The Training Programme aims to strengthen the capacity of the social workers of community mental health service units with a view to enhancing early identification of persons with mental health needs and early intervention in handling complicated cases with mental health issues.

The Training Programme is consisted of 3 courses, all aim at equipping participants with knowledge and skills in working with persons with mental health needs and their families/carers.
 

Distinguished instructors include Experienced Psychiatrists, Clinical Psychologists, Psychiatric Nurses, Community Social Workers, and other mental health professionals.

Psychiatrists (in no particular order)

  Dr Liu Kwong Sun                                                                             Professor Michael T H Wong 


  Dr May Miao                                                                                       Dr CK Lee


  Dr Lily Ho                                                                                              Dr Eva Yu

  Dr Joyce Lau                                                                                        Dr Chan Kwok Ling, Phyllis

Clinical Psychologist

  Mr Max Wong

Psychiatric Nurse & Community Social Worker

Intended Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of these courses, the participants are expected to be able to:

• recognize and classify the clinical features, aetiologies and major types of mental disorders;
• analyse the symptoms and signs of mental illnesses, as well as the risk assessment;
• apply the treatment approaches and therapeutic strategies for working with the persons with mental illnesses;
• execute the case management and intervention, including the strength-based recovery approach, stress management techniques and exercise in working with the persons with mental health needs and their families/carers;
• manage the cases with violence, relapse of mental illnesses, suicidal tendency;
• evaluate children and youth with or without parents being persons in mental recovery, and handle psychiatric emergencies;
• apply multi-disciplinary collaboration in helping persons in mental recovery, persons with mental health needs of all age groups (such as secondary school students, older adults), their families and carers;
• recall and remember the community psychiatric rehabilitation services in Hong Kong

Course A:

Severe Mental Illnesses and Common Mental Health Disorders

Course code: SOSW9047

Classes A1 - A9 have been full. Can refer to this for their timetables.

Class Code	Application Code	Session	Room	Weekdays	Class Date	Start	End
A10	2265-2332NW	1	ADC303	Tuesday	14-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Tuesday	14-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Wednesday	22-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC207	Thursday	23-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		5	ADC206	Monday	3-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC205	Friday	7-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
A11	2265-2333NW	1	ADC303	Tuesday	21-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Tuesday	21-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Wednesday	5-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC207	Thursday	6-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		5	ADC206	Monday	10-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC205	Friday	14-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
A12	2270-1802NW	1	ADC303	Tuesday	4-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Tuesday	4-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Wednesday	12-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC207	Thursday	13-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		5	ADC206	Monday	17-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC205	Friday	21-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
A13	2270-1803NW	1	ADC303	Tuesday	11-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Tuesday	11-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Wednesday	19-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC207	Thursday	20-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		5	ADC206	Monday	24-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC205	Friday	28-Feb-25	14:00	17:30

 

Course B:

Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Issues

Course code: SOSW9048

Classes B1 - B9 have been full. Can refer to this for their timetables.

Class Code	Application Code	Session	Room	Weekdays	Class Date	Start	End
B10	2265-2336NW	1	ADC303	Wednesday	15-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Wednesday	15-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC206	Thursday	23-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		4	ADC303	Friday	24-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC207	Monday	3-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		6	ADC206	Tuesday	4-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
B11	2265-2337NW	1	ADC303	Wednesday	22-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Wednesday	22-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC303	Thursday	6-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		4	ADC303	Friday	7-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC207	Monday	10-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		6	ADC206	Tuesday	11-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
B12	2270-1810NW	1	ADC303	Wednesday	5-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Wednesday	5-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC206	Thursday	13-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		4	ADC303	Friday	14-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC207	Monday	17-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		6	ADC206	Tuesday	18-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
B13	2270-1811NW	1	ADC303	Wednesday	12-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC303	Wednesday	12-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC206	Thursday	20-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		4	ADC303	Friday	21-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC207	Monday	24-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		6	ADC206	Tuesday	25-Feb-25	09:00	12:30

 

Course C:

Case Management and Crisis Intervention in Mental Health Services

Course code: SOSW9049

Classes C1 - C9 have been full. Can refer to this for their timetables.

Class Code	Application Code	Session	Room	Weekdays	Class Date	Start	End
C10	2265-2340NW	1	ADC204	Thursday	16-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC204	Thursday	16-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Monday	20-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC205	Friday	24-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC206	Tuesday	4-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC205	Wednesday	5-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
C11	2265-2341NW	1	ADC204	Thursday	23-Jan-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC204	Thursday	23-Jan-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Monday	3-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC205	Friday	7-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC206	Tuesday	11-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC206	Wednesday	12-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
C12	2270-1814NW	1	ADC204	Thursday	6-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC204	Thursday	6-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Monday	10-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC205	Friday	14-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC206	Tuesday	18-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC206	Wednesday	19-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
C13	2270-1815NW	1	ADC204	Thursday	13-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		2	ADC204	Thursday	13-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		3	ADC207	Monday	17-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		4	ADC205	Friday	21-Feb-25	09:00	12:30
		5	ADC206	Tuesday	25-Feb-25	14:00	17:30
		6	ADC205	Wednesday	26-Feb-25	09:00	12:30

• Teaching Venue: 
  Either HKU SPACE Admiralty Learning Centre, Admiralty Centre, 18 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong (access via the shopping arcade escalators through Exit A, Admiralty MTR Station) (Short code: ADC) or
  HKU SPACE Fortress Tower Learning Centre, Fortress Tower, 250 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong (Exit B, Fortress Hill MTR Station) (Short code: FTC)

 

Course Outlines:

Course (A): Understanding Severe Mental Illnesses and Prevalent Mental Disorders, their symptoms, signs and treatment

(a) Introduction of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (“DSM-5”) for the understanding of mental state examination

(b) Diagnostic criteria and codes for the major mental disorders, signs and symptoms, prevalence & etiology

• Schizophrenia and Delusional Disorders
• Organic Psychiatric Disorders and Organic Brain Syndromes
• Depressive and Mood Disorders
• Bipolar and related disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Anxiety Disorders
• Trauma and Stressor-related Disorders

(c) Assessment, Medications, management and treatment for persons suffering from (b)

(d) Strength-based recovery approach on working with persons suffering from severe mental illnesses and common mental disorders

(e) Multi-disciplinary intervention in helping persons in mental recovery and persons with mental health needs

• Case illustration and case sharing
• Question and answer sessions/Tutorial

 

Course (B): Discussion on Childhood and Adolescent Mental Health Issues

(a) Introduction of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (“DSM-5”) for the understanding of mental state examination

(b) Diagnostic criteria and codes for the major mental disorders for children and adolescents, signs and symptoms, prevalence & etiology

• Early psychosis
• Anxiety Disorders, e.g. social phobia
• Depressive Disorders
• Feeding and Eating Disorders
• Conduct Disorders
• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

(c) Assessment, Medications, management and treatment for persons suffering from mental disorders in (b)

(d) Strength-based recovery approach on working with persons suffering from severe mental illnesses and common mental disorders

(e) Multi-disciplinary interventions in helping persons in mental recovery and persons with mental health needs

• Case illustration and case sharing
• Question and answer sessions/Tutorial

 

Course (C): Practical Case Management and Crisis Intervention in Mental Health Services

(a) Clinical assessment, bio-psycho-social care formulation, including the application of need-risk-strength assessment

(b) Assessment for Suicidal risk and Violence identification

(c) Crisis communication and working with persons with acute psychotic symptoms requiring immediate crisis intervention

(d) Communication and working with families /carers with mental health challenges

(e) Motivational Interviewing

(f) Skills to address the needs of parents and the children with mental health issues

(g) Debriefing for overcoming post-trauma after reaction after handling psychiatric emergencies

(h) Simulation case studies and role play on crisis intervention

(i) Mental health first aid and breakaway techniques

• Case illustration and case sharing
• Question and answer sessions/Tutorial

Duration

• 6 sessions per course
  3.5 hours per session

Course Fee

• This Training Programme is funded by the Social Welfare Department

Registered social workers in community mental health service units
(e.g. rehabilitation service units, Integrated Community Centre for Mental Wellness, Integrated Family Service Centres / Integrated Services Centre, School Social Work Service Units, Integrated Children and Youth Service Centres / Children and Youth Centres, Youth Outreaching Social Work Teams, etc.)

Application Form Application Form

Enrolment Method

Applicants are required to submit the application not later than 1 week before the commencement of the Session 1 of respective class.

Interested parties please complete and return the filled application form together with the supporting documents via email at mental_health@hkuspace.hku.hk; in person to any HKU SPACE Enrolment Centres;  or post the completed form along with the supporting documents to 11/F, Fortress Tower, 250 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong (Re: Training Programme for Social Workers in Community Mental Health Service Units).

Required supporting documents include:

1. Copy of HKID card
2. Copy of Registration Card issued by the Social Workers Registration Board

* Filling out the HKID card number (and supporting copy) is optional for applicants who would like to be our School alumni even with any one of these short courses of 21 hours (Course A, B or C).