Certificate IV in Mental Health CHC43315

This course is ideal if you have no experience in this area and are wanting to start a career in mental health.

The course is also perfect if you have some experience in community services and are looking to get a qualification that will formalise your experience, and help you take the next step in your career.

During the course you will learn how to:

• Communicate effectively with a diverse range of people.
• Deliver client-centred and trauma-informed care.
• Provide services to people with co-existing mental health, alcohol and drug issues.
• Establish self-directed recovery relationships.
• Provide recovery-orientated mental health services.
• Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing.
• Promote and facilitate self-advocacy.
• Promote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural safety.
• Work collaboratively with the care network and other services.
• Provide care within legal and ethical guidelines.

• Case studies
• Demonstrations
• Multiple choice questions
• Portfolio of evidence
• Presentations
• Short-answer questions
• Workplace assessments
• Written reports

The duration for the course is maximum 18 months. As a self-paced online course, the time it will take you to complete is flexible and dependent on ability and time available.

Recommended Local Entry Requirements

Students will need to be at least 18 years old. Students under 18 will need a parent or guardian to complete the parent or guardian declaration on the Enrolment Form.

Students residing in WA/NT under the age of 18, who are not currently studying for their year 12 certificate cannot be enrolled.

Students are recommended to have the language, literacy, and numeracy skills that ensure the ability to read and comprehend technical terms and communicate effectively through email.

These skills are equivalent to:

• Successfully completed Year 12 OR
• Certificate III or higher OR
• 2 years’ work experience in a role that requires the use of written documentation and communication

Tools, equipment, and skills required:

• Access to up to 3 people to participate in role plays and assessments
• Access to a device with audio & video capabilities to record simulated role-play tasks for submission
• A simulated environment that reflects workplace conditions for role-play with facilities and equipment
• Tripod to provide a stable and secure platform to mount the digital recording device
• Basic computing skills
• Access to a modern computer with high-speed internet
• Access to Microsoft Office

Additional Requirements:

• Students will need to be reasonably physically fit, as the role may involve a variety of tasks that require a moderate amount of physical activity, such as providing direct assistance to clients with daily living and assisting clients with mobility.
• Psychological requirements (if applicable) - During work placement you will be responsible for providing support and services to individuals and families experiencing mental health issues. This may include confidential individual, family, or group counselling, supporting families dealing with mental health issues, working with clients who have complex needs and working with children and young people experiencing abuse. It is important that you can work cooperatively in a team, act with cultural sensitivity, be accepting of diversity and be non-judgemental. Some of the learning materials are sensitive in nature and warnings are provided along with potential services that can assist with self-care and managing any personal issues that the learning may raise.
  
  

• By undertaking a work placement you’ll get a chance to put the knowledge you’ve learned on your course into practice.
• You’ll also develop practical, on-the-job skills and could make contacts that could help you find a job once you graduate.
• Work placement is often the most rewarding part of a student’s course. Working face-to-face with clients and colleagues in your chosen field makes a huge difference to your career confidence.

Focus on your studies while we handle your work placement. Through our partnership with SkilTrak, our Guaranteed Work Placement ensures you gain hands-on experience in your dream career—right in your local area. Learn more

• Meet with SkilTrak – Their team will discuss your skills, goals, location, and travel preferences to arrange the best placement for you.
• We’ll do the work – While you continue your coursework, we’ll be behind the scenes securing the perfect placement match.
• Get the details – Have a quick chat with us to go over what to expect from your work placement experience.
• Start your placement – Gain real-world experience while we check in along the way to ensure everything is running smoothly.
• Complete your course – Once your placement is done, upload your workbooks, finish your final assessment, and receive your certificate.

The Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) will require a minimum of 120 hours in the workplace.

The Structured Workplace Learning (SWL) is completed at the end of the course. Students should start looking for placement facilities once they have commenced their studies. Once they have completed 75% of their course, they can submit their workplace approval form.

There will also be specific assessment tasks including a logbook and portfolios to be completed at the workplace.

Workplaces suitable to undertake SWL include:

• Public and private psychiatric hospitals
• Psychiatric units/wards in acute hospitals
• Community mental health care services
• Child and youth mental health care services
• Residential mental health facilities

Students will need to undertake their work placement in an organisation involved in the delivery of mental health to clients. The workplace will need to be able to provide you with access to specialist equipment and resources. The specific requirements of the workplace are outlined in the Course Overview. Your workplace assessor will ascertain whether the workplace is appropriate.

For students to be able to undertake the practical component of the course, approved workplaces must be able to provide students with the required equipment, environments, policies & procedures, documentation, appropriate supervisor, and clients. If host organisations are unable to provide the necessary equipment, resources, and access to clients the student may be required to undertake SWL within 2 (or more) organisations.

The workplace may require the student to meet workplace-specific requirements. These will vary by state and by organisation. Some of the statutory checks and requirements the student may need to provide to commence work placement are:

• Working with Children check
• Police check/National Criminal Record check
• Screening and vaccination against infectious diseases, including COVID-19
• First Aid - students must provide a certified and current First Aid Certificate at their own cost as this may be required by the host organisation

Please note that your host organisation may require you to provide an up to date immunisation history prior to the commencement of your work placement. Open Colleges has no control over this requirement so if you are unable to provide this, you will need to discuss it with your intended Host Organisation.

It should also be noted that some immunisations, such as Hepatitis B and COVID-19, need multiple injections to be administered over a specific time period before you are deemed immune. It is important that you consult with your GP as soon as possible to avoid delays in starting your work placement.

Your supervisor must have at least 3 years of experience in the mental health industry and hold a minimum qualification of the Certificate IV in Mental Health or equivalent.