Notice for Requesting Proposal for the final evaluation of Promotion of Child Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Community (PCMHP)

Notice for Requesting Proposal for the final evaluation of Promotion of Child Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Community (PCMHP)

The Centre for Mental Health and Counselling-Nepal (CMC-Nepal), is a national non-governmental organization (NGO) established in May 2003 and is dedicated to enhance quality mental health and psychosocial services (MHPSS) in Nepal. It works on prevention, promotion and curative aspect of mental health through various programs in collaboration with the government and non-government agencies, nationally and at local level.

CMC-Nepal, as an NGO working in mental health and psychosocial field, is inviting a proposal from the registered institution or organization to conduct project evaluation of the project called ‘Promotion of Child Mental Health and Psychosocial Wellbeing in Community 2021-2024’ implemented in Siraha and Dhanusa in partnership and funding support of CBM Global.

Project Background:

The PCMH Program, funded by CBM Global, CMC-Nepal has been closely implementing and working with teachers and parents in order to create safer and protective environment at school and home for psychosocial wellbeing of school going children and adolescents. CMC-Nepal builds the capacity of teachers in assessing emotional and behavioral problems of the children and providing psychosocial support at schools. Further, it works with the health workers and builds their capacity in assessing mental health problems of the children and adolescents and provide mental health and psychosocial service to the children and adolescents.

The program evaluation of Child Mental Health Programme (2005 – 2008, 2008 – 2012)  implemented by CMC-Nepal has showed 14.78% of children and adolescents have emotional and behavioral problems and they need psychological intervention. The recent study, carried out by the Nepal Health Research Council has revealed that the mental health problems are found among 5.2% children of the age group from 13 to 17 years. Depression was found in 0.6%, suicidal thought in 3.9%, 0.7% attempted suicide and symptoms of substance abuse were in 0.6% (NHRC 2020). Recently published large sample based epidemiological study showed prevalence of 18.3% of child mental health problems (ma, J, Mahat P et al 2021).

From the learning of implementation of Child Mental Health Programme (CMHP) to address this gap and support to the Government of Nepal in developing a model of school based psychosocial wellbeing, CMC-Nepal together with the CBM-Global developed a project to work in Madesh Province to address the psychosocial wellbeing of the children and adolescents, with focus on children with disability. This project was started from February 2021, and is going to be completed by December 2024. 

Overall Objective: Improved psychosocial wellbeing of girls and boys including children with disabilities in collaboration with local governments

Specific Objective 1: Strengthen government policies and mechanism (education, health, social protection) on inclusive child mental health and psychosocial wellbeing aligning with CRC &CRPD in collaboration with local, provincial and federal governments.

Specific Objective 2: Improve mental health psychosocial well-being of most marginalized and vulnerable children, girls, children with disabilities, children from hard to reach population/communities.

Purpose of the Evaluation:

The main purpose of the evaluation is to assess the efficiency, effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the project and also determine the relevance and fulfilment of objectives, and accumulate information that is credible and useful, enabling to provide lessons and recommendation as to any improvements that should be included in development of the project in future.

Focus of the Evaluation

The scope of the assignment includes all the necessary actions required to obtain information that will exhibit the achievements (results and impacts) of the project. The scope of the final evaluation should meet the following requirements:

• Effectiveness: 
  • To what extent have the targeted group been reached within the project comparing to the total child and adolescent population of the local level?
  • To which degree did the activities meet the objectives and results set out in the project (as outlined in the log frame matrix 2021-2024)?
  • Were there any barriers for people to access project activities?
  • To what extent do health personnel & teacher deliver inclusive support on mental health?
  • Is there regular supply of psychotropic medication in project supported health facilities?
• Relevance:
  • Were the project activities carried out in a way that they were relevant to all target populations?
  • To what extent project intervention supports to out of school children to return back to school? What the school returned children say about re-joining to school for them? How long they will continue to attend school? Are they learn how to deal future challenges regarding school absence? 
• Efficiency: 
  • Was the project run in an efficiently from the point of view cost and penetration (personnel and materials)?
• Sustainability:
  • Are the local government allocate budget for child mental health? What advocacy works to reach the result and how far local government accept the investment in CAMH is meaningful?
  • Are the results achieved so far sustainable based on the evidences collected during the evaluation?
  • What approach local government are following to maintain budget for CAMH? What would need to be improved in advocacy approach?
  • Are health personnel and teachers likely to continue applying their knowledge and support in MH counselling and care? What would they need to continue their work on a high-quality level?
• Internal coherence:
  • Were the result indicators and their means of verification adequate? What possible adjustments would the consultants recommend?
• Disability inclusion:
  • To which extent did the project succeed to create awareness in disability inclusion at policy and community level?
  • Were people with disabilities able to participate meaningful in the whole project implementation and decision-making process?
  • How project is successful to create awareness at community, service providers and local government level for disability inclusion and gender quality? Are there noteworthy achievement at local government level to address those issues at system through development of policy and its implementation?
• Impact and spill over:
  • Were there any unforeseen positive/negative effects of the activities and unintended results?
• Synergies:
  • To which extent were synergies achieved with other activities, as well as with local/international policies and donor policies?
  • Identify lessons learned and provide recommendations

Please mail is for the ToR 

The Evaluation Team is expected to:

• Be composed of a team leader with documented extensive experience on similar evaluations, preference will be given to those who have conducted evaluation of mental health and psychosocial projects.
• Have strong understanding and coherence with OECD evaluation principle
• Have sound knowledge of evaluation and data-collection methods
• Have extensive experience in conducting external evaluations in the context of non-discrimination and human rights, and a proven record delivering professional results
• Be able to communicate effectively in Nepali and English
• Have process management skills, such as facilitation skills

Interested organizations or individuals meeting the requirements are requested to send their proposal with details of methodology and other requirements (including budget) included in the Terms of Reference to the following address not later than 15th October 2024. All the rights for selection and cancelation (if required) of the evaluator for the final evaluation is reserved by CMC-Nepal.

Contact details for proposal submission:

Executive Director

CMC-Nepal

PO Box Number 5295

Kathmandu, Nepal

Email: cmcnepal@mos.com.np