Online Dual Course · Mental Health and AOD

Get Into Mental Health and AOD Support

Thinking about support work where mental health and addiction meet? This dual course covers recovery work, brief interventions and crisis response. You come out with two certificates and a placement behind you, made for a first job in the field.

From $72per week, interest-free
17 Monthsonline, self-paced
2 Certificatesone program
80 Hourssupervised placement
At a Glance

Course Snapshot

Duration17 months, study at your own pace
CostFrom $72 a week, interest-free
DeliveryOnline with a live weekly class
Placement80 hours, arranged within 30 km of home
RecognitionCHC43315 and CHC43215, nationally recognised
SupportMonthly mentoring and a Job-Ready Program
Comes with
  • Interest-free payment plans
  • Live weekly trainer sessions
  • Placement organised for eligible learners
  • No multiple-choice exams
Who It’s For

Why Do This Course

The Two Rarely Arrive Alone

Most people in a service are carrying both. Training in one and guessing at the other leaves you short when it counts.

Two Certificates, One Run

Shared units are studied once and counted twice. You finish able to apply across mental health services and drug and alcohol services.

Learn From People Doing the Work

Weekly live classes are led by trainers working in the sector now, with monthly one-on-one mentoring alongside.

Where The Skills Fit

Where This Can Take You

These are the support and casework roles inside mental health and drug and alcohol services. The college publishes a typical range of $75k to $80k a year across these pathways.

Mental Health Outreach Worker

Reaching people who will not come into a service on their own.

Mental Health Intake Officer

The first conversation, working out what someone needs.

Alcohol and Drugs Worker

Support through use, withdrawal and what comes after.

Detoxification Worker

Support during the hardest days of coming off.

Community Rehabilitation and Support Worker

Helping people rebuild routines and stay steady.

Case Worker

Holding a plan with someone and checking how it tracks.

Community Support Worker

Practical day to day support in the community.

Roles where these skills are useful, not promised outcomes. Pay varies with experience, location and sector, and counselling roles ask for further study.

The Course

What You Learn

Shared units carry both certificates, with recovery and AOD work on top.

01
The Shared Ground
Core skills counted toward both certificates at once.
CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people (core in both)
CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically (core in both)
CHCCOM002 Use communication to build relationships
CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
HLTWHS001 Participate in workplace health and safety (core)
02
Recovery-Focused Mental Health
Support led by the person's own goals, not a checklist.
CHCMHS002 Establish self-directed recovery relationships
CHCMHS003 Provide recovery oriented mental health services
CHCMHS004 Work collaboratively with the care network and other services
CHCMHS008 Promote and facilitate self-advocacy
CHCMHS011 Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing
CHCMHS007 Work effectively in trauma informed care
03
Alcohol and Other Drugs Work
Assessing needs, stepping in early, and planning treatment.
CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
CHCAOD004 Assess needs of clients with AOD issues
CHCAOD006 Provide interventions for people with AOD issues
CHCAOD009 Develop and review individual AOD treatment plans
CHCCCS014 Provide brief interventions
04
When Both Are in Play
The overlap, and what to do when someone is in crisis.
CHCMHS005 Provide services to people with co-existing MH and AOD issues
CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations
CHCMHS001 Work with people with mental health issues
CHCPRP001 Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships
HLTAID011 Provide First Aid
Included

What You’ll Get

Learning

  • Live video classes, weekly, led by your trainer
  • Self-paced modules, structured with clear milestones
  • Work placement, 80 hours in a working service
  • Role plays, workplace scenarios, no exams

Support

  • Monthly mentoring, one-on-one by video or phone
  • Trainer replies, within 72 hours on business days
  • Learner support team, monthly outreach calls
  • Job-Ready Program, employment help while you study
Why This One

What Makes It Different

Three things carry this program: two certificates from one run of study, a placement arranged for you, and trainers you meet every week.

01
Built for Co-Existing Needs

Units on services for people with co-existing mental health and AOD issues sit at the centre, not off to the side.

02
Placement Arranged for You

Every eligible learner is placed in a supervised service before finishing, organised through partner SkilTrak within 30 km of home. It is a placement, not a job offer.

03
Practice Before the Job

Around 19 role plays run through workplace situations, a few with your assessor watching, the rest with your group.

The Credentials

What You Walk Away With

Nationally Recognised

Dual Certificate IV in Mental Health and Alcohol and Other Drugs

CHC43315 and CHC43215, delivered by a registered training organisation

Two Recognised Certificates

CHC43315 and CHC43215 are both nationally recognised training, earned across one program.

A Placement Record

80 supervised hours in a working mental health and AOD service, arranged within 30 km of home.

Job-Ready Backing

Resume polishing, cover letters, and help finding the right role while you study.

Getting Started

How It Works

Step one

Apply

Send a pre-enrolment application by phone or online. It takes a minute.

Step two

Short Quiz

A quick online literacy and numeracy quiz checks the course suits you.

Step three

Orientation Call

A pre-training interview by phone walks you through what to expect.

Step four

Accept and Start

Your letter of acceptance and login details arrive, and you begin.

The Investment

How to Get Started

$72 / week
Pay weekly or fortnightly interest-free, or pay upfront.
Interest-free weekly payments
Interest-free fortnightly payments
Upfront payment option
Full refund within 3 days of acceptance
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Good to Know

Common Questions

Do I need experience to enrol?

You do not need any. You need to be 18 or over, with the right to work and study in Australia, and reading, writing and numeracy checked at level 4. You also need sound computer skills, including intermediate Microsoft Word, and a laptop or desktop with reliable internet.

How long does it take?

17 months for both certificates. Study is self-paced around a weekly live class, so you set the hours that suit your week.

What does it cost?

From $72 a week, interest-free. You can pay weekly, pay fortnightly, or pay upfront.

How does the work placement work?

Every eligible learner is placed in a supervised mental health and AOD service before finishing, organised through the college's partner SkilTrak within 30 km of home. You need 80 hours in a suitable workplace. It is an organised placement, not a job offer after you graduate.

What do I need before placement?

A valid police check, or the willingness to get one before you start.

How is the course assessed?

Written tasks, case studies, practical activities and demonstrations, work placement, and around 19 role plays based on workplace situations. There are no multiple-choice exams.

Do I need a first aid certificate?

Yes. HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is completed outside this course, because the college does not deliver that unit. You supply a valid certificate for credit transfer before you finish.

Why study both rather than one?

Because the work rarely separates them. Shared units are studied once and counted toward both, which is why two certificates fit into 17 months. You finish able to apply across both service types instead of one.

Is this course nationally recognised?

Yes. CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health and CHC43215 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs are both nationally recognised training, delivered by a registered training organisation, RTO 45162. You can view the registration at training.gov.au.

What comes after this?

You can step up to the CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health or the CHC53215 Diploma of Alcohol and Other Drugs, which build assessment, case management and treatment planning.

What if I change my mind?

Cancel before, or within 3 days of, being accepted and you get a full refund. After that point there is no refund.

Delivered By

About the College

Hader Institute of Education is a registered training organisation in Armadale, Victoria. It teaches mental health, alcohol and other drugs, counselling and community services. Students rate the college 4.9 out of 5 across more than 850 Google reviews.

RTO 45162Armadale, VIC4.9 from 850+ Google reviewsJob-Ready Program
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