CHC43315
Certificate IV in Mental Health
Start Date
Please contact us for the next intake date.
Duration
9 months
Delivery Method
Online
Units
15
Become Job-Ready For Australia’s Mental Health Industry
Mental health is one of the most significant issues facing our society today, with 1 in 5 Australians experiencing a mental health struggle in any given year. To help mental health sufferers and the broader community, both State and the Federal governments have pledged to expand mental health services across Australia significantly.
Thousands of Mental Health Workers are needed to support and fill mental health and community-based services to supplement this growth.
If you’re looking to enter Australia’s challenging yet rewarding Mental Health sector, the CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health is the perfect pathway to becoming a Mental Health Support Worker at an entry level.
Next Start Date
Please contact us for the next intake date.
Duration
9 months
Delivery Method
Online
Course Overview
Study the Certificate IV in Mental Health
Mental health is a critical concern that requires essential training to provide support. The CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health course aims to equip students with robust knowledge, skills and practical work experience to support clients with mental health struggles.
At the heart of this course is learning the ‘recovery-oriented approach’, which seeks to support mental health sufferers by encouraging the clients’ personal reflection, growth and journey.
To become qualified in this field, Mental Health Support Workers must understand the legal and ethical frameworks surrounding mental health, have strong cultural and community awareness, and possess practical skills in providing trauma-informed care and self-advocacy.
During this course, learners will gain knowledge and practical skills to work with people with mental health needs and those experiencing domestic violence and other social issues. Students will learn to assess and promote their clients’ well-being through self-directed recovery and trauma-informed care. Learners will also have the skills to provide crisis support, develop an understanding of mental health services and more.
Upon successfully completing this nationally recognised qualification, graduates can be presented with strong employment opportunities and equipped to undertake further study.
Is the Certificate IV in Mental Health for you?
There is no “one profile” when it comes to a mental health worker. However, these are some skills and qualities that may be beneficial for your future career in this field:
- Good active listening skills (being able to listen, not just talk or give advice)
- Good self-reflection skills (being able to reflect about own emotions, needs, strengths, limitations)
- Patience / Tolerance
- Knowledge or experience of mental health struggles
- Empathic / Genuine / Non-judgmental
- Ability to adapt your mindset (people might think differently to you and you need to be able to work with all people) and respond appropriately
- Broad worldview (understanding different struggles people might face)
Student Requirements:
- 15 hours per week commitment for study and 9 months online
- Active participation in online classes
- Active participation in role plays
- Professional and respectful behaviour in the classes and on placement
- Taking responsibility of own learning and reaching out when needing support
- 80 hours minimum placement to complete at the end of the course
What will you learn in the Certificate IV in Mental Health?
The CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health course is guided by our three pillars of learning.
Pillar 1: Work legally and ethically with people within a diverse community
- Learn to work with diverse social and cultural groups and situations including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people
- Learn legal and ethical frameworks that apply to the mental health industry
- Manage and improve your own professional development
- Learn safe work practices related to workplace health and safety
Pillar 2: Effectively provide support in recovery-oriented services
- Learn how to develop and establish working relationships with clients suffering mental health issues
- Support people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
- Learn how to develop self-directed recovery relationships with mental health clients
- Learn a range of recovery-oriented mental health strategies and services available to people with mental health
Pillar 3: Provide trauma-informed care and self-advocacy.
- Recognise and respond to people facing crises
- Recognise signs and symptoms of trauma in clients suffering from mental health
- Learn strategies to promote people’s self-determination, empowerment, and positive life choices
- Learn methods to promote the social, emotional, and physical well-being of your clients
To gain these learning outcomes, you will be guided through 15 nationally accredited units to complete this course.
How will you study the Certificate IV in Mental Health?
This course will be delivered through a blended learning approach that combines the flexibility of online learning with the practical support of live training via web tutorials, online forums, and interactive eLearning. All learning, whether that be online or face-to-face, is overseen by a qualified trainer and assessor.
This course is also supported by our Simulated Practical service, where students can complete practical assessments in a safe, controlled, and simulated environment.
How long is the Certificate IV in Mental Health?
Studying this course online will run over 9 months.
This course is delivered under the Trainer-Directed Learning Model to ensure students can complete the course within the given timeframe.
Entry Requirements
TrainSmart Australia will assess a student’s ‘academic suitability’ to ensure the student has the best chance of success. This is determined by either:
- The student providing TrainSmart Australia with a copy of an Australian year 12 certificate of education; or,
- The student providing TrainSmart Australia with a copy of a completed Certificate qualification that can be verified; or,
- For entry into a Certificate III – A Certificate II or higher;
- For entry into a Certificate IV – A Certificate III or higher;
- The student completing the Core Skills Profile for Adults online assessment passing at or above Exit Level 3 in the Australian Core Skills Framework in both reading and numeracy.
Please note, we are unable to enrol international students at this time.
Delivery Method
The CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health course is delivered fully online with 15 units to complete.
Knowledge Based Assessments
15
Case Studies
15
Practical Assessments
15
Work Placement
80 hours
Modules
This qualification is made up of the following units of competency. All units of competency must be completed in order to successfully attain the CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health.
The CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health is broken up into the following Modules.
Module 1: Mental Health Essentials Part 1
Manage personal stressors in the work environment
HLTWHS006
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to maintain health and wellbeing by preventing and managing personal stress. This unit applies to work in a range of health and community services settings, in particular work roles that operate in high stress situations and circumstances.
Reflect on and improve own professional practice
CHCPRP003
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to evaluate and enhance own practice through a process of reflection and ongoing professional development. This unit applies to workers in all industry sectors who take pro-active responsibility for their own professional development.
Work with people with mental health issues
CHCMHS001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish relationships, clarify needs, and then work collaboratively with people who are living with mental health issues. This unit applies to support workers in contexts outside the mental health sector, but who come into contact with people with mental health issues. The services and support provided are not mental health specific.
Work with diverse people
CHCDIV001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Work legally and ethically
CHCLEG001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify and work within the legal and ethical frameworks that apply to an individual job role. This unit applies to community services and health workers who play a proactive role in identifying and meeting their legal and ethical responsibilities.
Module 2: Mental Health Essentials Part 2
Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
CHCDIV002
The unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety issues in the workplace, model cultural safety in own work practice, and develop strategies to enhance cultural safety. This unit applies to people working in a broad range of roles including those involved in direct client service, program planning, development and evaluation contexts.
Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
CHCMHS005
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess capacity to support people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues and to work collaboratively to provide support and facilitate links to other services. This unit applies to work with people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) assessments in a range of community services work contexts.
Participate in workplace health and safety
HLTWHS001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required for workers to participate in safe work practices to ensure their own health and safety, and that of others. The unit applies to all workers who require knowledge of workplace health and safety (WHS) to carry out their own work, either under direct supervision or with some individual responsibility.
Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing
CHCMHS011
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively with individuals to assess, promote and review all aspects of wellbeing. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Promote and facilitate self-advocacy
CHCMHS008
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to encourage, support and promote self-advocacy. The promotion and facilitation of self-advocacy contributes to a person’s self-determination, empowerment and right to make informed choices in regard to all aspects of their life. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Recognise and respond to crisis situations
CHCCCS019
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to recognise situations where people may be in imminent crisis, and then to work collaboratively to minimise any safety concerns and make plans to access required support services. This unit applies to any community services worker involved in crisis intervention. Management of the crisis may involve face-to-face, telephone or remote contact with persons involved.
Module 3: Mental Health Essentials Part 3
Work effectively in trauma informed care
CHCMHS007
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to practice and contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care within a service. This unit applies to individuals working in the community services and health sectors where services are informed by the knowledge and understanding of central trauma, particularly the impact of interpersonal violence.
Establish self-directed recovery relationships
CHCMHS002
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to promote the principles of recovery oriented practice, and to establish and confirm self-directed recovery relationships with people with mental illness. This unit applies to work with people living with a mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Provide recovery oriented mental health services
CHCMHS003
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively in providing services to implement a range of strategies as part of recovery oriented service provision for people with mental illness. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Work collaboratively with the care network and other services
CHCMHS004
This unit describes the skills knowledge required to work collaboratively with the care network and other potential services for a person with mental illness. This work provides a recovery oriented practice approach, involving a variety of health and community service professionals working collaboratively with the person and their care network. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Module 1: Mental Health Essentials Part 1
Manage personal stressors in the work environment
HLTWHS006
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to maintain health and wellbeing by preventing and managing personal stress. This unit applies to work in a range of health and community services settings, in particular work roles that operate in high stress situations and circumstances.
Reflect on and improve own professional practice
CHCPRP003
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to evaluate and enhance own practice through a process of reflection and ongoing professional development. This unit applies to workers in all industry sectors who take pro-active responsibility for their own professional development.
Work with people with mental health issues
CHCMHS001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to establish relationships, clarify needs, and then work collaboratively with people who are living with mental health issues. This unit applies to support workers in contexts outside the mental health sector, but who come into contact with people with mental health issues. The services and support provided are not mental health specific.
Work with diverse people
CHCDIV001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work respectfully with people from diverse social and cultural groups and situations, including Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people.
Work legally and ethically
CHCLEG001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify and work within the legal and ethical frameworks that apply to an individual job role. This unit applies to community services and health workers who play a proactive role in identifying and meeting their legal and ethical responsibilities.
Module 2: Mental Health Essentials Part 2
Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
CHCDIV002
The unit describes the skills and knowledge required to identify Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety issues in the workplace, model cultural safety in own work practice, and develop strategies to enhance cultural safety. This unit applies to people working in a broad range of roles including those involved in direct client service, program planning, development and evaluation contexts.
Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
CHCMHS005
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess capacity to support people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues and to work collaboratively to provide support and facilitate links to other services. This unit applies to work with people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) assessments in a range of community services work contexts.
Participate in workplace health and safety
HLTWHS001
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required for workers to participate in safe work practices to ensure their own health and safety, and that of others. The unit applies to all workers who require knowledge of workplace health and safety (WHS) to carry out their own work, either under direct supervision or with some individual responsibility.
Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing
CHCMHS011
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively with individuals to assess, promote and review all aspects of wellbeing. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Promote and facilitate self-advocacy
CHCMHS008
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to encourage, support and promote self-advocacy. The promotion and facilitation of self-advocacy contributes to a person’s self-determination, empowerment and right to make informed choices in regard to all aspects of their life. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Recognise and respond to crisis situations
CHCCCS019
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to recognise situations where people may be in imminent crisis, and then to work collaboratively to minimise any safety concerns and make plans to access required support services. This unit applies to any community services worker involved in crisis intervention. Management of the crisis may involve face-to-face, telephone or remote contact with persons involved.
Module 3: Mental Health Essentials Part 3
Work effectively in trauma informed care
CHCMHS007
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to practice and contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care within a service. This unit applies to individuals working in the community services and health sectors where services are informed by the knowledge and understanding of central trauma, particularly the impact of interpersonal violence.
Establish self-directed recovery relationships
CHCMHS002
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to promote the principles of recovery oriented practice, and to establish and confirm self-directed recovery relationships with people with mental illness. This unit applies to work with people living with a mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Provide recovery oriented mental health services
CHCMHS003
This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to work collaboratively in providing services to implement a range of strategies as part of recovery oriented service provision for people with mental illness. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Work collaboratively with the care network and other services
CHCMHS004
This unit describes the skills knowledge required to work collaboratively with the care network and other potential services for a person with mental illness. This work provides a recovery oriented practice approach, involving a variety of health and community service professionals working collaboratively with the person and their care network. This unit applies to work with people living with mental illness in a range of community services work contexts.
Job Outcomes
Certificate IV in Mental Health Career Opportunities
The CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health qualification can lead to an array of career opportunities with job titles such as;
- Mental Health Support Worker
- Community Mental Health Support Worker
- Residential Mental Health Support Worker
- Recovery Support Worker
- Recovery Coach
- Mental Health Advocate
- Peer Worker
Further Study Options
This flexible qualification can also be used as a pathway to further studies such as:
– CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health
– CHC52015 Diploma of Community Services
Upon graduation TrainSmart Australia can offer direct credits into Diploma courses, reducing the cost, time and workload to achieve your next qualification.
Expected Salary and Biggest Employment Opportunity
$46,200
SALARY
67.8%
JOBS
82.6%
INDUSTRY
All statistics are supplied by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Based on national surveys.
Payment Options
$4,000
The maximum tuition fee for this course is $4,000. Your fee payment options are:
- Upfront payment
- Interest Free Payment Plan – No deposit, no interest payment plans.
Find out what your repayments may be using our Payment Plan Repayment Calculator
Simulated Practicals
Gain Practical Experience In a Safe Environment
As a part of studying Health and Community Services at TrainSmart Australia, some units require students to complete practical assessments that simulate a counselling setting. These assessments give students opportunities to practice counselling skills and techniques before entering the workplace.
Simulated Practicals provides a safe and controlled environment to build confidence and develop essential counselling skills for future health care professionals.
Simulated Practicals simulates a counselling environment through an online Zoom call between an actor and the learner/student. In these sessions, the actor takes on the role of resembling a real-life client, in which an issue or traumatic event is retold from the actor’s perspective.
Based on the assessment criteria, the student is tasked with responding to the client with the focus on utilising skills taught in the unit.
Through these recorded sessions, students can gain valuable feedback and be prepared to handle complex situations before entering the real-world environment.
We know that Counselling is an incredibly important skill, which is why we implemented Counselling units throughout more courses than just our Diploma of Counselling. TrainSmart Australia students studying Health and Community Services have access to our Simulated Practicals service!
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this course nationally recognised? What does that mean?
Completing a nationally recognised qualification (or training) means that your qualification and credentials are recognised all across Australia by other registered training organisations and employers. All accredited courses must adhere to the standards set by the Australian Skills and Quality Authority (ASQA). According to ASQA, accreditation is formal confirmation that the course:
- Is nationally recognised
- Meets an established industry, enterprise, educational, legislative or community need
- Provides appropriate competency outcomes and satisfactory basis for assessment
- Meets national quality assurance requirements
- Is assigned appropriately to the Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) where it leads to a qualification.
How many hours do I need to study each week?
To achieve this qualification within the given timeframe, students are required to commit to a minimum of 15 hours of study per week.
Can I get course credit for previous study?
Students enrolling into a Trainsmart Australia course can receive recognition for previous studies completed at a Certificate and Diploma level. Students can be awarded a credit transfer if:
- The student already holds a unit (or units) for they’re enrolling into,
- The student holds an old unit which is deemed equivalent to the new unit they’re enrolling into
Receiving credit transfers will reduce the overall cost of your qualification as well as the duration to complete your remaining units.
University qualifications are not backwards transferrable, which means no credit transfers can be awarded. However, you can still apply for recognition of prior learning (RPL).
What if I don’t meet the entry requirements?
If you are unable to provide a copy of an Australian Year 12 Certificate or Certificate IV qualification or higher, you may be required to complete an Language Literacy and Numeracy (LLN) test to gain entry into your course of interest. This test is offered online, free of charge, after you have submitted your application.
Are TrainSmart courses Centrelink approved?
All of our courses are Centrelink approved through AUSTUDY.
Trainers
Other Courses
Related Content
Next Start Date
Duration
Delivery Method
All statistics are supplied by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research. Based on national surveys.
Simulated Practicals
Gain Practical Experience In a Safe Environment
As a part of studying Health and Community Services at TrainSmart Australia, some units require students to complete practical assessments that simulate a counselling setting. These assessments give students opportunities to practice counselling skills and techniques before entering the workplace.
Simulated Practicals provides a safe and controlled environment to build confidence and develop essential counselling skills for future health care professionals.
Simulated Practicals simulates a counselling environment through an online Zoom call which involves a Health and Community Services assessor, an actor and the learner/student. In these sessions, the actor takes on the role of resembling a real-life client, in which an issue or traumatic event is retold from the actor’s perspective.
Based on the assessment criteria, the student is tasked with responding to the client with the focus on utilising skills taught in the unit.
Through the sessions, students can gain valuable feedback and be prepared to handle complex situations before entering the real-world environment.
We know that Counselling is an incredibly important skill, which is why we implemented Counselling units throughout more courses than just our Diploma of Counselling. TrainSmart Australia students studying Health and Community Services have access to our Simulated Practicals service!
Frequently Asked Questions
- Kickstart your career in Community Services today!
Applying online is easy and only takes 5-7 minutes! Once your application is submitted our friendly Career Advisors will contact you at your chosen time.
