Mental Health vs. Psychosocial

The Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) framework for mental health and psychosocial interventions in humanitarian interventions is useful to consult for thinking about planning interventions to prevent targeted violence.  The framework envisions four different levels of services from specialized at the top to social considerations at the bottom.  

Intervention planning for individuals involved in targeted violence is likely to involve a mix of services at these different levels, which may be provided by one or more community based organizations or providers.  Mental health specialists may be working individually with a client, or may be based at one of those organizations working programmatically.    In either case, it is important to be able to envision a multi-level approach to working with the client.

For example, a client may require individual therapy with a psychologist, medications from a psychiatrist, help with work from a job coach, and a family counselor to build family support.  Whether or not each of these practitioners works at the same or different organizations, it is critical that they work as a coordinated team.