Mental Health and Psychosocial Support - MHPSS Surge Mechanism

Are you an MHPSS professional interested in short-term deployments or training opportunities? Join our expert roster. More information on joining the roster is available below.

Organisations seeking surge expertise in MHPSS can also request support from the mechanism. You can find more information and contact details at the bottom of this page. 

Our areas of expertise

The MHPSS Surge Mechanism deploys experts to strengthen MHPSS coordination, quality and capacity in humanitarian responses. Experts may support interagency coordination structures, assessments and monitoring and evaluation. They may also support specialised MHPSS topics and priorities, such as responding to public health emergencies. 

Connecting MHPSS and peacebuilding

Where relevant, deployments can address the links between MHPSS and peacebuilding. There are strong connections between psychosocial well-being, conflict dynamics, social cohesion and sustainable peace. To support this work, the mechanism deploys MHPSS professionals with peacebuilding skills. They help organisations working in conflict-affected and fragile contexts. 

Experts database

We maintain a global database of experts who support MHPSS, peacebuilding and related work in humanitarian crises and conflict areas. The specific skills needed depend on the needs of the requesting organisations.

Experts can apply for vacancies on our website if they meet the criteria. They may be deployed to a crisis area for up to 6 months, depending on local need. The requesting organisation will host the experts whose work focuses on interagency MHPSS response. Also, experts help strengthen coordination structures, provide technical capacity and support capacity building. For more information, see the Terms of Reference for the deployment you intend to apply for.

Expert tasks may include the following aspects:

• setting up, running or supporting national or subnational  MHPSS technical working groups;
• developing monitoring, evaluation and learning systems;
• conducting a mapping of Who is Where, When and What (4Ws mapping);
• producing an MHPSS situational analysis for the humanitarian response;
• supporting organisations to integrate MHPSS into peacebuilding programmes;
• carrying out capacity-building activities to raise awareness of MHPSS in conflict-affected settings.

Capacity-building of MHPSS roster members

The MHPSS Surge Mechanism organises different training opportunities for experts registered in our database (roster members). These sessions strengthen experts' technical and professional skills for MHPSS, peacebuilding and humanitarian response. They also help experts prepare for future deployments. Training opportunities are shared directly with registered roster members.

Sign up as an MHPSS expert

Are you an experienced professional in MHPSS, peacebuilding or a related area of expertise? If so, you can register as an expert in our database (roster). Registered experts get information about new MHPSS deployments, training and other opportunities organised or supported by the Surge Mechanism.

• Sign up as a Dutch MHPSS expert 
• Sign up as a non-Dutch MHPSS expert

Remunerations for MHPSS experts

RVO compensates experts for deployment-related expenses. This includes the following fees and costs:

• daily fee (fixed tariff);
• costs for flights (economy class, without upgrades);
• required vaccinations;
• a medical check if the requesting organisation requires one;
• accommodation (actual costs); and
• daily allowance for food and other expenses (DSA).

The Surge Mechanism also offers experts insurance and psychosocial support before, during and after deployment, through the Antares Foundation.

Seeking MHPSS experts?

International humanitarian organisations and other eligible partner organisations may request specialist MHPSS support through the MHPSS Surge Mechanism.
We work with requesting organisations to identify the expertise needed and select suitable candidates from our global database of experts (roster members). Experts can be deployed at short notice. Organisations interested in requesting an expert can contact us at mhpss@rvo.nl.

More information

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs finances the MHPSS Surge Mechanism. The Netherlands Enterprise Agency carries out the programme in close cooperation with the Inter-Agency Standing Committee (IASC) Reference Group on MHPSS in Emergency Settings.

The programme was set up to strengthen Mental Health and Psychosocial Support in humanitarian emergencies. It now also focuses on how MHPSS connects with peacebuilding, especially within the humanitarian-development-peace (HDP) nexus.

For an overview of all our deployment operations, see the Development  Cooperation projects database.