A graduate certificate in youth mental health may be the perfect stepping stone to your new career helping children and adolescents with mental health needs. But what does the course entail? This guide will tell you what a graduate certificate in youth mental health is and what you may need to apply for the course.
What Is a Graduate Certificate in Youth Mental Health?
To earn a graduate certificate in youth mental health, you'll need to complete a postgraduate program that provides you with a clear understanding of mental health practices for children and adolescents suffering from mental health illnesses. You can typically study full-time, part-time, or online, allowing you to fit your studies around your lifestyle and any existing commitments you have.
The program should prepare you for a career in mental health and ensure you have the right skills to provide you with as much care for your patients as possible. The entry requirements vary depending on the course provider, but you usually need an AQF Level 7 Bachelor's degree in a cognate discipline or an AQF Level 7 bachelor's degree in any discipline and at least two years of work experience.
What Will I Learn in the Graduate Certificate in Youth Mental Health Program?
A graduate certificate in youth mental health is typically broken down into four units. The titles of these units might vary depending on the course provider you choose, but they should feature the same information, allowing you to progress in your mental health career. Let's look at these units so you can see what the course entails:
Introduction to Child and Adolescent Mental Health
Here, you should learn about the key principles and approaches of mental health and recovery services provided to children, adolescents, and their families. You should look at the presentations of mental health issues in children who often experience challenging family and social environments. You should also learn about the barriers to child- and adolescent-friendly mental health services, and reflect on the strategies used in mental health services.
Child and Adolescent Engagement and Assessment
This unit looks at the key principles, strategies, and approaches to engaging and assessing a diverse range of children and adolescents. You should learn how to conduct responsible, safe, and ethical risk assessments in accordance with legislative frameworks. You should critically reflect on your interpersonal communication skills when looking at age-appropriate biopsychological and culturally appropriate risk assessments.
Effective Trauma-Informed Care
You should look at the experiences of trauma among young people, and learn how it impacts them across their lives. You should analyze the way people with lived experience of trauma report feeling discriminated against, stigmatised, and misunderstood. You can also look at how this impacts these children and learn about the eight foundational principles of trauma-informed care, considering cultural differences that could impact your patients.
Mental Health Foundations
For this unit, you should look at developing your understanding of mental ill-health. You may examine the most common mental illnesses, the factors that contribute to them, and the impact of these illnesses on a diverse group of people, families, and communities.
Find Your Youth Mental Health Course Today
A graduate certificate in youth mental health is a significant step into a new and rewarding career helping children and adolescents navigate mental health illnesses.
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