- On Campus
Course Overview
Intakes
- 2026
2026 Intake
| Intake Date | Campus | Attendance Days |
|---|---|---|
| 05/02/2026 | Traralgon | Thursday 9:00am-3:30pm |
About this course
Ideal for anyone that has already completed a Certificate IV in a relevant field, such as Community Service, Youth Work or Alcohol and Other Drugs. The Diploma of Mental Health will help you further your skills and knowledge.
You will learn how to provide supports to people, assess mental health needs, crisis intervention, and to promote recovery with a trauma-informed lens. You will learn theories such as Trauma-Informed Care, Recovery Oriented Practice, and Humanistic Theory, along with person-centred and strength-based approaches.
Delivered in a classroom face to face setting our Diploma of Mental Health will give you the skills to work in a range of community contexts including non-government organisations, home-based outreach, centre-based programs, respite care, residential services, rehabilitation programs, clinical settings or employment support.
Studying the CHC53315 Diploma of Mental Health is an excellent choice for individuals passionate about supporting others and making a meaningful difference in the field of mental health.
According to the Australian Government's Job Outlook service, the number of people working as welfare support workers is expected to grow strongly in the coming years. There's likely to be around 30,000 job openings in this occupational area over the next five years.
You must have completed at least 160 hours of work as detailed in the Assessment Requirements of units of competency to achieve this qualification.
Career Opportunities
As this qualification is an advanced level qualification, completion of this Diploma opens pathways to various roles in mental health, including:
- Mental Health Support Worker
- Case Manager
- Community Support Worker
- Youth Mental Health Worker
- Community Rehabilitation Worker
- Outreach Officer
- Mental Health Outreach Worker
- Assistant Community Services Worker
- Mental health support worker,
- Welfare Support Worker
-Various support roles in the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
-Advocacy work
-A nationally accredited qualification at diploma level
-A minimum of 160 hours of work placement in industry
-Leadership and supervisory skills within the mental health industry
-The confidence to assess and respond to complex needs
Strong pathways to continue your studies and enhance your career opportunities
There is growing demand for mental health professionals in Australia, making this qualification highly relevant.
Opportunities for Further Study
This qualification can be a stepping stone toward higher qualifications, such as a Bachelor of Social Work, Psychology, or related mental health fields.
Diploma of Community Services
Diploma in Alcohol and Other Drugs
Bachelor of Community and Human Services (Federation University) 120 Credit Points. Guaranteed Entry.
Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice (Federation University) 30 Credit Points.
Bachelor of Arts (Federation University) 60 Credit Points.
Skills or Knowledge gained
The Diploma of Mental Health equips students with the skills to support individuals experiencing mental health challenges. It covers practical skills such as providing support to people, assessing mental health needs, crisis intervention, and promoting recovery with a trauma-informed lens.
Specialise in mental health with this advanced-level qualification. This course will give you the specialised skills and knowledge needed to work with people with complex needs in both community services and healthcare settings.
You will learn theories such as Trauma-Informed Care, Recovery Oriented Practice, and Humanistic Theory, along with person centred and strengths-based approaches. Separate to this the course will have a focus on:
Intake and assessment
Rapport building
Communication
Case note writing
Safe work practices
Group work
Referral
Team work
Self-management
Planning and organising
Working with at risk individuals and groups
Interventions
Working with diverse people
Family violence
AOD
Mental health
Life span development
Child Abuse
Homelessness
Disability
Crisis work
Legislation and compliance
Policies and procedures
Roles and responsibilities
Networking
Advocacy work
Recovery framework
Implement recovery and trauma informed frameworks
Adhere to the laws and legislation impacting people with mental health issues
Entry Requirements
Are there specified requirements for entry into the course/qualification?: Yes
Mandatory entry requirements:
Applicants must complete a Language, Literacy and Numeracy test as well as a Pre-Training Review to determine whether they are suitable for this course. Applicants then must undertake an interview and also meet the below requirements:
-Clear Police and Working with Children Check
As this qualification is an advanced level qualification, completion of one of the following qualifications is essential:
- Certificate IV in Mental Health
- Certificate III in Community Services
- Certificate IV in Community Services
- Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
-Certificate III in Individual Support - Aged or Disability
-Certificate IV in Disability
-Cert IV in another likeminded health qualification
Recommended entry Requirements:
Access to suitable technology.
Capable to advanced level computer skills.
As this is a Diploma qualification, completion of one of the following qualifications:
- Certificate IV in Mental Health
- Certificate III in Community Services
-Certificate III in Individual Support - Aged or Disability
-Certificate IV in Disability
- Certificate IV in Community Services
- Certificate IV in Alcohol and Other Drugs
-Cert IV in another likeminded health qualification
Limitations to course Entry:
Current service user.
Minimum Industry Requirement
- Working with children check
- Police check
Licensing/Regulatory Requirements
Will this course/qualification or a constituent unit provide a pathway to an industry licence or regulated outcome: No
Qualifications and Recognition - 2026
Upon successful completion of this course students will be eligible to receive the Diploma of Mental Health.
Work Placement - 2026
Does this course require placement?: Yes
- The Mental Health Diploma includes 160 hours of practical placement, allowing students to gain real-world experience in mental health services.
- This experiential learning bridges the gap between theory and practice, enhancing employability.
Placement to be arranged by: Institute
Further Information - 2026
Fees
| Fees and charges | Government subsidised concession | Government subsidised | Full-fee paying student |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum full course tuition fee* (GST exempt) | |||
| Materials fee* (GST exempt) | |||
| Total |
VET Student Loans
VET Student Loans are available to assist eligible students studying higher level vocational education and training (VET) qualifications to pay their tuition fees. Higher level VET qualifications are at those at a Diploma level and above. VET Student loans are capped at a maximum for each approved course of study and the amount of the loan cannot be greater than your remaining FEE-HELP balance. If eligible for a student loan, you can access up to $18,838.00 to help cover the tuition fees for this course. For more information about VET Student Loans and eligibility requirements, please click here.
Important information
Sample course units
Assessment
The assessment for each course varies. It may include knowledge questions, practical skills tasks, projects, research work, on the job assessment, etc. Your assessor or educator will provide specific information on the requirements for your course.
You can expect that:
- assessment methods are clear
- assessment tasks are relevant and meet the requirements of your course
- assessor or educator demonstrate fairness and lack of bias when assessing your work
- educators will provide open and honest feedback about assessment tasks.