Mental Health Worker

What does a Mental Health Worker do?

A mental health worker cares for people with mental health issues, substance abuse, poverty and other social problems. They assist psychiatrists, doctors and nurses by monitoring patients/groups, providing therapeutic assistance and keeping patient records.

Read more about the community services industry.

What skills do you need to be a Mental Health Worker?

Mental health workers help patients resolve psychological issues, provide counselling and refer them to relevant social services programs.

• A caring personality with a thorough understanding of services offered and systems to follow
• Ability to make sound decisions under pressure and de-escalate crises
• Excellent interpersonal and listening skills
• Empathy, tact and patience
• Keen social perceptiveness; the ability to understand why people react the way they do
• Critical thinking and complex problem solving skills

How to become a Mental Health Worker 

If you want to become a Mental Health Worker, you'll need to complete a bachelor's degree in either nursing or social work. You'll also need to gain some work experience in the field and pursue additional study in the mental health field.

We recommend studying a CHC43315 - Certificate IV in Mental Health as this will give you the opportunity to explore the fundamentals of the mental health space, and be able to pursue the career path of Mental Health Worker provided that you undertake further study.