General News
10 July, 2022
Country schools first
COUNTRY schools will be the first to receive funding under the State Government's $200 million Schools Mental Health program, to implement a range of tailored mental health supports for students, it was said today. In the announcement made by...
COUNTRY schools will be the first to receive funding under the State Government's $200 million Schools Mental Health program, to implement a range of tailored mental health supports for students, it was said today.
In the announcement made by Minister for Education Natalie Hutchin:
The program delivers a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Mental Health - to support social and emotional wellbeing in schools - and is underpinned by an online evidence-based menu enabling schools to select the mental health tools that best match the needs of each student.
From today, the program will start rolling out to all government schools across regional Victoria with a full roll out by 2024 to all state schools.
A framework was provided to schools in 2021, for them to be able to start planning and selecting programs across three tiers of intervention.
Tier one will provide positive mental health promotion, including initiatives such as mental health first aid, anti-bullying programs and therapy dogs that help create positive and inclusive environments across the school.
The second tier will support early intervention and specialised initiatives such as cross-cultural responsiveness training, arts therapy or trauma informed care and the third tier is targeted at individualised support such as additional mental health professionals for those experiencing mental health issues.
In addition, the Victorian Budget 2022/23 is investing $41.3 million to sustain mental health services for schools, including continuation of the LOOKOUT program and headspace initiative.
The Government will also continue the Mental Health Practitioners initiative, ensuring students can access mental health support at all Victorian government secondary and specialist schools.
The Government is also expanding the Mental Health in Primary Schools program to all government and low-fee non-government primary schools enabling schools to employ a Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader and implement a whole-school approach to wellbeing.