IAC-IRTAC-Research

Tunisia

Tunisia2

Summary

Counselling Associations

All Professional Bodies, National Associations (e.g. Mental Health, School, Guidance, Addiction, Faith-based etc.) and Accrediting Organisations.

There is no available information on any counselling associations in Tunisia.

Universities and Other Education and Training Institutes

University of Tunis

  • University Website: http://www.utunis.rnu.tn/ 
  • Programme Types: Degree in Psychology, Master of Psychology (Clinical Psychology / Developmental Psychology / Social Psychology)

Counselling Agencies, Services, Group Practices, Counselling Centres

Dr Imene Jallouli – Psychiatre Tunis Ariana – Psy

Dr Ines TRABELSI

Dr. Asma Belarbi, psychiatre, psychothérapeute et sexologue – thérapie de couple

Background & Context

There is no informations in regards to the history of counselling in Tunisia.

Current Regulatory Status / Level of Recognition:

In Tunisia, The country also suffers from a crucial shortage of mental health professionals, especially the psychosocial workers (e.g., psychologists, social workers). There is a total of human resource of 8 per 100,000 population.

Practice Settings

There are 16 public outpatient mental health facilities available in the country, 7 community-based facilities and a single mental hospital. Few services are afforded to children and adolescents. The main users belong to the groups of schizophrenia and mood disorders. Women are underrepresented in inpatient units. Psychotropic medicines are available everywhere. In terms of affordability of mental health facilities, the system still suffers from an imbalance with a crucial lack of community-based services such as residential facilities or day treatment facilities. 

In Tunisia, all primary health care clinics are physician based and almost all of them have assessment and treatment protocols for key mental health conditions available. Only doctors are allowed to prescribe psychotropic medications, whatever the circumstance and without restrictions. In addition, a few NGOs are involved with mental health in the country, mainly in child psychiatry and rehabilitation. Lastly, there is a coordinating body to oversee public education and awareness campaigns on health and illnesses in general, which also include mental health and mental disorders.

Challenges & Trends

  • Limited child and adolescent mental health services.
  • The lack of mental health services in the face of an increasing demand for care.
  • The absence of an effective mental health information system at all levels.
  • The imbalance between the mental hospital and the community mental health facilities.

The most critical barriers are the pervasive social stigma which hampers the access to care, the lack of development of consumers associations, as well as the lack of access to work and housing for mentally ill people.

Additional Information & References

For more information about the counselling profession in the state, interested readers are encouraged to read the following journal and website articles:

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