COVID-19 Psychosocial Resilience Grants
The overarching objective of the Ghana Somubi Dwumadie COVID-19 Call was to ensure that people most affected by COVID-19 receive psychosocial support. This was aimed at reducing the negative effects of COVID-19 on people with disabilities including people with mental health disabilities, people infected with or recovering from COVID-19, as well as high risk populations, specifically health care workers, by increasing their access to safe and reliable wellbeing and psychosocial support.
The specific objectives of this call were:
To support those most at risk of negative mental health outcomes due to the pandemic.
To support at risk groups with recovery and resilience-building.
To encourage community groups to lead these efforts, embedding mental health support within the community.
To complement information, economic and other social measures by Government of Ghana and stakeholders.
The call was launched on 29 June 2020 and the seven successful grantees were announced on 23 October 2020.
Our successful Grantees
Presbyterian Community Based Rehabilitation (PCBR)
The project proposes to: Equip targeted end user groups to enable them develop resilience, coping mechanisms and diversify their production for sustainable livelihoods in the face of Covid-19 pandemic; build capacities of Disabled People’s Organizations (DPOs) and Self-Help Groups (SHGs) to enable them advocate against stigmatization and lobby for resources to improve their lives and provide peer support to others; Equip mental health nurses, CBR field workers, caregivers and Community Development Committees (CDCs) to adequately support persons with disabilities especially those with psychosocial disabilities needs with services including counselling and medication to enable them recover from the effects of Covid-19.
Ghana Society of the Physically Disabled (GSPD)
The project proposes to build the capacity of three (3) local associations of physically disabled persons to provide voluntary counselling services to their members and also strengthen the resilience of physically disabled persons to overcome the psychological distress by facilitating voluntary counselling services in 3 regions.
Hope for Future Generation-The PsyKForum
The only applicant that focused on providing psychosocial support to health workers by using the Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and Interpersonal Therapy in short modular format. It also proposes an innovative approach of tele counselling for health workers.
Christian Health Association of Ghana (CHAG)
The project is designed with a focus on both the supply side and demand side of psychosocial support. It seeks to build the capacity of clinical psychiatric and community mental health officers in psychosocial counseling and support as well as creating demand for psychosocial services in communities by integrating mental health services with COCID-19 teams in CHAG facilities.
Human Right Advocacy Centre-HRAC
In addition to other community level measures, the project proposes the use of a mobile clinic with the support of a clinical psychologist to provide stigma-free and accessible mental health care. The psychologist in collaboration with the Ghana Health Service and the Mental Health Authority will also manage the intervention’s temporary hotline for real time mental health care consultation.
Mental Health Society of Ghana (MEHSOG)
The proposed project seeks to strengthen the capacity of service users, SHGs and make use of religious and traditional structures. In addition, the project proposes the set-up of crises intervention mechanism to be coordinated by the leadership of the service users and supported by community mental health officers.
CRB-Garu
The project proposes to improve the quality of lives of people with disabilities including people with mental disabilities and Covid-19 victims living in Northern Ghana by improving access to quality, integrated, disability inclusive community- based and recovery oriented mental health and social services.
It also proposes to reduce negative attitudes, discriminatory practices and norms against people with disabilities, including people with mental disabilities and increase sustainability of project initiatives through generation and replication of knowledge and practices