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Certificate IV in Mental Health CHC43315
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Overview

Begin your career in the community services or health industry with this entry-level course that will qualify you to work in mental health in a broad range of settings. This course will equip you to provide services to people with coexisting mental health and drug and alcohol dependencies, to provide community-focused health promotion and prevention strategies, and work within the frameworks of trauma-informed care.

This course may be available Fee-Free. Learn more about Fee-Free courses

Qualification:

 Certificate IV in Mental Health CHC43315

Course start date:

 July 2025, February 2026

Course No:

 C4-HS13

Campus:

 CIT Bruce 

Duration:

 The Certificate IV in Mental Health is completed over 2 Semesters (15 hours structured work and 15 hours self-directed)

Cost Info:

Enrolment fees for this course are based on the costs per subject as indicated below. The total course cost may vary depending on the choice of elective subjects or if subjects are attempted more than once. Subject costs identified as Standard are partially subsidised by the ACT Government. Concessions may be available to eligible students.

Further information about fees is available at Course fees and assistance

Indicative Cost:

 Standard $2,282

Likely Job Outcome:

 Successful completion of this course will give you the skills to work as:
- Community rehabilitation and support worker
- Mental health rehabilitation support worker
- Community support worker
- Mental health support worker
- Mental health outreach worker
- Mental Health Officer
- Community Engagement Officer

Application Type:

 Standard; Fee-Free
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Timetable

To find out more about class scheduling, request a timetable.

Additional Information

This course has compulsory work placement (80 hours in total). CIT teachers co-ordinate placements. If you are currently working and you have extensive relevant experience, you may meet the placement requirement.
Before undertaking any industry placement you must be eligible to apply for, and hold a 'Working with Vulnerable People Check'. Information will be provided on enrolment.

Entry Requirements

You will need to demonstrate appropriate literacy skills by undertaking a literacy assessment. We have embedded literacy into our course to support your learning and success.

Skills Recognition

To study any course at CIT (excluding non-accredited training) you must have a Unique Student Identifier (USI).

Further Study

Canberra Institute of Technology
Diploma of Community Services

Literacy Skills Information

We suggest that you will need Australian Core Skills Framework literacy levels of at least 3 across reading, writing, learning, oral communication and, depending on your course of study, numeracy skills to successfully complete this course. If you do not have this level, you can still enrol and seek support to improve your skills or you may prefer to begin with the lower level course. Please visit Foundation Skills.

Transition Information

Qualifications at CIT are regularly updated or replaced to meet current industry needs and maximise your employment opportunities. If this occurs while you are part way through a qualification, you may need to vary your learning to meet the new national requirements. CIT will aim to make this as smooth as possible for you.

Subject Cancellations/Changes

To ensure positive outcomes for all students, CIT may need to cancel or change classes at short notice. CIT will make every effort to inform students as soon as changes are made and will also make every effort to offer alternative arrangements for students to meet the requirements of the subject and complete their qualification. In an unfortunate instance when this cannot be met, you will receive a full refund. Please ensure you maintain current contact details via CIT Self Service or by contacting CIT Student Services at infoline@cit.edu.au.


Subject Information

Complete 15 subjects

Core: Complete all 12

  • CHCDIV002   Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
    • CIT Code: YURA101
      Cost: Standard $72.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCDIV001   Work with diverse people
    • CIT Code: CLTS145
      Cost: Standard $62.00
      Description: 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. This unit applies to all workers.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS005   Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
    • CIT Code: HUSE489
      Cost: Standard $257.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS002   Establish self-directed recovery relationships
    • CIT Code: HUSE501
      Cost: Standard $172.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS003   Provide recovery oriented mental health services
    • CIT Code: HUSE502
      Cost: Standard $172.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS004   Work collaboratively with the care network and other services
    • CIT Code: HUSE503
      Cost: Standard $215.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCLEG001   Work legally and ethically
    • CIT Code: LEGL219
      Cost: Standard $84.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCCCS019   Recognise and respond to crisis situations
    • CIT Code: WELF464
      Cost: Standard $129.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS007   Work effectively in trauma informed care
    • CIT Code: WELF467
      Cost: Standard $114.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS008   Promote and facilitate self advocacy
    • CIT Code: WELF478
      Cost: Standard $143.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS011   Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing
    • CIT Code: WELF481
      Cost: Standard $229.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • HLTWHS001   Participate in workplace health and safety
    • CIT Code: WPHS101
      Cost: Standard $47.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil

Electives: Complete 3

  • CHCCOM002   Use communication to build relationships
    • CIT Code: COMM498
      Cost: Standard $157.00
      Description: This unit describes the skills and knowledge to apply specific communication techniques to establish, build and maintain relationships with clients, colleagues and other stakeholders based on respect and trust. This unit applies to work across a range of workplace contexts where workers at all levels may communicate with individuals and/or groups both in person and in writing.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCCCS004   Assess co-existing needs
    • CIT Code: WELF456
      Cost: Standard $229.00
      Description: This unit describes the skills and knowledge required to assess the diverse and multi-faceted needs of people and determine both internal and external services required to meet those needs. This unit applies in a range of community service contexts.
      Prerequisites: Nil
  • CHCMHS001   Work with people with mental health issues
    • CIT Code: HUSE500
      Cost: Standard $200.00
      Description: 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.
      Prerequisites: Nil

Related Courses

Statement Attainment Supporting Mental Health

More Information

For more information about this course please contact CIT Student Services on (02) 6207 3188 or email infoline@cit.edu.au