Social Work Practice: Mental Health

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2016:

96 hours

None

None

None

None

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student’s participation in the University’s courses. Students who think their disability will impact on meeting this requirement are encouraged to discuss this matter with the Course Coordinator and the Disability Liaison Unit.

This subject focuses on social work practice in the mental health field. Topics covered include the nature of mental illness and how consumers, their relatives and friends experience it, and contemporary approaches to treatment and recovery, including trauma-informed practice. Also, examined are the national and state policy context, how services are organised and the particular contributions of social work practitioners within the different settings that they operate.

The elective will utilise guest speakers to provide practitioner and consumers perspectives.

Students who complete this subject should:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the social work role in the mental health field in Australia
• Be able to critically review social, cultural, organisational and ethical contexts of mental health practice
• Demonstrate a beginning knowledge of key social work skills for mental health practice

1. Class presentation (10%) mid semester
2. 500 written summary of presentation (15%) mid semester
3. Written essay - 3500 words (75%) due end of semester

Readings will be available online

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:

• critically analyse texts and practices;
• understand recent developments in social work contexts of practice;
• link theory to practice;
• competently communicate in ways relevant to both academic and practice contexts;
• undertake independent research.