COURSE GUIDE

Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Certificate IV in Mental Health CHC43215/CHC43315

Introduction

Our nationally accredited CHC43215 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health is a sought-after dual qualification.Gain the skills base needed to support people overcoming dependency and to make a difference to their lives. You will graduate equipped to improve people’s lives and give them hope for the future.

Course Breakdown

E1149

CHC43215/CHC43315 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Certificate IV in Mental Health

Course duration: Self-paced - maximum of 24 months

Recommended hours per week: 17.5h

Qualification level: Certificate IV

Delivery method: Online with Work Placement

Awarded by: Integrated Care & Management Training Pty Ltd (Provider number: 90197)

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Industry Overview

Each year, approximately one in every five Australians will experience a mental illness, while alcohol and other drug treatment services provided help to over 134,000 clients in 2015–16, so demand for skilled professionals in these areas is steady.

About 4% of people will experience a major depressive episode and approximately 14 % of Australians will be affected by an anxiety disorder in any 12-month period. Another 3% of Australians are affected by psychotic illness, such as schizophrenia. According to Mindframe, women are more likely than men to use services for mental health problems.

In 2015–16, about 796 alcohol and other drug treatment services provided just over 206,600 treatment episodes to an estimated 134,000 clients and this number continues to rise. The proportion of episodes where clients were receiving treatment for amphetamines has continued to rise over the 5 years to 2015–16, from 12% of treatment episodes in 2011–12 to 23% in 2015–16, National Drug Strategy Household Survey (NDSHS) 2016 key findings report.

The Dual qualification: CHC43215 Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and CHC43315 Certificate IV in Mental Health course will allow you to develop a wide range of skills to help those in similar situations, and offer support when they need it most.

Is this course for you?

If you are looking to start a career in the community services space, but have no experience, this dual program is perfect for you. It will ground you in the foundations of mental health, and give you a strong base to launch your career from.

Alternatively, if you are already working in the sector and are looking to take the next step in your career, this dual program is a great way to formalise your experience and get the skills and knowledge you need to get ahead.

If you are an existing worker or have experience in the related industry, please inform our enrolment consultants during your enrolment conversation. You may be eligible to enrol as an existing worker and complete your studies faster. Please note - limitations do apply.

What you will learn

During this program you will learn how to:

  • Build relationships.
  • Work in an alcohol and other drugs context.
  • Provide interventions for people with alcohol and other drugs issues.
  • Develop and review individual alcohol and other drugs treatment plans.
  • Work with people with a mental health issues.
  • Work effectively in trauma informed care.
  • Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues.
  • Work with clients who are intoxicated.
  • Increase the safety of Individuals at risk of suicide.
  • Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety.
  • Establish self-directed recovery relationships.
  • Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing.
  • Promote and facilitate self-advocacy.
  • Develop and maintain networks and collaborative partnerships.
  • Work with diverse people.

Learning Material

Your learning materials are accessed through OpenSpace.

These include:

  • Learning content
  • Learning activities 
  • News forums
  • Access to relevant articles and information sources
  • Access to legislation relevant to the AOD and Mental Health sectors 

Your trainer

Zinna Nesa
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Academic Information

Open Colleges may make changes to the course from time to time to reflect changes introduced to the relevant Training Package or other regulatory requirements.

Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs and Certificate IV in Mental Health

CHCCOM002
Use communication to build relationships
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  • Communicate with clients and co-workers
  • Address communication needs
  • Facilitate meetings
CHCLEG001
Work legally and ethically
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  • Identify and respond to legal requirements
  • Identify and meet ethical responsibilities
  • Contribute to workplace improvements
CHCMHS007
Work effectively in trauma informed care
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  • Work from a trauma informed care perspective
  • Utilise self-care strategies
  • Contribute to the continuous improvement of trauma informed care in services
CHCCCS004
Assess co-existing needs
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  • Prepare for assessment
  • Analyse the person’s needs using a collaborative approach
  • Determine appropriate services
  • Complete reporting
  • Evaluate assessment and referral processes
CHCMHS005
Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
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  • Assess capacity to provide support to a person with co-existing mental health and AOD issues
  • Work collaboratively to provide support services to address co-existing issues
  • Facilitate links to further care
  • Collaborate with the person to minimise risk
  • Review and report on support provided
5/ modules
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Assessment Details

  • Multiple choice Quiz
  • Projects
  • Role plays
  • Video
  • Work Placement
  • Written assignments

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

We understand that you may already have many skills and areas of expertise that you have obtained in different ways and these are recognised through our Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) process.

Our Credit Transfer & Recognition of Prior Learning Policy, available in the Key Student Information section of our website, provides more information about our RPL process. Alternatively, you can contact an Enrolment Consultant to discuss your RPL options.

Course Duration

The duration for the course is maximum 24 months. As a self-paced online course, the time it will take you to complete is flexible and dependent on ability and time available.

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Work Placement

This course contains a minimum of 160 hours of work placement.

What are the benefits?

  • By undertaking a work placement you’ll get a chance to put the knowledge you’ve learned on your course into practice.
  • You’ll also develop practical, on-the-job skills and could make contacts that could help you find a job once you graduate.
  • Work placement is often the most rewarding part of a student’s course. Working face-to-face with clients and colleagues in your chosen field makes a huge difference to your career confidence.

How do I find a work placement?

You’ll need to find a work placement yourself and ensure it’s approved by Open Colleges. When looking for a suitable work placement host organisation, have a think about the following:

  • Are you already working or volunteering in the industry your course is related to? You could potentially do your work placement at your current place of work or have contacts that could recommend a suitable work place. Ask around!
  • If you’re entering a new industry, do some research and start thinking about organisations you could approach. We have plenty of resources available to help with approaching and finding a suitable work placement organisation.

Cost of work placement

All costs of work placement, including any placement fees charged by the host organisation (whether to the student or Open Colleges), cost of statutory checks and vaccinations, travel, accommodation, and uniforms are the responsibility of the student. These fees will vary and are dependent on your location within Australia.

  • Costs for statutory checks will range between $0 - $100 dependent on the type of check you select and your state.
  • Costs for vaccinations will very between practitioners, please refer to your GP for approximate costs.
  • Placement fees will vary, please discuss this with your intended host organisation for approximate costs.

Host organisation

You will need to undertake your work placement in an organisation involved in the delivery of alcohol and other drug and mental health related services to clients. The workplace will need to be able to provide you with access to specialist equipment and resources.

The specific requirements of the workplace are outlined in the course overview. Your workplace assessor will ascertain whether the workplace is appropriate.

Immunisations

Please note that your host organisation may require you to provide an up to date immunisation history prior to the commencement of your work placement. Open Colleges has no control over this requirement so if you are unable to provide this, you will need to discuss it with your intended Host Organisation.

It should also be noted that some immunisations, such as Hepatitis B and COVID-19, need multiple injections to be administered over a specific time period before you are deemed immune. It is important that you consult with your GP as soon as possible to avoid delays in starting your work placement.

Supervisor requirements

Your supervisor must have at least 3 years of experience in the community services industry and/or hold a minimum qualification of Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs or Certificate IV in Mental Health or equivalent.

Recommendation

Open Colleges recommends that you consider the work placement options in your local area prior to enrolling in this course.

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Study and pay, your way

Payment Options

Pay Upfront
Save 25%
$7,275.00 Save $2,425.00
was $9,700.00
Week to week
Pay as you go
Save 18%
Pay in 100 instalments over the length of your course.
$77.00 Weekly
Total course cost: $7,900.00
was $9,700.00
Full course breakdown
TBD

Studying online with Open Colleges

Flexibility - study at your own pace

When you study online with Open Colleges you’re in control.

You can choose to complete your course quickly, or keep to a steady pace. Learning is fully flexible so you can fit your everyday commitments around your studies.

Everything you need to study is online so you can study wherever you like – but that doesn’t mean you’re on your own.

OpenSpace is our online learning platform. It’s where you’ll go to access your learning materials, contact your expert trainers and assessors and upload your assessments.

What is OpenSpace?

It’s important to us that we deliver a superior, online learning platform that meets our students’ needs. That’s why we have upgraded to our brand new, custom-designed learning platform, OpenSpace.

OpenSpace provides you with a user-friendly interface, that is mobile responsive. This means that you can complete your coursework using your laptop, iPad, or mobile device. All coursework is automatically saved, providing you with the flexibility you need to complete your studies anywhere, anytime.

How to get support?

Learning Support

The learning support team will be with you every step of the way, from enrolment to graduation. They’re here to help you get the most out of your online course. They can assist by providing non-academic support - like helping you craft an achievable study plan so that you can graduate in a realistic timeframe. If you’re finding it tough to stay motivated throughout your course, they’ll be there to help keep you on track.

Student support

The Student Support team is your one-stop service centre for all student administrative issues – including enrolment, change of contact details, OpenSpace support, assessment results and certification.

You can access the Student Support team by email or phone