SUPERSEDED Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health – 2017 Guideline

This course has been superseded by Basic Skills in Perinatal Mental Health – 2023 Guideline

Description

In this brief introductory module, we provide you with an overview of the COPE online training program developed out of the 2017 National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline: Mental Health in the Perinatal Period: Australian Clinical Practice Guideline.

This course is made up of three core modules:

  • An overview of mental health disorders in the perinatal period
  • Psychosocial assessment and screening
  • Referral and treatment

We briefly provide an overview of the course and Module content, outline the objectives and explain how you can use this training to improve your practice. We will also provide you with details of how to complete the course and obtain accreditation.

Estimated Time: 

Complete at your own pace within 6 weeks.

Mode of Completion:

Please note that this training program can only be completed on a desktop, laptop or table (and not on a phone).

Accreditation:

This course is pre-accredited with the Australian College of Midwives (ACM) and the Australian College of Mental Health Nurses (ACMHN) for ten hours of continuous professional development (CPD).

On successful completion of the course, you will receive a certificate as proof of completion.

Acknowledgements:

This program is funded by the Australian Government

Lesson links

  1. Guidelines Expert Committee Members (click on the link)
  2. Matrix Framework for perinatal depression and anxiety disorders (click on the link)
  3. Mental Health in the Perinatal Period (click on the link)

Modules

Module 1: Overview of Mental Health Disorders in the Perinatal Period

<h2>Module 1 Overview</h2> In this Module we provide an overview of the six disorders covered in the National Perinatal Mental Health Guideline. This includes the more common conditions of depression and anxiety (Lesson 1), more severe mental health conditions - bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and postpartum psychosis (Lesson 2) together with an overview of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in the perinatal period (Lesson 3). In covering each of these conditions, we will consider the experience of woman and the implications of consumer experiences, and what this might mean for your practice. In the final lesson (lesson 4) we will discuss the core principles for enabling effective care for women who experience and live with these, often complex conditions, in the perinatal period. Included with each lesson is a range of resources for health professionals, consumers and carers. It is important that you complete ALL quiz questions at the end of each lesson and the case studies at the end of the module, in order to receive accreditation and your certificate at the end of the program. To get started with Module 1, simply click on the 'Complete and continue' button (top right corner) on your screen.

Lessons

Module 2: Psychosocial Screening and Assessment

In this module we will cover the what, when, why and how of screening and assessment in the perinatal period. First will discuss why screening and assessment is an important part of perinatal health care, and provide you with strategies that can be helpful when introducing screening within your setting and with the women in your care (lesson 1). We then focus upon tools and approaches recommended in the National Guideline to screen for symptoms of depression and anxiety (lesson 2) and assess for the presence of psychosocial risk factors (lesson 3). Following we will look at how to respond to screening and assessment (lesson 4) including how addressing any indication of safety issues for the woman and her fetus/infant (lesson 5). We have also included a bonus module focusing on assessment and responding to mother-infant attachment issues (lesson 6). Tools, scoring guides and resources are included throughout this module, to support best practice in perinatal screening and assessment. To get started with Module 2, simply click on the 'Complete and Continue' button (top right corner) on your screen.

Lessons

Module 3: Referral and Treatment in the Perinatal Period

In this Module we will focus on the steps that follow screening and assessment: referral and treatment. This will begin with an overview of what the National Guideline tells us about what is effective in the prevention and treatment of the most common conditions – perinatal depression and anxiety (Lesson 1). Following, we review the necessary steps to formulate a management plan and consider referral options for someone in need of a further mental health assessment and treatment of these common conditions (lesson 2). In the final lesson we will review the recommended treatment and management of the more severe mental illnesses and Borderline Personality Disorder (Lesson 3). we will consider the role of healthcare professionals and that of other providers in the management of these conditions in the perinatal period. Throughout each lesson you will be provided with a range of tools and resources to support you and consumers in the referral, treatment and management of perinatal mental health conditions. It is important that you complete ALL quiz questions at the end of each lesson and the case studies at the end of the module, in order to receive accreditation and your certificate at the end of the program. To get started with Module 3, simply click on the 'Complete and Continue' button (top right corner) on your screen.

Lessons