A Review of UNRWA’s Community Mental Health Programme in the Gaza Strip
Date
2009-08-01
Authors
Yumi Terahata
يومي تيرهاتا
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Al-Quds University
Abstract
the largest provider of psychosocial services in the Gaza Strip, UNRWA faces the
challenge of having to serve a large refugee population with limited resources, including
caregivers with limited qualifications and training. This study focused on getting a better
understanding of the existing documented information provided by UNRWA’s Community
Mental Health Programme’s (CMHP) to inform on the psychosocial/mental health needs of
CMHP’s client population in the Gaza Strip and the effectiveness of services provided by
CMHP, specifically through a content-analysis of the CMHP database. Specific
methodological approaches included: a literary review to inform documentation review, a
review of all CMHP monthly reports, and a detailed analysis of the CMHP database focusing
on individual counseling session records. Data quality issues included lack of quality checks,
weak database design, and lack of focused data analysis. Analysis revealed trends in CMHP
services, such as significant differences in client population for UNRWA health centers and
schools including client age group, reported problems, and referral sources.
An extensive mixed-methods (quantitative and qualitative) questionnaire survey of all CMHP
counselors was also conducted to explore counselors’ views on training, their work
environment, perceived needs and job satisfaction. Counselors’ responses to various items on
the questionnaire seemed to suggest that in general counselors felt themselves to be part of an
isolated and perhaps undervalued department (CMHP), as evidenced by requests for
psychological support and encouragement for counselors themselves, calls for better
communication between and cooperation with different UNRWA departments, more
interaction with local organizations, and more PR about CMHP to the public through written
material and promotional activities. The collection of training topics requested by counselors
ranged from pronunciation problems to psychological testing, raising questions as to exactly
what counselors expected themselves to be able to handle in their work and whether or not
these expectations are realistic.
Results of this study indicated that CMHP’s database system needed to be systematically
redesigned to be more practical for the fieldworkers who collect the data, including simplified
data fields and clearer definitions of terminology. A thorough assessment should be
undertaken to establish necessary and feasible data to be collected, based on clear and
measurable indicators. Data quality should be regularly checked at various stages of data
collection and processing. More specific and context-oriented analysis should be done by
CMHP, utilizing all available data fields.
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Citation
Terahata، Yumi s. (2009). A Review of UNRWA’s Community Mental Health
Programme in the Gaza Strip [رسالة ماجستير منشورة، جامعة القدس، فلسطين]. المستودع الرقمي
لجامعة القدس. https://arab-scholars.com/16ea23