Advanced Quality Learning Initiatives for Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in NorthernSyria (ENI/2020/416-568)
Deadline for Applications: 1700 Hours, US Eastern Time, 24 May 2023
Call for Proposals Number: AQL-23-01
Background
The Syrian American Medical Society Foundation (SAMS) is a nonprofit, non-partisan, non-religious medical relief organization, with a mission to provide lifesaving healthcare services and to revitalize health systems for underprivileged refugees, internally displaced persons, and vulnerable host community members in zones of conflict and displacement. This includes implementation of essential services that emphasize priority needs, such as the delivery of medical education, training, and financial support to healthcare workers in northern Syria and surrounding countries. It also includes implementation of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) programming, which has become a growing priority in recent years, and even more so following the earthquake disaster. In northern Syria – the majority of which falls outside the control of the Government of Syria and hosts millions of displaced and conflict-affected communities – mental health needs are particularly acute, resulting from years of grief and trauma amid violence and insecurity, poor living conditions, and inadequate opportunities for social and intellectual stimulation. As with other populations affected by collective violence and displacement, the most prevalent and
clinically significant mental problems within Syria are symptoms of emotional distress related to depression, prolonged grief disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder and various forms of anxiety disorders. Despite the immense need for mental health support, the current healthcare system in Syria is ill-equipped to provide it. Even before the conflict, mental health was a nascent sector with limited opportunities for education. MHPSS services are almost exclusively driven by the NGO sector, with very limited private services available. ( Levante International Development, 2022 ). Specific to education and capacity building of the MHPSS workforce in the area, there are few local programs available to train new mental health providers and none that offer advanced academic education so that providers can become equipped to support individuals with severe or complex disorders. Of particular relevance to this Call for Proposals, there are no Psychiatric Nursing programs in the whole of Syria, and no Clinical Psychology or Psychotherapy programs in northern Syria. While training programs exist in psychosocial support, most are ad hoc initiatives with no standard curriculum in place – particularly in northeast Syria where mental
health training is particularly scarce. Barriers to accessing education initiatives are also considerable among conflict-affected persons in northern Syria. Students face challenges to staying enrolled and graduating, due to economic insecurity, limited time due to work pressures and household responsibilities, distance to training facilities, limited access to technology, and physical access constraints due to conflict.
Program Scope
In 2022, with funding from the European Union, SAMS embarked upon a multi-year program to deliver Advanced Quality Learning Initiatives in Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in Northern Syria. The overall objective is to achieve improved access to inclusive, comprehensive, and integrated quality MHPSS services for populations in need in northern Syria. The specific objective of the action will be increased availability of specialized MHPSS personnel in northern Syria, including both graduates and trainers. During the project’s inception phase, SAMS commissioned a mixed methods scoping study on
the MHPSS workforce and education system in Syria to guide future programming, and organized workshops with key MHPSS stakeholders in Syria to discuss findings from these reports. Based on these activities, SAMS is planning to develop and deliver the following masters and professional diploma programs to students in northern Syria between 1 September 2023 and 31 August 2025, contingent on approval of a no-cost extension by the European Union:
● Master’s Degree Program in Clinical Psychology (approximately 5 students)
● Master’s Degree Program in Psychiatric Nursing (approximately 10 students)
● Professional Diploma in Psychotherapy (approximately 35 students)
● Professional Diploma in Psychiatric Nursing (approximately 35 students)
● Professional Diploma in Psychosocial Support (approximately 35 students)
Through this Call for Proposals, SAMS is looking for entities and/or individuals to develop only the professional diploma programs in northern Syria. The entities/individuals selected to develop these programs will also provide technical support for delivery of such programs, in coordination with SAMS and other key stakeholders – primarily pre-vetted Higher Education
Institutions (HEIs) based in Northern Syria. To promote engagement with the courses and peer- to-peer support, these Syria-based Higher Education Institutions will provide opportunities for students to meet on campus and use the university classrooms and equipment to join the courses. Further, SAMS will coordinate with local health facilities to provide practicum sites for students and graduates.
Terms of Reference (TORs) for each of the three professional diploma programs are detailed below and expected to guide the scope of applications. As shown, the sub-grantee’s responsibilities will primarily focus on the academic components of the programs, including development of the course content, student entry requirements, practicum design and implementation, and instructor selection and oversight. The sub-grantee should also explore ways in which they can contribute to capacity building of the Syria-based Higher Education Institutions.
In parallel, the Syria-based Higher Education Institutions will be responsible for administrative duties such as enrolling and communicating with students; securing accreditation and approvals from local authorities; facilitating classroom space, equipment and on-campus services; and proctoring exams. SAMS will be responsible for overall management of the initiative, including communications with the donor, reporting and compliance, monitoring and evaluation, procurement, budgeting, and financial transactions. Delivery of the two masters degree programs in Clinical Psychology and Psychiatric Nursing is considered outside the scope of this Call for Proposals, though SAMS welcomes inquiries from academic institutions about delivery of such programs. Terms of References for each of these masters degree programs can be shared separately, upon request.
Location
Due to movement restrictions that prevent Syrian students from leaving the country, all professional diploma program/s will need to be offered as fully remote (online) or hybrid (combination of remote and in-person) learning programs for students. Students are anticipated to reside in non-Government of Syria controlled areas of northern Syria – specifically, parts of
Aleppo, Ar-Raqqa, Deir ez-Zor, and Al-Hassakeh Governorates. The pre-vetted Higher Education Institutions will be based in two of these governorates. Applicants are not required to travel to any of these locations, though ability and willingness to access these locations is considered beneficial.
Available Funding
There is no minimum or maximum budget ceiling per award, though value for money will be among the criteria considered when reviewing and evaluating proposals. SAMS intends to issue one or more subgrants, depending on the scope and quality of applications received. SAMS reserves the right to negotiate directly with applicants, and to solicit applications outside of this
open Call for Proposals in case no applications of sufficient relevance and quality are received by the deadline.
Applicant Eligibility
This Call for Proposals is open to both legal entities and individuals. To be considered eligible, applicants should be:
● An accredited academic institution, legally registered in their country of origin or a natural person; AND
● Parameter-compliant vis-à-vis all legal and political red lines of the European Union, specifically including relevant US and EU money laundering, fraud, terrorism financing and sanctions lists (EU restrictive measures, OFAC, etc.); AND
● Devoid of significant political and/or economic links or direct connections with theGovernment of Syria that would otherwise allow benefits be accrued by the Government of Syria and/or being classified as a terrorist organization
Applications representing a group of two or more entities and/or individuals will be considered. However, SAMS expects to contract with each applicant directly, as part of efforts to ensure sufficient oversight of donor funds. Additional information of relevance is included in the ‘Contracting and Payment Modalities’ section below. Eligible applicants, both individuals and entities, will be directly responsible for implementing activities and will not act as an intermediary.
Program Description
SAMS will consider applications that respond to one or more Terms of References described below. As further outlined in ‘Application Review Information’ below, applications that focus on development and delivery of multiple academic programs (as opposed to one) are encouraged, in order to maximize synergies across the initiative. At the same time, SAMS is dedicated to
obtaining the best quality program for each cadre and reserves the right to select either single-program applicants or individual programs from within multiple-program proposals.
How to register
find proposal documents here: chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://www.sams-usa.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Call-for-Proposals-in-PD-Curriculum-Design-and-Delivery.pdf