This website is provided by the States and Territories through the Safety Quality Partnership Standing Committee (collectively referred to as SQPSC) for general information only. The SQPSC does not represent or warrant that the content of this website is accurate or complete or that the information contained in this website is suitable for your needs. You must not rely on this website as a statement of government policy, except where clearly stated. You should assess whether the information is accurate or complete and where appropriate, seek independent professional advice.

To the extent permitted by law, the SQPSC excludes liability for any loss (including loss from viruses) caused by use or reliance on this website. The SQPSC may amend or withdraw material on this website at any time without notice.

This website provides links to external websites. The SQPSC does not control and accepts no liability for the content of those websites or for any loss arising from use or reliance on those websites. The SQPSC does not endorse any external website and does not warrant that they are accurate or complete. Your use of any external website is governed by the terms of that website. The provision of a link to an external website does not authorise you to reproduce, adapt, modify, communicate or in any way deal with the material on that site.

The inclusion of any email addresses on this website is not consent to receiving unsolicited commercial electronic messages or spam.

MHPOD Content

Content on the MHPOD elearning site is provided for education and information purposes only. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not imply endorsement by the SQPSC and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.

The MHPOD Content has been prepared for the primary audience of psychiatrists, psychologists, occupational therapists, mental health nurses and social workers in their first two years of mental health practice in Australia. The content may also be useful to workers within the wider health/mental health and other human services workforces in Australia. It is not intended for personal use. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis/ treatment and answers to their medical questions. For a list of places where you can seek help, see "Where to get help" below.

The content has been developed in various stages over a number of years and was accurate at the time of publication. Readers should note that, over time, currency and completeness of the information may change. You may notice updates and changes to some of the modules during 2016 and 2017. These changes and updates will take place as part of the content review which aims to make the content more accessible and relevant to current mental health principles and practice.

Where to get help

  • Your doctor
  • Your local community health centre
  • Australian Psychological Society - Find a psychologist service Tel. 1800 333 497 (outside Melbourne) or (03) 8662 3300 (in Melbourne)
  • Social workers in mental health
  • Occupational therapists in mental health
  • Mental health nurse practitioners
  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health workers
  • Beyondblue Support Service Tel. 1300 22 4636
  • SANE Australia Helpline Tel. 1800 18 SANE (7263), Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
  • Lifeline Tel. 13 11 14
  • SuicideLine Victoria Tel. 1300 651 251 - for counselling, crisis intervention, information and referral (24 hours, 7 days)

Accessibility

The MHPOD content and website is currently being reviewed to ensure it reaches the W3C minimum standard of accessibility. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is the international body that sets the standards for website accessibility.

Please use our contact page if you experience difficulty accessing any information on MHPOD or have any suggestions for improving access to this site.

General web accessibility

There are many tools that people with a disability can use to access the Internet. These tools include:

  • Hardware - tools that manipulate the keyboard or mouse if the person with a disability is unable to use them. Some examples include refreshable Braille displays, joysticks and trackballs, and alternative keyboards.
  • Software - tools that change how a user interacts with the site. Some examples include screen readers, screen magnifiers, onscreen keyboards and programs that slow down applications for people with motor disabilities.

Vision Australia has a wide range of information about the many resources and tools that are available.

Browser shortcuts

Browser shortcuts can help you to navigate a website through a keyboard. Details of the various shortcuts specific to different Internet browsers are available from the manufacturers' websites:

Display and readability

You can adjust your browser and your computer settings to make things easier to see on the screen or for your visual preferences. Some examples include adjusting the font size or colour of text displayed on the screen, changing the background or link colours, formatting the page differently or turning certain functions on or off.

More details are available from the Vision Australia