The Initial Award in Mental Health Work (3594) has now been replaced by the Certificate in Community Mental Health Work (3061).

This qualification is practice based and focuses on the day to day work of staff and volunteers who are new to the mental health field. It is particularly appropriate to Support, Time and Recovery workers (STR), rehabilitation workers, health care assistants or community support workers. It provides a framework for an employer's induction programme. It supports career development by providing an introduction to and foundation in mental health and enables access to S/NVQs as well as the Level 3 Certificate in Community Mental Health Care.