The Learning Program

The Mental Health Graduate Allied Health Program is an integral part of Mercy Mental Health’s commitment to developing our future mental health workforce.

We are pleased to offer occupational therapy and social work graduates with a two-year program (24-month contract) that allows graduates time to consolidate their learning in a supported environment.

Graduates are contracted to work 0.8 EFT, beginning early February 2025.

Clinical rotations

The first year of the program offers two six-month rotations in acute and residential clinical settings.

Clinical rotations include:

* Mental Health Adult Inpatient Unit (Werribee)

* Community Care Unit (Werribee)

The second year of the program offers a 12-month rotation with a Community Mental Health Team. This clinical case management rotation is undertaken at either Saltwater Clinic (Footscray) or Wyndham Clinic (Hoppers Crossing).

Paid Professional Study Days

The Mercy Mental Health Graduate Program begins with a comprehensive three-week orientation. The first two weeks of orientation is provided by the Learning and Development team and third week encompasses supernumerary shifts at allocated teams.

The goal of the orientation is to provide allied health graduates with an opportunity meet with other graduates from the allied health and nursing programs, as well as the educators in the Learning and Development Team.

The orientation program covers core clinical skill areas, clinical frameworks, legislation and self-care principles that are necessary to perform the role of a mental health clinician.

In addition to the orientation program, allied health graduates are provided with five training days throughout the year.

In 2023 and 2024, the training days offered to allied health graduates include:

• Foundations in Clinical Mental Health Assessment Skills
  • develop foundation skills in engaging consumers; mental state examination; risk assessment; and formulation and planning
• Safewards
  • develop an understanding of the evidence-based Safewards model, and learn how to use the 10 Safewards interventions designed to reduce conflict and containment in mental health services
• Recovery-orientated practice
  • develop an understanding of the Recovery Framework and how recovery domains guide clinical practice, develop skills in collaborating with consumers and families to uncover recovery goals
• Introduction to Alcohol and Other Drugs (AOD)
  • develop skills in AOD assessment; gain an increased understanding of pharmacotherapy and the management of withdrawal from substances; and explore the concept of recovery from the consumer and carer perspective using the stages of change model
• Suicide: engaging, understanding, responding
  • identify factors that contribute to risk of suicide; understand prevention-oriented formulation approach (Pisani); and learn how to structure an interview to best explore intent to suicide.

These trainings will be included for 2025.

Clinical supervision

Allied Health graduates have access to individual clinical supervision from a senior clinician of their discipline.

Clinical supervision provides graduates with an opportunity to reflect on clinical experiences, problem solve and seek guidance, identify learning goals, and continually develop their professional identity and role in the multidisciplinary healthcare team. The frequency of clinical supervision is tailored to the needs of the graduate.

Group reflective practice

Allied Health graduates have the opportunity to participate in monthly group clinical supervision. These reflective practice sessions are interdisciplinary (incorporating nursing, occupational therapy and social work graduates) and provide a space for the clinicians to reflect on current themes that are occurring in clinical areas or other relevant topics. The space allows clinicians time to connect, reflect, share ideas and plan.

How to apply

Allied Health graduate positions for 2025 will be advertised in Mercy Health Career website and seek.

Please refer to the Mercy Health Careers website.

Contacts