Integration of protection services into health facilities SAMS through this Project will scale up its integration of protection services (GP, GBV, and MA) into health facilities utilizing SAMS experience and success stories in the field of intervention in addition to the lessons learned collected throughout similar projects.

The planned PSS and GBV services will be integrated into 7 health facilities in Idleb and Aleppo governorates (Idleb Central Hospital, Alsahara PHC, Al-Ebzemo PHC, Alatareb Hospital, Batbu PHC, Aldana Hospital, and Sejjo Hospital) where a safe space (protection space) in each facility will be dedicated for those services. Each protection space will have 2 PSS workers + 1 GBV case Manager + 1 Case Worker, they will provide in center and outreach (GBV and GP) services including: Identification of cases GBV case management GBV prevention and awareness raising non GBV and non CP case management PSS monthly Protection monitoring surveys and Referrals to specialized services (CMR, HLP, Health, mental health, livelihoods, etc.,) Key messaging and awareness raising targeting beneficiaries in direct contact with humanitarian workers on the PSEA and community awareness for all protection concerns. 

As for the MA component, it will be provided in two health facilities (Afrin (Alshifa’a) hospital, where SAMS currently providing VA services and plans to sustain the services through this project, Sejjo hospital, where SAMS took over the facility from another NGO and plan to reactivate the physiotherapy services for the survivor from explosive hazard. The VA team in each facility will consist of: 4 Physiotherapists + 4 PT assistants + 2 PSS workers, they will provide specialized services (PT and rehabilitation in addition to MHPSS services) for the survivors of explosive hazard accidents (both in center and outreach mobile services), Moreover, SAMS will refer the survivor to livelihoods service providers.   

SAMS will follow all the precautionary measures as per SAMS COVID 19 PRP and in alignment with the COVID-19 Protection Cluster Recommendations and Observations on the Criticality of Protection Activities in NW Syria (March 2020) and Best experiences and practices in implementing GBV programs in the time of Covid-19. Furthermore, awareness against COVID 19 will be included in all community messages and awareness activities.

Finally, As an integral part of this approach, and in order to enhance the capacities and competencies of the PSS workers to improve the quality of the services provided through all protection cluster partners, SAMS is proposing a complementary activity that aims to assess the current capacity of the available PSS workers operating in NWS - including their educational background - where in coordination with the Protection cluster and Protection partners, SAMS to develop a PSWs capacity-building strategy for Northern Syria that will include the standards of the educational requirement for both PSWs and their trainers and the curriculum needed for qualifying those who work in the psychosocial support sector that will serve as a scientific method and technical reference that helps in providing a systematic service.

Protection services in SAMS intervention will be through MA (50%), GBV (25%), and GP (25%).