A free course that provides an overview of the COPE online training program developed from the 2023 National Guideline.
Free perinatal mental health training to improve your practice
Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health is a free perinatal mental health training course that provides an overview of the COPE online training program developed from the 2023 National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline: Mental Health in the Perinatal Period: Australian Clinical Practice Guideline.
Online perinatal mental health training snapshot
Free online perinatal mental health course, fully funded by the Australian Government
Pre-accredited with ACM, ACMHN and RANZCOG for 12 hours of CPD.
Three modules, 20 lessons
Complete at your own pace (suggested 12 weeks to consolidate your learning) with ongoing access to all lessons and resources for the lifetime of the course*
Complete on a desktop, laptop or tablet (not on a phone).
Digital certificate of completion provided upon successful completion of course
*Please note: The timeframe of 12 weeks is purely a suggestion to consolidate your learning. You will not lose access to the course after this time, rather the course remains available to complete at your own pace for the lifetime of the course.
Helping midwives, maternal health nurses, and other health professionals deliver best practice care
Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health has been created to help midwives, maternal health nurses, or other health professionals who deliver care to new and expectant parents and their babies.
This course is designed to:
Increase your knowledge, confidence, and skills to screen clients in accordance with the 2023 National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline: Mental Health in the Perinatal Period: Australian Clinical Practice Guideline.
Help increase your confidence and competence in having the conversation around perinatal health with women in your care.
Demonstrate your commitment to the perinatal mental health as part of your patients’ postnatal care
Help reduce the gap between physical and mental health care
With the national roll-out of the perinatal mental health screening tool, iCOPE, the demand for enhanced perinatal mental health support & treatment continues to grow. This makes it an opportune time to invest in developing your knowledge, confidence and competence in this unique field.
Plus, gain Register Provider endorsement
Upon completion of the Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health course, frontline services providing standard maternity and postnatal care are encouraged to apply to COPE to be recognised as a registered service provider.
If approved, you’ll receive your unique digital certification.
This endorsement can help you increase patient trust, and provide patient support and reassurance of your capacity to look after your patients’ physical, mental and emotional needs during and after the birth of their baby.
Successful completion of the course means you will also receive our Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health certification of completion which can be presented for accreditation of 12 CPD points.
Please note, Registered Provider endorsement is only available to frontline services who are providing standard maternity and postnatal care - it is not available to Individual Practitioners. Additionally, the Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health provides a basic practical-level overview of perinatal anxiety and depression and does not meet the intermediate level of skill and training required to be listed as an Individual Practitioner on the COPE Directory.
Complete CPD in your own time, at your own pace
This free perinatal mental health course is pre-accredited with the Australian College of Midwives (ACM), the Royal Australian College of Obstetricians Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and and the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) for twelve hours of continuous professional development (CPD).
It can be completed in your own time on a desktop, laptop or tablet (please note, the course cannot be completed on a phone) and at your own pace (suggested 6-8 weeks). You’ll also have ongoing access to all lessons and resources for the lifetime of the course
You will receive a certificate upon successful completion of the course.
All course content is underpinned by evidence-based best practice in accordance with the Australian Clinical Practice Guideline developed by COPE for the Australian government and approved by National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
What’s inside this free perinatal mental health course?
To nurture your mental health professional development, this free perinatal mental health training offers:
Immediate and unlimited access to all lessons and resources for the lifetime of the course
3 course modules, 20 lessons
10 hours of online learning that you can complete in your own time, at your own pace
Digital copy of the 2023 Guideline, Mental Health in the Perinatal Period: Australian Clinical Practice Guideline.
Transcripts of all modules and lessons
Course resources including fact sheets, templates, checklists and health promotion assets for your setting
Case studies based on real-life consumer and family experiences
Lesson assessments to consolidate your learning and track your progress
Digital certificate in perinatal mental health training pertaining to the Basic Skills course
Plus…
The opportunity to apply to get a Registered Provider digital badge for those who qualify for registration on the COPE Directory
Please note: The Basic Skills course provides a basic practical-level overview of perinatal anxiety and depression and does not meet the intermediate level of skill and training required to be listed as an Individual Practitioner on the COPE Directory.
Course modules and lessons
Module 1: Overview of mental health disorders in the perinatal period
The perinatal context (New)
Psychoeducation (New)
Perinatal depression and anxiety
Borderline personality disorder
Psychological birth trauma (New)
Severe mental illness (bipolar disorder, postpartum psychosis, schizophrenia)
Enabling effective care
Module 2: Psychosocial assessment and screening
Preparing for screening and assessment
Screening for signs and symptoms (EPDS)
Psychosocial assessment (ANQR)
Responding to screening and assessment
Assessing and responding to ensure maternal safety
Assessing mother-infant interaction (bonus lesson)
Plus
4 x Case Studies – Eve, Sarah, Sophia and Rachel
Module 3: Referral Pathways, Management Plans, and Practitioner Development
Prevention and treatment of perinatal depression and anxiety
Formulating a management plan and referral
Treatment and management of severe mental illness
How to be a best practice service provider
Plus
4 Case Studies, revisited – Eve, Sarah, Sophia and Rachel
You’ll also receive the COPE Matrix Framework
The Matrix Framework of Perinatal Depression and Anxiety Disorders has been developed to:
Provide guidelines on the core skills required by health professionals involved in screening, referral and providing support and/or treatment for depression and related disorders in the perinatal period
Ensure uniform standards of comprehensive clinical care informed by clinical practice guidelines (Centre of Perinatal Excellence, 2023)
Promote best practice across Australia for perinatal mental health training, informed by the Clinical Practice Guidelines
Inform organisations currently providing or developing professional development courses
Inform the development of National Standards against which existing training programs and services can be assessed
VivanI think all health care workers in contact with women and children should undertake this course. The templates and Facts sheet are very handy and informative as well. I will always come back to print out more for patients in my care
SandraExcellent course. Great opportunity for midwives to gain knowledge of pathways and management plans to optimise care for women in the perinatal period. This course would be great to be included in mandatory training for midwives
SharonThe course provides a great opportunity to update on best practice in providing support to women experiencing anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions. The templates and factsheets are also a great resource to assist in case management.
KerrieExcellent resource, thank you. It has provided me with a greater understanding of the perinatal mental health issues that may affect women and their families; greater ability to screen for issues and plan for referral and management to ensure women receive timely and targeted support.
Acknowledgements
This program is funded by the Australian Government
Lesson links
Guidelines Expert Committee Members(click on the link)
Matrix Framework for perinatal depression and anxiety disorders (click on the link)
Mental Health in the Perinatal Period (click on the link)
