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What is the Mental Health Academy?
Mental Health Academy (MHA) is an Australian-based, global provider of continuing professional development (CPD) for mental health professionals. We’re passionate about creating lasting change in the world through education and altruism. Our focus is to put world-leading knowledge at the fingertips of mental health professionals, regardless of location, empowering them to optimise mental health and wellbeing in our communities.
How are MHA courses delivered?
For your convenience, all MHA courses are delivered online. Each course is hosted on our website and includes a range of learning materials and resources such as readings, videos, assessment questions, handouts and other supplemental resources (this will vary within each course). Our courses also fall into two main groups: Membership courses and Credential courses.
What is the difference between Membership and Credential courses?
MHA Membership courses (listed in the MHA Catalogue page) are shorter, specific programs – with most courses ranging from 1 to 5 hours in duration. MHA members can access membership courses by paying a fixed monthly or annual membership fee (note that access levels will vary depending on the member’s chosen membership type). MHA Credential courses are designed to provide a deep-dive, content-rich experience (30+ hours of learning) backed up by real-life case studies, activities and illustrations. These programs require a separate enrolment fee (current MHA members can access exclusive discounts when enrolling in Credential courses).
Do I need to be a member to enrol in Credential courses?
No. But MHA active members receive a discount when they enrol. If you are not currently an MHA member, you can join membership first and enrol in a Credential course after you have become a member to take advantage of the member-only discount.
Do courses have an assessment?
Yes. All MHA courses include an online, multiple-choice assessment which is built into the course. To complete a course, you must first attain a minimum 80% pass rate in your course assessment. If you don’t initially pass your assessment, you can review and update your answers, and re-submit your questions. Upon completing the assessment, you can download a Certificate of Attainment that includes your name, the course title, the course duration (in hours), and other relevant details. Participants of Credential courses are also awarded with an MHA Digital Badge upon completion of all assessment requirements for the course.
Do I need to be a member to access membership courses?
Yes, to access membership courses you must be a Mental Health Academy member. Whilst you do not need to be a member to enrol in a Credential course, current MHA members are able to access exclusive discounts.
What is a Digital Badge?
A Digital Badge is a form of Digital Credential (also known as ‘micro-credential’) that can be verified/validated online. A digital badge signals your achievement to potential employers and stakeholders, as they are able to verify your learning/skill acquisition outcomes in real-time, over the web. MHA Digital Badges are issued to learners who have completed an MHA Credential course.
How do I become an MHA member?
Click here to access our ‘Join’ page, select your preferred membership type, and complete our secure online registration form. Upon completing your registration, you will receive on-screen and email confirmations, and gain instant access to courses.
What courses can I access as a member?
Visit our Catalogue page to view a list of all currently available MHA membership courses. You can find courses by typing keywords into the search box or using the filter system – where you can refine your search by topic; course format (text or video); or course type.
Do I have to pay extra fees to enrol in a membership course?
You don’t need to pay any extra fees to enrol in MHA membership courses - your monthly or annual membership fees cover access to all 300+ courses. Additional fees are only required if you wish to enrol in an MHA Credential Course (as a member, you will be able to enrol in Credential Courses at a discounted rate).
Are there any pre-requirements to become a member?
Anyone can become a Mental Health Academy member. Our membership options are suitable for both personal and professional development purposes.
Do your courses count towards my CPD/OPD?
Most professional associations and registration bodies require
members to undertake professional development each year. As a
mental health or allied health professional, you may be able to
accrue CPD/OPD hours/points by completing Mental Health Academy
courses. Following is information specific to a number of
professions.
COUNSELLORS
MHA courses are approved for OPD points by the Australian
Counselling Association (ACA). ACA members accrue 5 OPD points
each time they complete a MHA course.
SOCIAL WORKERS
MHA courses are endorsed for CPD hours by the Australian
Association of Social Workers (AASW). AASW members accrue 1 CPD
hour per 1 hour (duration) for MHA courses they complete.
COMMUNITY WORKERS
MHA courses are endorsed for CPD by the Australian Community
Workers Association (ACWA). ACWA members accrue 1 CPD hour per 1
hour (duration) for MHA courses they complete.
PSYCHOLOGISTS
The APS and the Psychology Board of Australia do not accredit
any CPD activities or providers. Therefore, psychologists are
not limited to CPD offered by specific providers – they have the
flexibility to choose the CPD options that best suit their own
needs. All Mental Health Academy courses meet the criteria for
"Active CPD" established by the Psychology Board of Australia.
Refer to the Psychology Board of Australia's CPD standards for
more details.
Other professionals may be able to accrue CPD points/hours from
completion of MHA courses. Please refer to your association or
registration body for more information.
What happens if I cancel my membership within the minimum term?
The associated cost of a Monthly Membership is for the full duration of the minimum term (i.e. 12 months). Cancellations received within the initial term will accrue a cancellation fee equal to the unpaid portion of the minimum term. For example, a cancellation received 3 months prior to the end of the membership period will accrue a cancellation fee of 3 times the monthly membership fee. The cancellation fee will be applied automatically upon processing of cancellation to the account’s registered credit card. Upon completing the minimum term, your membership will continue on a month-by-month renewal basis, and you can cancel at any time without incurring any extra fees.
How does MHA give back to the community?
Our social impact programmes intersect education and altruism into a common cause: supporting people in need. Since 2009, we have given hundreds of thousands of dollars to social impact causes we’re passionate about, including suicide prevention, supporting children at-risk of abuse and neglect, expanding mental health resources and services to underserved and never-served communities, and more. You can learn more about our social impact programmes here.
Can I use the material to train staff or colleagues?
Mental Health Academy courses and related materials are only to be used by the individual person that registered. All resources are available at a very fair and reasonable investment. Only by strictly following our copyright restrictions can we continue to deliver courses at a low rate for everybody.
Can I reproduce content in the newsletter?
If you wish to reproduce any articles and other content from our newsletter, you will need to email our team and request permission to reproduce a particular section. We will review your request and provide you with a response generally within 1-week.
Can I pay my membership fees via direct debit or with a cheque?
Generally, we require a credit card to process your membership payment. If you do not have a credit card and are unable to obtain one, please contact us to discuss alternative payment options.
What is the cost to become an MHA member?
MHA membership investment is $39/month (minimum 12-month term applies) or $349/year (upfront, discounted fee). Both include access to all MHA membership courses (300+ courses amounting to over 600 hours of learning).
I'm a member. How do I enrol in a membership course?
Firstly, make sure you are logged on to your profile. Then visit our Catalogue to search for, and enrol in, courses. Other tips are available via the Help Centre of your member dashboard.
How long do I have to complete an MHA course?
MHA membership and credential courses are self-paced and can be completed progressively, at any time. Whilst we do not stipulate a minimum period to complete a course, please note you must be an active member to gain access to any membership courses you have enrolled in. If you cancel or fail to renew your membership, you will no longer be able to access membership courses (although you will be able to renew/ reactivate your access at any time). If you have enrolled in a Credential course, you will be able to access the course content at any time, irrespective of your membership status (if you are a member).
Do you issue certificates upon completion of a course?
Yes! Upon completing your course’s mandatory assessment component, you can download a Certificate of Attainment that includes your name, the course title, the course duration (in hours), and other relevant details. If you have completed a Credential course, you will also be awarded with an MHA Digital Badge.
If I logout of my account or leave the assessment page, will my answers be lost?
No. However, you need to ensure that you save answers as you progress through the assessments. Simply use the appropriate button at each assessment question. Saving each answer ensures your information is saved for the next time you access it.
Can I do more than one membership course at a time?
Yes. You are welcome to enrol in and complete as many membership courses as you would like, during the same period. You can also archive any courses you have enrolled in but decided you no longer wish to complete it.
I don't like reading off a screen. Can I print out course content?
You may print the reading materials and assessments to read them offline, and then complete the assessment online. If the course you are doing has video content, you will need to organise time online to watch it. Please remember that due to copyright restrictions you cannot distribute printed materials to anyone.
How many questions do I need to answer correctly to complete a course?
To successfully complete any MHA course, you must obtain a minimum of 80% correct answers on the overall result.
What happens if I don't attain the minimum 80% pass rate?
You can review (for reference, your incorrect answers will be
marked when you return to the assessment page after having
submitted your assessment), save your progress and re-submit
your answers at any time if you haven't attained the minimum 80%
pass rate for a course.
Once you have attained the 80% mark, you will still have access
to the course content (you can review/refresh your learning at
any time) but you will not be able to re-submit your assessment
questions. Correct answers for courses you have completed are
available for review via the assessment section.
Do monthly memberships have a minimum term?
Yes. If you choose the monthly payment option when registering your membership, a minimum 12-month term will apply. This will be clearly indicated in the registration form and Terms & Conditions of your membership, prior to your registration.
Do memberships renew automatically?
We process auto-renewals for monthly and annual memberships to
streamline the payment process for members. If your annual
membership renewal is due, we will send you email reminders 1
month and 1 week before we process your renewal.
Unless a cancellation request has been provided in writing (e.g.
email), your monthly or annual membership continue to be renewed
automatically upon expiry of your next monthly or annual billing
cycle. This requirement will be clearly outlined in your
membership’s Terms & Conditions.
I’m having trouble watching a video. What should I do?
Our video content is webstreamed through a HTML5 video player.
This technology allows you to watch videos using a range of
different devices and browsers. If are unable to play a video,
please email
us, describing what is happening, and we will provide
you with more specific feedback.
If you can play the video, however you are experiencing issues
with the flow of the content (e.g. the presentation is not
playing continuously, or it is taking a long time to load), then
we recommend you contact your internet service provider to
verify whether there are temporary problems with your internet
connection and speed. If you live in a remote area with a slow
internet connection, please email us for further instructions.
I can't remember my login details. How do I access my account?
If you can’t remember your email address, contact us and we will confirm it for you. If you can’t remember your password, go to our Login page and click the Forgot Password link to re-set your password.
I received an email about a failed payment. What do I do?
Mental Health Academy's billing system has a daily routine for processing due membership fee payments. When a payment is processed and declined (this can occur as a result of an expired credit card, insufficient funds, an authorisation issue with the bank, or various other reasons), our system automatically sends out an email notification to you, letting you know we've had a problem. If you have received a notification, please login to your membership profile and check if your payment details are up to date (including the expiry date). You can do this via the ‘Payment Details’ section of your Learning Portal (under ‘Account Settings’). We will re-process your payment a few times following the initial declined payment - if we continue to experience difficulties, we’ll let you know.
How do you ensure my payment information is secure?
Our website and systems are constantly reviewed, tested and upgraded to ensure we are up-to-date with the latest industry standards for data security. To ensure your payment details are safe, we process all our payments via a payment gateway called Stripe. Stripe is one of the world's leading payment processing services, and a certified PCI Service Provider Level 1. This means they meet the highest security standards available in the payments industry. All credit card information collected and processed via our forms is handled by Stripe, ensuring your details are secure at all times.
What happens if my account access is temporarily suspended?
When your account is suspended, you can still login to your member dashboard, update your details, and use some of your membership tools. However, course content will be unavailable until your overdue payment is processed and approved. To renew your access, simply click the Renew button located in your member dashboard and follow the prompt instructions.
I've been paying membership fees but haven't accessed courses. Can I get a refund?
Generally, we do not refund paid fees on the basis of “not using the account.” To draw a comparison, Mental Health Academy memberships are very similar to a Gym membership – your payment gives you the right to access available resources whether or not you decide to. It is your sole responsibility to monitor your access to your membership resources, including courses.
Can I review courses if my membership has lapsed?
If your membership has been cancelled or is currently suspended, you will not be able to access course content or enrol in new courses. You will still be able to access tax invoices, Certificates for courses you have completed, and your course assessment history.
How do I get a tax invoice for my MHA payments?
Tax invoices for any payments you have made as an MHA user are available online and can be accessed at any time via the ‘Tax Invoices’ link under the ‘Account Settings’ section of your member dashboard (or Learning Portal).
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