Mental health professions
Every year, millions of Australians contact the mental health system and almost half of all Australians will experience mental ill-health in their lifetime. The mental health workforce is diverse to help treat a wide range of conditions.
Mental health professions are generally fall into 4 categories.
Medical mental health professionals
Medical mental health professionals have specialised medical training. Examples of these professions include:
- psychiatrists
- other medically trained specialists such as geriatricians and paediatricians who work in mental health
- registrars and junior medical officers.
Tertiary qualified mental health professionals
This includes medical university trained (or equivalent) professionals, with a minimum 3-year bachelor degree in a discipline related to mental health care. It includes:
- nurse practitioners
- registered nurses
- social workers
- psychologists
- occupational therapists
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health clinician
- other relevant allied health professions.
Vocationally qualified mental health professionals
Vocationally qualified mental health professionals are typically not clinically trained and do not have a university qualification. They usually have a TAFE qualification up to Advanced Diploma level in mental health or a related area. It includes:
- enrolled nurses
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health workers
- other vocationally qualified mental health workers.
Peer mental health worker
Peer mental health workers usually have lived experience as a mental health service consumer or mental health carer. A broad, inclusive approach to this category recognises that peer workers have a range of qualifications and may or may not receive formal training. Peer mental health workers include:
- consumer peer workers
- carer peer workers
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health peer workers.