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Elements and Performance Criteria

1. Work within the context of different mental health diagnoses
   • Apply basic knowledge of a range of mental health diagnoses
   • Demonstrate an understanding of the process used to determine a diagnosis
   • Identify a range of different service responses to a range of mental health diagnoses
2. Apply knowledge of the impact of mental illness on people's lives
   • Work within the context of the client's experiences
   • Work within the framework of self perception and self-esteem issues of the person with a mental illness or mental health diagnosis
   • Respond to the person in a manner that reflects appreciation of their functional skills and social and financial well being
   • Recognise importance of employment/occupation/ vocation and potential impact of mental health diagnosis on that aspect of the person's life
   • Empathise with sense of loss and associated adjustments experienced by person with mental health diagnosis
   • Demonstrate understanding of a range of coping mechanisms used by the person
3. Apply an understanding of the impact of social determinants on health
   • Identify a range of social barriers that impact on the life of the person with mental health issues
   • Identify the effect of and possible strategies to respond to the barriers that impact on the person
   • Identify others that can assist with the response to barriers that impact on the person
   • Identify strategies to engage support with the response to barriers that impact on the person
4. Work with families, carer/s friends and other networks to support people with mental illness
   • Work with consideration and understanding of the impact of a client's mental health diagnosis on families, carer/s, friends and other social networks
   • Work with awareness of the everyday effects of the interaction of coping mechanisms used by person experiencing mental illness on their family, carer/s and other social networks
   • Work with understanding of the roles of consumer workers, carers and associated networks and their potential to positively impact the life of the person with mental health issues

Required Skills

This describes the essential skills and knowledge and their level required for this unit

Essential knowledge The candidate must be able to demonstrate essential knowledge required to effectively do the task outlined in elements and performance criteria of this unit manage the task and manage contingencies in the context of the identified work role These include knowledge of Personcentred holistic and strengthsbased approaches Basic knowledge of mental health diagnosis and diagnostic processes Roles of a range of workers involved in mental health teams and their potential contributions in the recovery process including clinical and nonclinical workers consumer workers The range of contexts which influence a persons life Stigma Individual triggers reasons and purposes of challenging behaviour Types of challenging behaviour Social barriers experienced by people affected by mental illness Systemic issues that affect people affected by mental illness The effect of involuntary and voluntary admission to hospital Range of people affected by mental illness mental health diagnosis Coping mechanisms of people affected by mental illness including person who experiences mental illness family carers friends and social networks Theoretical frameworks in regard to loss and adjustment

Essential skills It is critical that the candidate demonstrate the ability to Reflect on own attitudes behaviours and practice and how this affects other people Apply a holistic approach to working with people Apply a personcentred approach to working with people Apply a strengthsbased approach to working with people Identify effective responses to challenging behaviour Identify a range of barriers experienced by people affected by mental illness and psychiatric disability Identify a range of individual family carers and social network coping mechanisms Work collaboratively with the person and as part of a mental team and facilitate and support the potential contributions of other members of that team in the recovery process

Evidence Required

The evidence guide provides advice on assessment and must be read in conjunction with the Performance Criteria Required Skills and Knowledge the Range Statement and the Assessment Guidelines for this Training Package
Critical aspects for assessment and evidence required to demonstrate this unit of competency	The individual being assessed must provide evidence of specified essential knowledge as well as skills This unit is best assessed on the job or in a simulated workplace under the normal range of conditions Consistency in performance should consider the requirements of the particular workplace context
Access and equity considerations	All workers in community services should be aware of access equity and human rights issues in relation to their own area of work All workers should develop their ability to work in a culturally diverse environment In recognition of particular issues facing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities workers should be aware of cultural historical and current issues impacting on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people Assessors and trainers must take into account relevant access and equity issues in particular relating to factors impacting on Aboriginal andor Torres Strait Islander clients and communities
Context of and specific resources for assessment	This unit can be assessed independently however holistic assessment practice with other community services units of competency is encouraged Resources required for assessment of this unit include access to a workplace or simulated workplace where assessment may occur
Method of assessment	In cases where the learner does not have the opportunity to cover all relevant aspects in the work environment the remainder should be assessed through realistic simulations projects previous relevant experience or oral questioning on What if scenarios Assessment of this unit of competence will usually include observation of processes and procedures oral andor written questioning on Essential knowledge and skills and consideration of required attitudes Where performance is not directly observed andor is required to be demonstrated over a period of time andor in a number of locations any evidence should be authenticated by colleagues supervisors clients or other appropriate persons

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Range Statement

The Range Statement relates to the unit of competency as a whole. It allows for different work environments and situations that may affect performance. Add any essential operating conditions that may be present with training and assessment depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts.
Possible strategies to respond to barriers may include:	Focus on strengths Solution finding Cooperative effort Information Providing choices and options
Others may include:	Family Carer/s Friends Neighbours Social network Co-workers Employers

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