Priority List

There is no one way to assist people in their healing journey. Share, join, work with us, or just tell a friend. All of the roads will lead you to the same destination: soldiers, veterans, and families in South Sudan who receive the help they need.

Priority list for a South Sudan's Defence Ministry on MHPSS Program

1. Mental health screening and early identification

Establish confidential screening and early identification of stress, depression, anxiety, trauma and other psychosocial difficulties among Defence personnel and veterans.

2. Psychological first aid and immediate support

Provide Psychological First Aid (PFA) following combat, accidents, displacement, bereavement, serious incidents and other traumatic events.

3. Counselling and clinical mental-health services

Establish accessible counselling, psychological assessment, psychiatric referral and treatment pathways for personnel requiring specialised care.

4. Trauma and post-traumatic stress support

Develop targeted services for personnel exposed to armed conflict, violence, injury, death, repeated deployment and other potentially traumatic experiences.

5. Suicide prevention and crisis response

Establish confidential reporting and referral mechanisms, crisis intervention, suicide-risk assessment, safety planning and postvention support for affected families and colleagues.

6. Peer-support and unit-based psychosocial support

Train selected Defence personnel as peer supporters who can recognise distress, provide basic support and facilitate referral without replacing professional clinicians.

7. Family and dependants' support

Include spouses, children and other dependants through counselling, family education, referral services and support during deployment, injury, bereavement and transition.

8. Community resilience and social cohesion

Support group activities, recreation, community engagement and other interventions that strengthen positive coping, social connection and resilience. These approaches are consistent with current MHPSS programming in South Sudan.

9. Mental-health awareness and stigma reduction

Conduct education on stress, trauma, substance misuse, coping strategies and available services, while reducing stigma associated with seeking psychological assistance.

10. Training and capacity building

Train Defence medical staff, commanders, chaplains, social workers, counsellors, peer supporters and other frontline personnel in MHPSS, PFA and appropriate referral.

11. Referral and coordination system

Create clear referral pathways between Defence health services, civilian hospitals, mental-health professionals, humanitarian organisations and other appropriate providers. South Sudan's MHPSS framework specifically supports coordinated and integrated service delivery.

12. MHPSS for veterans and transition

Provide continuity of care for personnel leaving Defence, including employment transition, family support, counselling and referral to civilian services.

13. Data, monitoring and evaluation

Establish confidential systems for measuring service utilisation, common mental-health needs, referrals, outcomes and program effectiveness while protecting personnel privacy.

14. MHPSS policy, governance and coordination

Establish a dedicated Defence MHPSS coordination structure, standard operating procedures, clinical protocols, safeguarding mechanisms and partnerships with the Ministry of Health and relevant national and international organisations.

Key psychosocial impacts in South Sudan

Trauma and psychological distress

Exposure to armed violence, killings, injuries, destruction and threats can produce fear, grief, anxiety, emotional distress and trauma. UNICEF reports that children in South Sudan are particularly exposed to psychosocial distress associated with violence and displacement.

Post-traumatic stress and anxiety

Repeated exposure to conflict can contribute to symptoms such as intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, avoidance, irritability and difficulty concentrating. WHO notes that humanitarian emergencies commonly produce significant psychological distress and increase the risk of mental disorders.

Grief, bereavement and loss

Death or separation from family members, loss of homes and livelihoods, and destruction of community infrastructure can cause prolonged grief and emotional distress.

Displacement and family separation

Conflict continues to cause large-scale displacement in South Sudan. UNICEF reported that more than 479,000 people were newly displaced during 2025, while conflict also disrupted homes, schools, health facilities and essential services.

Gender-based violence and associated trauma

Conflict increases protection risks, including sexual and gender-based violence. Survivors may experience trauma, stigma, social isolation, depression, anxiety and difficulties reintegrating into their communities.

Children and adolescent psychosocial effects

Children may experience fear, behavioural changes, withdrawal, disrupted education, loss of social networks and difficulties developing normally. UNICEF specifically identifies violence, exploitation, displacement and psychosocial distress as major risks for children and adolescents.

Community breakdown and reduced social cohesion

Intercommunal violence and displacement can weaken trust between communities, increase fear of other groups and disrupt traditional family and community support systems.

Economic and livelihood stress

Loss of employment, livestock, farms, businesses and property creates financial insecurity and can increase family conflict, hopelessness and dependence on humanitarian assistance.

Effects on defence and security personnel

Military, police and other security personnel may experience operational stress, exposure to death and injury, moral distress, fatigue, family separation and difficulties returning to civilian or family life after deployment

Reduced access to mental-health services

Conflict, insecurity, displacement and damage to health infrastructure make it difficult for people to access psychological and psychiatric services. This can leave significant psychosocial needs untreated. South Sudan's humanitarian crisis is compounded by conflict, displacement, flooding, food insecurity and disease outbreaks.

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