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Many PSR students have life/work experience that matches the learning outcomes of one of our courses. We want you to get the credit you deserve. Applying for Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) means you have reviewed the learning outcomes of one of the courses and feel that your learning matches these objectives. With this option, you pay a fee and meet the PLA requirements which are then evaluated by a PSR instructor. If you pass, you receive a grade which is recorded on your College transcript and you get full credit for the course.
In the PSR Certificate program, all students must complete the first course before continuing with other courses. To help you decide if you wish to apply for PLA for Principles and Practices of PSR – Part I (HSCIPSR01), here are the learning outcomes:
Learning Outcomes: Principles and Practices of PSR – Part I
The student will:
1. Describe the origins of psychosocial rehabilitation.
2. Apply key concepts in clinical scenarios.
3. Give in his/her own words the principles of PSR.
4. Apply PSR principles at the individual level by analyzing and developing examples.
5. Describe the evolution of consumer and practitioner roles and relationships.
6. Identify appropriate current practitioner attitudes and approaches to working with individuals.
PLA evaluation for the first course is through a portfolio which you submit. For more specific information about PLA in the PSR Certificate program, contact the Program Manager.
Mohawk College is proud to be the first College to offer PSR courses in a Distance Education (DE) format. This means that anyone in the world who has a computer and an Internet connection can take our PSR courses. Even local students benefit because they can mix-and-match classroom and DE options.
There are four Colleges in Ontario that offer PSR programs which are affiliated with IAPSRS, Ontario Chapter. Discussion at a Chapter committee led to the idea of adding distance education, partly because a student at any of these Colleges (Georgian, Humber, Mohawk and St. Lawrence) could then also mix-and-match their local program with the DE option. OntarioLearn, a consortium of many Ontario Colleges, was a perfect venue for this provincial initiative. Mohawk College hosts the first courses and St. Lawrence is hosting the fourth course. We are proud that the DE PSR Certificate Program is a true inter-College partnership.
Here's what Doug Wheeler, a DE student who lives and works in the Yukon, has to say about his PSR DE experience:
"I am relatively unskilled with computer stuff. The technical support was excellent, and I felt the College made an effort to include me, three time zones away, in the chat portion of the course. The materials provided were what I needed to answer the weekly projects."
“Even though I had prior knowledge of PSR, from experience and from reading the literature … I felt this course (PSR01) settled me more firmly into the essence of the meaning of PSR. "
Liz Powell, is a student in Elliot Lake, Ontario:
"As a consumer, survivor, you can quote me as saying that the courses are a marvelous learning experience, not just for working in the field, but as an extraordinary means of personal growth."
Karen Niemi-Stevens, joins the class from Thunder Bay, Ontario, where she is the Manager/Team Leader of the Thunder Bay Assertive Community Treatment Team:
"I can't say enough about how much I have valued the opportunity to be doing this course on-line. First, about the venue. Well, without on-line access, training in PSR just wasn't available here in Thunder Bay. Now having experienced it, I'm hooked on Internet education. I'm a good self-directed learner; I don't need direct people contact to keep myself motivated in the learner arena. Ease of access and comfort of my home environment are very big plusses which compensate for the lack of live interaction. .. Second, about the content. From early on, I have been, and continue to be, a big promoter of this program - I tell anyone who will listen that I have never in my career taken a course that so closely relates to my day-to-day work. What a beautiful way to translate my professional background to a skill set that allows me to do what I do best in an approach/style that truly makes sense and really does work! ... To anyone who has the inclination or the opportunity, I say "don't hesitate", there isn't another course out there, that I am aware of, that makes more sense than this one for anyone who is involved in any way in the provision of services to folks with a serious mental illness."
Here's a comment from another Karen. She is taking the first course this fall:
"This is my first experience learning through the Internet and it has been a rewarding one. Other distance education courses require a great deal of discipline when it comes to submitting assignments, as does this one. However, the difference is in the weekly expectations for getting assignemnts in - this really keeps me motivated. Another positive apsect is the networking available through the chats. You have excellent instructors and, in my opinion, for me this is the best way to learn."
Is this the right program for me?
The best way to answer this question is to get in touch with the Program Manager. This is almost always the right program for someone who is working in a mental health job and is a lifelong learner.
We focus on understanding what PSR is; how to use it with individuals and in groups; the functions of case management; how to assess, plan and intervene to help persons meet their rehabilitation goals; and the current “hot” topics in mental health. So, the program is also “right” for someone who wants to get a job in mental health, consumers who use mental health services and family members.
If your focus is not specifically on mental health, it’s a little more difficult to answer this question. We’ve had students who work with people with brain injuries and with older people. Some have found the PSR program useful, some haven’t. If your interest/work is in a related field, be sure to talk with the Program Manager.
How do consumers of mental health services do in the program?
The same as any other student. In the first course, almost everyone feels nervous and worries about “passing”. Because classes are often small, friendships form and students get to know the instructors well. Students relax pretty quickly.
There have been consumers in almost every course. This is true for DE and classroom courses. Often, they receive the best marks. It’s a real benefit to have a mix of consumers, veterans and newcomers. There is a lot of discussion in the courses and this mix creates lively debates. Each group learns from the others.
Do graduates who want a mental health job actually get jobs?
We know that graduates, both consumers and others, who wanted to, have gotten jobs in the mental health system. This isn’t true for everyone but it is happening more and more as employers see the benefit of this specific program and the quality of the graduates. We suggest that you combine taking courses with a volunteer job in a mental health setting if you are very serious about mental health work. That will give you academic AND practical experience to put on your resume.
What if I can’t afford to take courses?
If you live in Ontario, and receive ODSP, you may be eligible for the Ontario Special Bursary Plan. There is some bursary money available through MCACES, the Mohawk College Association of Continuing Education Students. The Financial Aid Office may also have some ideas. We haven’t yet had a request for funding from a student outside of the Mohawk area; it may not be possible to be as helpful as we would like to be in this situation.
If you feel comfortable, this is another issue to talk over with the Program Manager.
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