Mental Health

Want a meaningful career that helps your community? Our rewarding qualifications in mental health support or community services will give you the opportunity to help people in a wide range of settings.

Gain the skills, techniques and hands-on experience you need to work as a support worker in mental health. Learn how to provide a range of assistance measures to clients with mental health issues and implement health promotion within the community services context. The diploma allows you to delve further into your knowledge of community welfare, gaining enhanced experience in community engagement, supplying advanced interventions to clients as well as learning how to respond to crises.

Industry Placement

Get 80 unpaid hours of industry experience with an industry placement! This will give you the firsthand skills to be ready for employment. CIT teachers co-ordinate placement.

(Certificate IV: 80 unpaid hours.)

Why Study at CIT?

  • Hands-on industry experience
  • Many job opportunities in Canberra and throughout Australia
  • Course Details
    Course/s

    Certificate IV in Mental Health | CHC43315
    CRICOS: 091155E

  • Course Duration
    Duration

    1 year

  • Course Intake
    Intake

    2025 Semester 1 (February) and Semester 2 (July)
    2026 Semester 1 (February) and Semester 2 (July)

  • Course Campus
    Campus

    CIT Bruce

  • Course Fees
    Fees*

    Tuition Fees:

    2025 Semester 1: $7,830 per semester (Total qualification tuition fee $15,660)

    2025 Semester 2: TBA

    2026 Semester 1: TBA

    Extra Fees:

    Working with Vulnerable People Check : approximately $135. You may be required to purchase a shirt for placement, costing between $30 and $40.

  • *Please note - Course fees are listed in $AUD and are based on a semester rate. Total course cost will vary depending on semester start date. Small tuition and material fee increases may occur annually in line with CIT's fee pricing review. Fees are subject to change.

  • Entry Requirements

    Academic requirements:

    • Year 12 Certificate (or equivalent)


    Students over the age of 20 may be eligible for adult entry with relevant practical work or other professional experience. Please refer to Entry Requirements for more information.

    English requirements:
    Student must also meet one of the following English requirements:

    • IELTS 6.0 (no band score less than 5.0)
    • PTE Academic - 50 (minimum of 36 in each band)
    • Cambridge English test (C1 Advanced and B2 First) - 169

      • Nonstudent visa applicants who hold a temporary visa for the full duration of the offered program will be required to meet Australian Core Skills Framework literacy levels of at least 3 in across reading, writing, learning, oral communication and, depending on your course of study, numeracy skills or equivalent.

    Other requirements:

    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

  • Course Subjects - Certificate IV

    Certificate IV in Mental Health | CHC43315 - 15 subjects

    Core: complete all 12 subjects

    • CHCDIV002 Promote Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander cultural safety
    • CHCDIV001 Work with diverse people
    • CHCMHS005 Provide services to people with co-existing mental health and alcohol and other drugs issues
    • CHCMHS002 Establish self-directed recovery relationships
    • CHCMHS003 Provide recovery oriented mental health services
    • CHCMHS004 Work collaboratively with the care network and other services
    • CHCLEG001 Work legally and ethically
    • CHCCCS019 Recognise and respond to crisis situations
    • CHCMHS007 Work effectively in trauma informed care
    • CHCMHS008 Promote and facilitate self advocacy
    • CHCMHS011 Assess and promote social, emotional and physical wellbeing
    • HLTWHS001 Participate in workplace health and safety

    Electives: complete 3 subjects

    • CHCCOM002 Use communication to build relationships
    • CHCAOD001 Work in an alcohol and other drugs context
    • CHCCCS004 Assess co-existing needs
    • CHCMHS001 Work with people with mental health issues
    • HLTAID003 Provide first aid
    • HLTWHS006 Manage personal stressors in the work environment
    • CHCADV001 Facilitate the interests and rights of clients
  • Likely Job Outcome

    Certificate IV: Community rehabilitation and support worker, mental health rehabilitation support worker, community support worker, mental health support worker, mental health outreach worker.

    Diploma: Supervisor/team leaders, community welfare worker in the health and community services field – family support, women’s and men’s services, residential and non-residential.

  • Teaching Methods and Assessment

    Modes of study include simulated workplaces for students to practice their new skills, work experience or work placement, supervised study time with a teacher and online learning and student engagement through e-Learn.

    Students must complete class work, assignments, practical components and project work throughout the course. They may then be assessed using a combination of these tasks, continuous assessment and examinations. Assessment outcomes may be based on competency, marks and grades, or a combination of all three assessment methods.

  • Pathways to Further Study

    Because CIT offers nationally recognised qualifications accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), students can apply for Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) to most universities within Australia and receive credit towards a degree, even where formal credit transfer arrangements are not in place; however, this is not a guarantee.

    We recommend you speak directly with your chosen university in relation to credit transfer, entry requirements and their application process.