This course is for practitioners working in mental health, alcohol and other drugs services. It is delivered in two parts via online classroom, followed by a two hour (approximate) online assessment. To support the training, there are recommended self-study options provided (details below).

Learners will receive training in all the essential knowledge and skills required to satisfactorily achieve competency in observing and documenting the mental state examination (MSE).

As a nationally accredited course, it is audited to ensure it meets current industry expectations and reflects the latest evidence-based practice methods and knowledge, as well as industry best practice standards.

Part one (4 hours) provides an introduction to MSE, general appearance and behaviour, speech, mood and affect, perception.

Part two (4 hours) continues on to cover thought content, thought form/flow, insight, judgement, cognition.

More information about this course is available in the handout: 10881NAT Course in Observing and Documenting the Mental State Examination - Course handout

Unique Student Identifier (USI)
Provision of a USI is a Federal Government requirement since 1 January 2015, for all participants of accredited training within Australia. To obtain a USI register as a student via www.usi.gov.au

It is imperative you read the Pre-course information booklet as it contains course pre-readings (e.g. clinical terminology; quick reference guide). The booklet provides details about the course, scope of practice, rights, responsibilities and other expectations associated with undertaking this course.

In addition to Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training, the Learning Centre is pleased to now host the half day refresher for this course. MHFAR is facilitated by an accredited MHFA facilitator.

The half day refresher course is delivered both face-to-face and via online classroom, and allows people who have previously completed a Standard MHFA course to refresh their knowledge and skills. The course also offers Accredited MHFAiders an opportunity to extend their accreditation for a further 3 years.

Participants will gain an understanding of the latest research in the mental health field, learn the 3 key actions to help someone experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours, and work through complex mental health first aid interactions.

Note: This course is a refresher and not a substitute for attending the full two-day MHFA. Participants are expected to have previously completed MHFA.

More information about this course is available on the MHFA Australia website - MHFA Refresher

This course has two versions. If you are looking for the Youth version of this course please scroll down or search for QC28.

QC2: EARS has been designed to develop core clinical competencies and practices that align with the training element of the Zero Suicide framework and is currently being rolled out across Zero Suicide sites across Queensland.

Designed in collaboration with the Gold Coast Hospital and Health service, EARS explores suicide risk and represents a philosophical shift in the treatment of suicidality within Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs services. This includes a shift away from a focus on prediction, towards a framework for prevention, and a shift away from clinician orientated treatment of illness, towards a collaborative process of engagement and care planning that conceptualises suicide as a behaviour that requires specific targeted intervention.

EARS presents a number of conceptual models for understanding suicidal behaviours that can be applied to individuals across the lifespan.

The blended learning course comprises of two components - beginning with eLearning modules (part 1), and concluding with a full day face-to-face workshop (part 2).

QC2 EARS is aimed at both new clinicians commencing clinical practice and experienced practitioners seeking to update and consolidate their practice framework with contemporary understanding of supporting suicidal people.

More information about this course is available in the handout: QC2 Engage, Assess, Respond to, and Support Suicidal People - Course handout

"Supervision is a designated interaction between two or more practitioners, within a safe and supportive environment, which enables a process of reflective, critical analysis of care, to ensure quality consumer services." (Clinical Supervision Guidelines for Mental Health Services, 2009).

This two-day workshop will prepare you for your supervisor role. It is designed for staff from all disciplines including non-clinical areas such as the peer workforce. During this workshop you will explore ways to enhance your supervisor skills using a variety of strategies and tools. Several high-quality skills demonstration videos are shown that model the core elements of good supervision practice. As you deepen your understanding of these elements you will have opportunities to practise delivering supervision that is culturally sensitive.

To be able to progress and enrol in this training you must pass a pre-enrolment screen that requires you to:

• meet the minimum requirements to be a Supervisor as set out in the Clinical Supervision Guidelines for Mental Health Services 2009
• achieve a minimum of 90% correct for twenty multiple choice knowledge questions.

There are resources provided to help you answer the questions.

This screen ensures that everyone who attends our QC4 Supervisor training comes with a similar understanding of the key concepts, regardless of previous experience and/or training in supervision.

Note: this course is a pre-requisite for those wishing to complete QC12 Supervising Supervisors.

More information about this course is available in the handout: QC4 Supervisor - Course handout

This one day workshop aims to promote evidence-based clinical risk assessment and management practices that improve consistency in the assessment and management of consumer risks. The workshop provides participants with skills to gather and identify risk factors relevant to an individual, and complete an analysis of risks weighed against mitigating factors. Designed for mental health practitioners of all levels of experience, professionals from other services may also find this workshop highly relevant when working with people experiencing mental health problems.

More information about this course is available in the handout: QC9 Critical Components of Risk Assessment and Management- Course handout

Violence Risk Assessment and Management Framework - Induction Video

This video introduces and describes the Queensland Health Violence risk assessment and management framework – mental health services (the Framework). The video presents information about the three-tiered approach to violence risk assessment and response within the Framework, the purpose and principles of the Framework, how the Framework will be implemented, and clinical roles and responsibilities.

The video runs for approximately 20 minutes.

A transcript of the video can be downloaded here.

(Refresher for QC9 Critical Components of Risk Assessment and Management)

This 4-hour refresher course provides clinicians with an opportunity to update their risk assessment and management skills. It is an ideal opportunity to apply practical skills using a case scenario and is delivered via an online classroom using a Zoom meeting platform, making it accessible for people across Queensland. Learners will connect via a computer/laptop or other device to join the workshop – no travel necessary!

In addition to refreshing the thorough identification of risk factors, the course reinforces the importance of using informed professional judgement to develop risk summaries that effectively communicate the weighing up of identified risk and protective factors. The course uses comparative language and prevention-oriented approaches to formulation. There is a key emphasis on the development of treatment plans guided by the individual needs of the consumer, with a recovery-oriented approach.

Note: This course is not a substitute for attending the full day QC9 Critical Components of Risk Assessment and Management. Participants are expected to have previously completed the QC9 workshop, or QC54 Foundations of Risk Assessment and Management eLearning, additionally have applied clinical practice knowledge.

More information about this course is available in the handout: QC19 Risk Refresher - Course handout

This training course focuses on the knowledge and skills required to deliver safe group-based therapeutic interventions. The blended learning course comprises of two components - beginning with an eLearning module (part 1), followed by a full day face-to-face workshop (part 2). The course explores the following key issues around group facilitation in therapeutic contexts: safe group facilitation principles, structure of group sessions, management of group dynamics and process issues, and the role of the facilitator. The workshop focuses on consolidating theory and process through activities and experiential exploration, with a particular focus on the management of group dynamics and facilitation challenges.

More information about this course is available in the handout: QC27 Group Facilitation in Therapeutic Contexts - Course handout

Distinctly different to our other training courses, the QC31 SSYP course is aimed to target youth workers - It bridges the gap between clinical training and more general crisis support training.

This one day course is designed to provide participants with the skills to identify young people at risk of suicide and gain practical skills to ask directly about suicide.

More information about this course is available in the handout: QC31 Supporting a Suicidal Young Person (SSYP) - Course handout

(Adapted from QC9 Critical Components of Risk Assessment and Management)

Delivered via online classroom, this two-session course aims to promote evidence-based clinical risk assessment and management practices that improve consistency in the assessment and management of risks in mental health.

Session One (4 hours) provides participants with skills to gather and identify risk factors relevant to an individual, by working through a case example.

Session Two (4 hours) will develop skills in weighing up risk factors, documenting these clearly in a risk summary, and developing individualised plans and interventions to address the risks.

Designed for mental health practitioners of all levels of experience, professionals from other services may also find this workshop highly relevant when working with people experiencing mental health problems.

More information about the course content including anticipated learning outcomes, can be found in the QC9 course handout: QC9 Critical Components of Risk Assessment and Management- Course handout

(Adapted from QC28 Youth: Engage, Assess, Respond to, and Support Suicidal People)

Contemporary suicide prevention models will be presented to enhance understanding and responses to suicidal behaviours of children and young people. Participants will be provided with opportunities to consider the specific developmental needs of suicidal children and young people by working through relevant case examples within the sessions.

Session One (4 hours) develop a greater understanding of working with suicidal children and young people and risk and protective factors and implications for care planning.

Session Two (4 hours) develop skills in assessing suicidal intent and prevention-orientated risk summary and managing acute risk.

This course is aimed at both early career and experienced practitioners seeking to update, refresh or consolidate their practice framework for engaging with suicidal children and young people.

More information about the course content including anticipated learning outcomes, can be found in the QC28 course handout: QC28 Youth: Engage, Assess, Respond to, and Support Suicidal People - Course handout

(Adapted from the non-clinical intervention training QC31 Supporting a Suicidal Young Person)

Delivered via online classroom, this interactive course takes place over two, four-hour sessions (part one and part two).

Bridging the gap between clinical (mental health) training and more generalist crisis support training, this course will provide staff with increased confidence, tools and skills to support a suicidal young person.

Note: If you are a child and youth mental health practitioner and require more advanced clinical training, please refer to QC28/QC35 YEARS training.

This Sensory Approaches training course is designed to provide an introduction to the use of sensory approaches in mental health settings. The course has been designed through collaboration between the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning (Learning Centre) and the Occupational Therapy Mental Health Sensory Approaches Clinical Collaborative. The package will provide you with an introduction to the use of sensory approaches and how they work, as well as some skills and techniques to begin to use sensory strategies in your contact with mental health consumers. We hope this training course will assist and enhance your clinical skills and benefit you, your service, and the consumers with whom you have contact.

A police and ambulance intervention plan (PAIP) is a plan developed by mental health clinicians that provides specific information and strategies regarding a consumer to inform and assist the Queensland Police Service (QPS) and the Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) to mediate a mental health event involving a consumer in the community.

Suicide Risk Assessment and Management in Emergency Department Settings (SRAM-ED) Foundational + Advanced training is a blended learning course comprising of four eLearning modules and a face-to-face workshop. This course is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of clinicians’ working in emergency department settings with patients who are at risk of suicide. The four eLearning modules are prerequisites to attending the face-to-face workshop.

If you have not yet enrolled in the face-to-face workshop you will need to register your interest with your local trainer.

This course is designed to support mental health clinicians working with children and young people to understand what the ‘less restrictive way’ means within the context of the Mental Health Act 2016. It strengthens the ability of clinicians to assess a child or young person’s capacity to consent to mental health treatment to determine ‘Gillick competence’. A variety of tools and strategies are also showcased to facilitate a child or young person’s ability to engage meaningfully in the process of decision-making. These include communication approaches (e.g., visual prompts and tools) and sensory approaches.

This eLearning course provides a comprehensive and interactive overview of the founding principles of formulation and intervention planning. Throughout the course the learner receives information which is then applied to a case study. The clinician’s thinking process is made explicit throughout the module, in order to support the learner’s own development.

In the Formulation section of the course, the 5P approach to formulation is described and then applied. A focus on understanding and describing links between various factors of the formulation is demonstrated in order to improve clinical understanding.

In the Intervention Planning section, the process of utilising a person’s individual recovery goals within a shared formulation, to co-create clinical goals and intervention strategies, is explained and examples provided. Foundational principles of intervention planning (e.g. SMARTER strategies) are also described and applied.

This course complements the face-to-face course QC14 Fundamentals of Assessment, Formulation and Planning, however is not a compulsory part of that course.

This eLearning course is designed to provide information to support clinicians working with consumers at risk of becoming violent or aggressive; and is based on Queensland Health policy, including the Violence risk assessment and management framework – mental health services (the Framework). It is useful to any clinician working with individuals who may be at risk for exhibiting violence or aggression.

Specifically, this course will furnish you with knowledge regarding practical elements of working with violence risk in a Queensland Health context including understanding how to apply the Framework, and how to use the Violence Risk Assessment and Management (V-RAM) tool. Key concepts related to the assessment of violence risk are covered, including the principles and components of information gathering (evidence based risk factors), collection of collateral information, information sharing, and strategies to overcome common barriers. Strategies for conceptualising assessment information are demonstrated, in order to write a useful risk summary. A suggested template is provided to help guide your thought process in the workplace. Risk management planning is covered next, discussing how to ensure risk management plans are linked to risk summaries, suggested intervention strategies for common violence risk factors, how to distinguish between long-term and short-term risk management strategies, consideration of referrals to specialist forensic services, and reassessment of risk. Throughout the eLearning course, vignettes are provided to illustrate the application of content.

Note: This eLearning is a component of the QC30 Violence Risk Assessment and Management training. Completion of this eLearning alone does not meet the recommended training for individuals taking on the responsibilities of a Senior Clinician (as defined by the Framework). The full training to support Senior Clinicians involves the subsequent completion of the face-to-face component of QC30, as well as in-service support. Go to QC30 Violence Risk Assessment and Management for more information.

Gold Coast Suicide Prevention Pathway Training is a blended learning course comprising of four eLearning modules and a full day face-to-face workshop. This course is designed to enhance the knowledge and skills of clinicians working in a Gold Coast Mental Health Service to support their work with patients at risk of suicide. This training also supports the implementation of the “Suicide Prevention Pathway”. The four eLearning modules take approximately 30 minutes each to complete and are pre-requisites to attending the face-to-face workshop. This training is a modification of the Suicide Risk Assessment and Management in Emergency Department Settings (SRAM-ED) training. The training in the first 3 modules will make reference to Emergency Departments, however the skills are transferable to all settings. Module 4 specifically addresses the Gold Coast Suicide Prevention Pathway.

This course is designed for individuals who wish to be appointed as an authorised doctor under the Mental Health Act 2016 and for authorised doctors who wish to refresh their knowledge of the Act. The course can also be used by other staff of authorised mental health services or anyone in the community who wishes to gain a detailed understanding of the Act. It should be noted, however, that the course focuses on the knowledge required to be an authorised doctor and does not cover all aspects of the Act.

The purpose of the refresher course is to provide authorised doctors and authorised mental health practitioners with a refresher of their responsibilities under the Mental Health Act 2016 (the Act). This course is shorter in nature than the full eLearning course and has an assessment component at the end of all seven modules. The course is designed to refresh your competence in understanding and complying with the Act. All modules are mandatory for everyone completing the course.

The Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning has been involved in the development of this video Real Lives, Real People, Real Journeys. It showcases consumers, carers and mental health staff sharing their personal stories to promote an understanding of recovery.

The handbook was developed in 2007, in consultation with consumers, service providers and carers through a partnership with the Mental Health Clinical Collaborative and the Queensland Centre for Mental Health Learning.

The intention in compiling this resource was to provide an educational and personalised document for consumers and clinicians in adult inpatient mental health settings. It takes a recovery approach and contains a range of resource materials, good practice approaches, and worksheets that can be adapted to meet the individual needs of consumers.

This handbook was been designed for consumers to use independently or in collaboration with a health care professional to promote a shared understanding of the consumer's experience. The modular approach of the booklet is designed to allow the individual to move through the information at a pace suited to their own needs as well as provide a resource that extends beyond the inpatient facility.