Core Skills Training (for Medicare Item 2715 access)

This online course was developed by ACRRM to fulfil the need for relevant, practical, evidence-based training in mental health for rural doctors who practice primary care with limited external resources.  Traditionally and ideally, therapeutic skills are taught in a face to face format.  However, considering many rural practitioners are unable to leave their practices for extended periods to access face to face training, and it is with these doctors and their registrars in mind that this course was developed.

The content was developed collaboratively by General Practitioners, mental health nurses, carers, consumers, Psychiatrists and Psychologists, all interested in the interface between mental health care and primary medical care.

This course emphasises interactive activities and reflective learning, supplemented by discussions, demonstrations and reading. 

In this unique approach, a real-time virtual classroom envirnoment has been introduced through "Elluminate", a user friendly educational software application designed for distance education and collaboration.  The virtual learning environment extends the physical boundaries of the traditional classroom and adds live discussion and dynamic interaction to distance learning sessions.

The Mental Disorders Package for Rural Practitioners - Core Skills course is the equivalent of the previous Level 1 Mental Health training, and includes a focus on developing skills in assessment, planning and review, especially within the context of rural and remote situations.  Completion of this training will give participants access to Medicare Item 2715.

2012 Core Skills courses:

• Start date: Thursday 12 April 2012
• Start time: 7:30 pm AEST
• Session duration: One hour
• Frequency: Each consecutive Thursday from 12 April, 2012 for 6 weeks
• Fee: $440 (including GST)

Payment is required at least seven days before the course starts.

Please note: Course commencing 12 April is now FULL. Please advise your interest in participting in further courses. Contact one of the team via Email:  coursesacrrm [dot] org [dot] au.

Advanced Skills training

The Mental Disorders Package for Rural Practitioners - Advanced Skills course is for GPs who have completed a Core Skills course in mental health. Both the Core and Advanced Skills courses are fully accredited with the General Practice Mental Health Standards Collaboration (GPMHSC) and provide you with access to relevant Medicare item numbers.

One of the aims of this course is to enable rural medical practitioners to become accredited through the Better Outcomes in Mental Health Care initiative.  The course will increase their capacity in mental health care.

After completing this course, practitioners should be able to:

• Describe the systemic issues that affect mental health care in rural communities in general and your community in particular
• Describe your role in the mental health care network in your community
• Outline the unique contextual features of GP mental health care in the rural context
• Assess and manage common mental health presentations in the rural setting, including depression, anxiety and somatisation disorder
  Outline approaches to eating disorders, substance abuse disorders and crisis
• Describe the mental health consequences of common social, cultural and psychological issues that present in the rural setting, and describe an approach to their management, including:
  • Chronic adversity and poverty
  • Grief and bereavement
  • Crisis and change
  • Work stress and unemployment
  • Relationship issues, sexuality and parenting
  • Acculturation and migration
  • Violence, assault and crime
  • Childhood sexual abuse
• Describe issues within the therapeutic relationship that affect mental health care in rural communities (eg confidentiality,boundary issues)
• Develop and utilise strategies of self care
• Plan a therapeutic intervention, understanding the role of beginning therapy, contracting during therapy and concluding therapy in the rural GP context
• Manage common "road blocks" in therapy
• Describe strategies to engage, empower and affirm mental health patients and their carers in the rural GP setting
  Develop a repertoire of mental health patient education materials for use in the rural context
• Demonstrate skills in motivational interviewing, behavioural modification, structured problem solving and cognitive interventions (cognitive analysis, thought challenging and cognitive restructuring)

2012 Advanced Skills Courses:

Start date: (TBC).
We require a minimum of 12 participants to set a course date - so please send expression of interest in participating. Email: coursesacrrm [dot] org [dot] au

Session duration: Two hours

Frequency: Weekly, over 6 weeks

Additional work: six self-directed RRMEO modules and contributions to online forum

Fee: (TBC)