CDS: Introduction to Mental Health and Mental Illnesses

On-the-Job Training Assessments

CDS: Introduction to Mental Health and Mental Illnesses

These are the On-the-Job Training (OJT) Assessment statements for this course. OJT Assessments are observable measures of skills. They help connect lesson content to skills used in daily practice. Supervisors, employers, trainers, and educators can use the OJTs in a variety of ways. For example:

To develop on-the-job training opportunities
As part of a classroom demonstration
To develop or revise job descriptions
As measures within a performance review

The learner should be able to demonstrate these skills or similar ones after taking the course. Mentors or supervisors can help transfer these skills through demonstration, observation, and feedback in the work environment. Workers must be able to perform skills in the workplace.

The OJTs are directly connected to the content of the lessons. However, not all OJTs apply to every situation. They can be adapted to match activities that most closely relate to the learner’s actual work. A record of the observed outcomes can be recorded in Elsevier Performance Manager. Contact your learning administrator to find out more about these evaluation options. The following assessments are recommended OJTs for these lessons:

Lesson 1: CDS-E: Overview of Mental Health and the Role of the DSP

OJT Description:

Learner accurately defines both mental health and mental illness.
Learner communicates changes in behavior that may indicate a change in mental health status.
Learner describes the relationship of brain functioning, predisposition, and environmental factors to mental illness and how behavior is related to mental illness.
Learner maintains accurate and complete records of behavior and events that are helpful to diagnosis and describes behavior in objective terms. They explain the process of diagnosis.
Learner supports engagement and choice in daily routines.
Learner describes common experiences and feelings a person diagnosed with mental illness and their family may have. They list three to five things they can do to support a person living with mental illness and their family.

Lesson 2: CDS-E: An Overview of Common Mental Illnesses, Responses, and Service Options

OJT Description:

Learner gives a basic description of best practice terms in mental health and how they apply them in practice. This includes evidence-based practice, recovery, trauma-informed care, psycho-education, peer support, person-centered approaches, self-direction, culturally proficient services, and integrated treatment and support.
Learner identifies community resources that may be useful to people they support. They identify which resources are most helpful to each person and demonstrate how to find additional resources.
Learner demonstrates how to help a person they support to respond in a holistic way to mental health conditions. They describe how to support healthy habits and create opportunities to gain competence for someone they support. They describe the proper use of medication, therapy, and other culturally and medically appropriate responses.
Learner describes the signs and symptoms of common, major mental illnesses. They demonstrate how to respond appropriately during periods of anxiety, emotional instability, psychosis, mania, or other serious episodes. They accurately track and record symptoms. They identify and support treatment and responses that are likely to be helpful.
Learner demonstrates a basic knowledge of what is available in the community and how to find resources. They demonstrate how to appropriately share this information with a person they support and how to help a person they support learn about and access services.

Lesson 3: CDS-E-S: Psychotropic Medications – Uses and Issues

OJT Description:

Learner accurately identifies substances that may interfere with psychotropic medications such as herbal remedies or over-the-counter medications. They effectively support a person to share this information with medical practitioners and pharmacists.
Learner demonstrates how to support a person to build a good life while managing a serious health condition. They effectively help a person with mental illness adjust their lifestyle and expectations in positive ways.
Learner demonstrates how to use systems that prevent errors and missed doses of medication. They demonstrate how to help a person to work with medical professionals and monitor medications for effectiveness and side effects. They effectively help a person to keep track of important information related to medications, including symptom changes.
Learner identifies broad factors that can influence risks of medication use or non-use. They list specific risk factors for those they support and demonstrate good medication management skills. They effectively support a person by communicating promptly with medical professionals about side effects, adverse reactions, and lifestyle changes. They identify emergencies and respond appropriately.
Learner demonstrates a basic understanding of psychotropic medications, how they affect people, and the risks. They identify the purpose of each person's medications and the likely side effects. They support a person to advocate for the correct medication in the correct dose based on symptoms and responses, as needed.
Learner demonstrates understanding about why a person may avoid or refuse medications. They describe how to create a positive alliance with a person to address the use or non-use of medications.

Lesson 4: CDS-I-S: Supporting People with Mental Health Conditions in the Community

OJT Description:

Learner describes the various basic of roles and responsibilities of service providers within the mental health system. They explain which specific professionals and others can support each person in their recovery as.
Learner describes what's important to each person they support. They demonstrate a positive attitude with regard to each person’s goals for recovery and demonstrate recovery-oriented behavior when providing support. They engage with those they support to help with problem-solving, decision-making, and skill-building to achieve goals.
Learner describes formal or informal plans that are used to guide supports and services for each person they support. They effectively carry out all duties related to these plans as expected including documenting progress as needed. They demonstrate how to contribute to planning in an honest and objective way and effectively advocate for the person and their needs.
Learner describes how trauma may look in a support setting. They demonstrate the use of universal precautions in the care setting, including effectively keeping people informed and encouraging control and choice. They demonstrate a manner that is warm, encouraging, and free of coercion. They demonstrate good listening skills and how to validate those they support.
Learner lists individual and workplace traits that increase the risk of burnout. They describe the signs of burnout in themselves and others. They explain proactive steps to take that can help to avoid burnout and demonstrate how to respond effectively when signs of burnout appear in others or themselves.

Lesson 5: CDS-E-S: DSP Support Strategies

OJT Description:

Learner describes how to support choice, control, and self-determination for a person they support living with mental illness. They effectively assess issues that contribute to behavior and appropriately adjust expectations. They describe how to develop new skills and strategies for to be more effective on the job.
Learner describes the importance of boundaries in DSP work. They demonstrate how to set and teach good boundaries with someone they support. They describe ethical codes and trusted, appropriate sources to use when unclear about boundaries.
Learner effectively uses a variety of techniques in practice, such as active listening and validation. They demonstrate how to encourage a person they support living with mental illness to be engaged and explore interests and supports. They demonstrate how to support a person to achieve their goals.
Learner describes the risks for crisis and what constitutes crisis for each person they support. They describe how to support daily wellness activities and demonstrate how to respond appropriately to signs of destabilization or crisis.

Lesson 6: CDS-I-S: System Issues and Solutions in Mental Health

OJT Description:

Learner describes major system issues in mental health and identifies system issues that affect those they support. They use effective strategies to help people experience inclusive, person-centered, and recovery-based services and supports.
Learner helps those they support to achieve a meaningful lifestyle in the community where each person feels included, respected, and empowered. They effectively support a person to remove barriers to relationships and to avoid opportunities that may cause trauma. They demonstrate culturally proficient support and promote an inclusive, well-rounded lifestyle.
Learner demonstrates familiarity with the rights of people living with psychiatric disabilities and the laws that protect them. They demonstrate respect for a person's rights in practice. They identify rights violations and work with each person they support to develop a plan to overcome barriers to expression of rights and inclusion.
Learner identifies the unique health risks and strengths of each person they support. They demonstrate how to be a good role model and support healthy choices. They describe and demonstrate how to advocate for responsive and preventive health care.