Work In Mental Health Support.
Whether you are new to recovery work or already in it, this is where you learn to do it well. Recovery practice, trauma informed care, and the harder situations support workers meet.
Course Snapshot
- ✓Nationally Recognised Training under the AQF
- ✓No prerequisite qualifications
- ✓First aid unit included
- ✓Credit Transfer at no charge
Why Do This Course
Recovery Is The Whole Approach
Recovery oriented services, self-directed recovery relationships and self advocacy each get a unit. The person leads. You support that.
Trauma Informed Care Is Taught
Working in trauma informed care is a unit here. It changes how you ask questions, and how you read what someone does.
A Qualification In A Year Or Less
This is a Certificate IV: 11 core units and 4 electives. It is the qualification mental health support roles ask for.
Where These Skills Could Take You
Mental Health Outreach Worker
Community Rehabilitation Worker
Community Outreach Officer
Assistant Community Services Worker
Roles where this qualification is used, not promised outcomes. Every service is different. Most roles need screening checks. Psychologist, counsellor and social worker are separate paths with their own study.
What You'll Learn
What You’ll Get
In the Course
- ✓Recovery oriented practice, the person leads, you support
- ✓Trauma informed care, how you ask, and how you read
- ✓Co-existing drug and alcohol issues, because they often arrive together
- ✓Cultural safety, meeting people where they are
As a Student
- ✓Blended delivery, taught, not left to you alone
- ✓Trainer contact, email, student portal or the learning system
- ✓Placement hours, 90 hours in a real service
- ✓Help getting your USI, admin staff can apply for you
What Makes It Different
Here is what stands out in this course.
One unit covers people living with both mental health and alcohol and other drug issues. In practice the two often arrive together.
Increasing the safety of people at risk of suicide is taught here as a professional skill. It should never be left to instinct.
You learn to work with the other services around a person, not just your own caseload. That is what holds support together.
What You'll Earn
CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health
Nationally recognised training · RTO 22172
A Nationally Recognised Qualification
This is Nationally Recognised Training. It leads to an Australian qualification under the AQF, or a Statement of Attainment for the units you finish.
Checked On The National Register
We check the code and the college on the national training register before this page goes up. CHC43315 is current. The college is registered to deliver and assess it.
90 Placement Hours Behind You
Supervised hours in a real service, done before you finish.
How It Works
Ask About the Course
Send an enquiry. A course advisor gets back to you with the details and the start dates.
Do the Pre-Training Review
A short review checks your reading, writing and maths against this course level. It also checks the course suits you.
Sort Your Checks Early
Most services want screening checks before placement. Start them early so they do not hold you up.
Finish Qualified
Complete your units and 90 placement hours, and finish with a nationally recognised Certificate IV.
How to Get Started
Common Questions
Do I need experience to start?
None. There are no prerequisite qualifications. You do a Pre-Training Review. It checks your reading, writing and maths against this course level.
What will it cost me?
The published full fee is $4,000 for domestic students. Textbooks and materials are $140 on top. Re-assessment and other service fees are set out in the college's student handbook.
What does the course cover?
Eleven core units and four electives. Recovery oriented practice runs through the core. The electives add first aid, family violence, suicide safety, and working with the care network around a person.
Is there a residency requirement?
Yes. You must be an Australian citizen or permanent resident, and at least 18 years old.
How long is the work placement?
90 hours. You do it in a real service, supervised, before you finish the qualification.
Will I need screening checks?
Very likely. Services may ask for a National Police Check, a Working with Children Check, NDIS Worker Screening, and flu and COVID-19 vaccinations for placement. Start early.
Is this a real qualification?
Yes. CHC43315 is Nationally Recognised Training under the Australian Qualifications Framework. The college is registered to deliver and assess it. We check both on the national training register.
Does this make me a counsellor or psychologist?
It does not. Counselling and psychology are separate paths with their own study and registration. This qualifies you for mental health support roles. Those are a profession in their own right, and often how people enter the field.
About the College
This course is delivered by Melbourne City Institute of Education, a registered training organisation, RTO 22172.
Teaching runs from the campus at Level 5, 259 Collins St. The college also teaches health, community services, aged care, early childhood, hospitality and English language teaching.
Your Future Starts Today
You could be working in community mental health with 90 hours of real experience already behind you.