicide prevention and management amongst children and adolescents in Palestine.
3. Gaza: initiation of the research study and data collection (ongoing)

Objectives of the evaluation

The objectives of this final external evaluation are:

1. To assess the relevance of the action in regard to the beneficiaries needs and to the Ministry of Health strategy
2. To measure the achievement of the general objective and results and identify the reasons underlinning these achievements/non achievements (strenghts and weaknesses)
3. To evaluate the sustainibility of the project outcomes and the possibility of project replication in its new project phases.
4. To inform the planing of later phases of the project, as well as the upcoming MdM-CH 3-year Suicide Prevention Strategy. 
5. To assess the partnership (MdM-CH and Ministry of Health) and draw recommendations for the future collaboration.
6. To assess the accountability towards users in the project health centers

Profile of consultant

We require the following from candidate consultancy firms or individual consultants:

• A proven strong experience in evaluation, particularly evaluation of partnership
• A good experience in terms of development projects and cooperation
• Professional experience in the Occupied Palestinian Territory is an asset
• Fluency in the following languages: English and Arabic. Reports are submitted in English
• Experience/knowledge of Health development projects
• Experience/knowledge in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support

Schedule

Application deadline for call of expression of interest 08/04/21 at 12h

Deadline for a completed proposal 15/04/21 at 12h

Required start date for the assessment 30/04/21

Required date for the submission of the final report 10/06/21

(with review & revisions)

This schedule is indicative and can be subject to modifications. 

Documents to be submitted 

An expression of interest should include the following documents to be submitted:

• A CV (maximum 3 pages)
• A cover letter (maximum 3 pages) explaining why the proposed consultant is a good candidate for the evaluation (experience in similar conditions, references regarding the execution of analogue contracts, dates when available to consult, etc…)

Please send these documents to the following email address:

[email protected] with the subject-line: Suicide Prevention / External Evaluation before 08/04/2021 at 12h (Jerusalem time). 

Documents: ToR