About Certificate IV in Mental Health
Overview
Mental health course trains an individual on how to support a person who is suffering from mental illness and psychiatric disability. Some of the responsibilities of a mental health worker involve the implementation of mental health, mental illness and psychiatric disability programs and activities in the local community. Work is undertaken in a range of community contexts such as community-based non-government bodies; home-based outreach; specific centre-based programs; respite care; residential services, rehabilitation programs; clinical settings; or supporting people in employment. Work is carried out under the supervision and guidance of experts and professionals.
Certificate IV in Mental Health is the formal name of the certification. The qualification gives you the fundamental principles that can help you in launching, shaping or accelerating your career in this space. Most of the people who want to provide assistance in Mental Health come from a place of empathy.
But becoming a caretaker in this space requires much more than just a humanitarian perspective. Like other muscles of the body, Mental Health requires deliberation, processes and a systematic approach to diagnosis, treatment plan and cure.
Course program
1. Course Content and Structure
The biggest challenge in Mental Health is understanding the key difference between subjectivity and objectivity. Every caretaker in the healthcare space understands that the basic human anatomy is universal, and the patient/client’s medical profile is unique. Hence, by just balancing these two variables, one can devise a plan to give the most appropriate care to a person in need.
The same is not true about Mental Health. The fundamental principles are being tested every now and then. There are new schools of thought coming around and new approaches being developed. Unlike basic medical care, there is hardly any training available in basic mental healthcare. This course fulfils all those needs.
The course has been structured to help you focus on five key areas of understanding:
- Awareness and Sensitivity to Culture & Diversity
- Assessing Risks Pertinent to Health
- Legal Perspective on the Necessity of Processes to Promote Mental Health at Workplaces
- The Recovery Model in Mental Health Services
- Diagnosing, Decoding and Taking Curative Measures Towards Mental Illness and Trauma
2. Learning
Here are the courses and subjects you can expect to take under Certificate IV in Mental Health:
- Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait
- Promote and facilitate self-advocacy
- Work collaboratively with the care network and other services
- Work effectively in trauma-informed care
- Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing
- Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
- Establish self-directed recovery relationships
- Work with diverse people
- Work legally and ethically
- Participate in workplace health and safety
- Provide recovery-oriented mental health services
- Use communication to build relationships
- Reflect on and improve your own professional practice
- Increase the safety of individuals at risk of suicide
- Recognise and respond to crisis situations
The program specifically focuses on balancing between necessary fundamental theory, applied skills and practical job exposure. Hence, a component of the course will require the participants to work in the field and put their newly acquired skills to use.
3. Eligibility Criteria
If you fulfil all the hereby mentioned criteria, you might be eligible to attend the program:
- You are an adult resident of Australia and legally permitted to take the course.
- You possess a Certificate II, III or higher in a similar or relevant field.
- You have at least a year of experience in a relevant area.
- You are ready to undergo a thorough background check. Or, you are ready to produce a background clearance provided by your local government authorities.
- You are ready to undertake any tests, quizzes or interviews, necessary to determine your fit for the program.
- You have the necessary access to a working computer and internet system to access the course.
- You have the necessary linguistic, numeric and behavioural skills necessary to excel in the course. You must be ready to take an assessment or provide acceptable proof for the same.
- You are ready to accept all the terms & conditions, as put forth by the institute.
To determine your eligibility for the program, please write to us at info@nursingtrainingaustralia.com
4. Where Will This Course Take You?
You can take any of the following routes:
- Academic Route: You can use this course to take further programs offering certificates, degrees or diplomas in the relevant area.
- Professional Route: At the successful completion of the program, depending on your background, you might be eligible to work as a Community Support Worker or Mental Health Worker.