Postgraduate Diploma in Public Mental Health

Purpose

This qualification will enable the successful learner to practice in the area of community or public mental health as a full-time health and development professional. This practitioner will build on own professional knowledge and increase own capacity in this area. This in turn will enable the practitioner to develop policies and plans for mental health, design community-based services, evaluate these and conduct basic research in the field of public mental health.

This qualification should enable the graduating learner to

• Facilitate the development of mental health-related leadership and capacity in Africa.
• Develop and equip practitioners to design, deliver and manage mental health-related policy, services and interventions in developing contexts.
• Foster and encourage new and appropriate mental health related models and methods to address population mental health, especially in Africa.
• Strengthen a mental health knowledge-base within a globally-connected, regional professional mental health community.

The programme is designed to be relevant for and accessible to full-time working health and development professionals, building on their professional knowledge and increasing their capacity in these roles.

Rationale

In the past decade there has been a call from the global health community to recognise and prioritise mental health as an essential part of public health in the developing world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) in particular, has described the high burden of mental disorders and the significant impact of poverty, conflict and HIV/AIDS, upon mental health in developing countries. The key role of psychosocial and behavioural factors in shaping population health and development has also been emphasised. There is, however, a major shortage of practitioners in a professional mental health capacity within Africa and across the developing world. The World Health Organisation Atlas Report has highlighted the vast inequalities in mental health resources, and the urgent need to train and retain public health and mental health professionals in low- and middle-income countries.

A crucial gap is in the overall policy, service and legislative framework that enable governments to deliver evidence-based interventions and address mental health systematically as a major public health and development issue. In many African countries, mental health professionals lack the public health training to develop policies, plan services, and work with policy makers to address the social determinants of mental ill-health such as poverty and conflict.

There are currently no programmes offered on the African continent for training in public mental health. Some programmes are beginning to emerge in Australia, Chile, India, Portugal and the United Kingdom. The establishment of this programme would therefore provide an opportunity for UCT to pioneer this training and capacity development work in Africa.

Candidates for this programme should be in possession of an approved Health or Development Professional Degree or a Degree in an approved cognate discipline, at NQF Level 7. In addition, candidates should preferably be currently working in an approved workplace setting, such as a Provincial Ministry of Health, a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) dealing in health or developmental matters or a mental health service.

Applicants should demonstrate

• Academic Merit and motivation/justification for admission.
• Potential to contribute to mental health development in areas of need.
• Evidence of an interest and/or involvement in lifelong learning activities such as conferences, workshops, short-courses.
• Evidence of a reflective viewpoint, namely, the ability to offer an analysis of own strengths and limitations and how the applicant intends to address these during the course of the programme.
• Any additional evidence the applicants can offer in respect of the application.

Recognition of Prior Learning

Recognition of Prior Learning is in place to facilitate access for candidates who do not meet the required academic criteria. Experience of working in mental health or related health or development environments will be a strong recommendation.

Candidates wishing to gain Recognition of Prior Learning will need to submit a detailed application that includes the following:

• A motivation/justification for admission to the programme.
• Details of relevant work experience, highlighting skills that would be an advantage in the programme.
• Leadership positions held or potential for this.
• Involvement in regional/national associations, forums or working groups.
• Evidence of writing skills or involvement with the offering of training.
• An analysis of own strengths and limitations, and how the applicant intends to address these in the programme.
• Any other proof (not mentioned above) that the applicant would like to offer in order to be considered for admission to this programme.

Access to the Qualification

Candidates for this programme should be in possession of an approved Health or Development Professional Degree or a Degree in an approved cognate discipline, at least at NQF Level 7.

Candidates should

• Have an existing health Degree or Diploma (e.g. Occupational therapy, Medicine, Professional nursing science, Social work and Psychology), or a related Postgraduate Degree (e.g. Public health, Anthropology or Sociology), on NQF Level 7.
• Have experience in working in a mental health, health or development related-field.
• Have the capacity for a management or leadership role.
• Show evidence of adequate English language and writing proficiency for Postgraduate academic studies, and evidence of computer literacy in basic Microsoft Office (or equivalent) packages.
• Preferably be currently employed in an approved workplace setting, such as a Provincial Ministry of Health, NGO, or Mental Health Service.

All the modules are compulsory and are at NQF Level 8.

Modules - Part 1

• Mental health in context: 30 Credits.
• Intervening for Mental Health: 10 Credits.
• Research Methodology for Public Mental Health: 20 Credits.

Total Credits for Part 1: 60.

Modules - Part 2

• Intervening for Mental Health: 20 Credits.
• Policy, planning and leadership for Mental Health: 30 Credits.
• Research Methodology for Public Mental Health: 10 Credits.

Total Credits for Part 2: 60.

1. Design, deliver and manage mental health-related policy, services and interventions in developing contexts.
2. Develop new and appropriate mental health related models and methods to address population mental health, especially in Africa.
3. Demonstrate knowledge of mental health within a globally-connected, regional professional mental health community.

Critical Cross-Field Outcomes

All the Critical Cross-Field Outcomes are addressed in this qualification.

The following Assessment Criteria are applied in an integrated manner to determine competence in the Exit Level Outcomes:

1. Demonstrate a comprehensive and systematic knowledge of public mental health.
2. Demonstrate a critical understanding of the principles and theories of public mental health.
3. Engage critically with research evidence and demonstrate the ability to interpret research for the purpose of mental health policy development and implementation.
4. Demonstrate an understanding of qualitative and quantitative research methods, including an introduction to epidemiology and biostatistics.
5. Engage with real-life case examples, and demonstrate an understanding of mental health policies or service plans and the ability to interpret a range of information from a range of sources for this purpose.
6. Use current information retrieval strategies, such as literature searches and internet search engines, to synthesise information in relation to a particular mental health challenge, and develop solutions for addressing the challenge.

Integrated Assessment

Assessment will occur on a continuous basis. There will be no final examination. Student assessment will be based on written assignments throughout the programme. If a student fails an assignment (mark of less than 50%) then she or he may submit a rewritten assignment, but a maximum mark of 50% will be awarded. Each course is weighted equally in calculating the final mark for the diploma. The Postgraduate Diploma may be awarded with distinction (75%-100%).

This assessment method will therefore be integrated with the ongoing academic programme, and will assess comprehension of the course material, as well as the ability to present it in a written academic format.