ABOUT
Response Services
Response Services provide acute care and support for people suffering from mental health conditions and those experiencing protection issues. It provides helpline services, counselling services and targeted protection and empowerment services for survivors of violence, children in conflict with law, children and women in difficult circumstances, including adoption and foster home arrangements. To ensure seamless transition and integration, through PEMA home, we provide shelter services for children in difficult circumstances. The program also manages 24/7 hotline services for mental health.
Helpline services
1098 is the national helpline for children and other vulnerable groups. Children, women and other vulnerable groups can avail services 24/7 during emergencies as well as difficult circumstances.
1010 is the national hotline managed by Royal Bhutan Police. Persons seeking mental health support can call 1010 and the call will be linked with The PEMA helpline service providers.
Counselling services
1. Online
Online counselling involves services through email, zoom, whatsapp, telegram and telephonic services. Clients can choose the medium as per their convenience. Individuals who seek help through social media handles and the PEMA website also get connected through the online services first and the mode of service provision is decided based on the client’s choice.
2. Walk-in
Persons in need of counselling services can also walk-in and avail services from the PEMA. Clients can directly walk in or make appointments through PEMA Helpline.
Counselling services also extends to postvention services which are usually provided after suicide incidents and suicide attempts in families and institutions. Mental health professionals adapt a postvention model and apply to families affected by incidents of self-injurious behaviour too.
Protection Services
1. Child Protection
The child protection unit has protection officers who provide services to children in difficult circumstances, children in conflict with law, violence against children or other issues related to child protection. Services related to child custody during parental separation and family interventions are part of the child protection services. This unit also responds to child protection in emergencies (CPIE) as per the Standard Operating Procedures for CPIE.
2. Gender Based Violence
The GBV unit has protection officers who provide services to survivors of GBV and those in difficult circumstances. This unit also links families to counsellors for family counselling services.
3. Mental health conditions
The protection officers also provide case management services to persons with mental health conditions and facilitate treatment and reintegration. Individuals are linked to mental health and other psychosocial services.
PEMA Home
The PEMA Home is an interim shelter for children in difficult circumstances. Immediate safety and family reintegration are core to the functions of the Home. The Home is not a long term institutionalisation of children. Service providers will admit children to de-escalate harm from violence and reunify with families within two weeks.
Adoption and Alternative Care
Adoption services include intercountry adoption as well as domestic adoption. All the services are provided as per the Child Adoption Act of Bhutan 2012 and subsequent Rules and Regulations and Guidelines. Alternative Care is provided as per the Child Care and Protection Act and Guidelines for Alternative Care of Children 2018.