South Australian mental health practitioners are being called on to support school students as part of a new Department for Education pilot program.
In a statement, the Department said it was looking to employ around 55 school mental health practitioners, including senior professionals, to provide supervision and support.
“School mental health practitioners will provide an early intervention service, but they won’t provide clinical diagnosis or treatment,” the Department said.
“The school mental health service is in addition to services and staff that are already in public schools, and won’t replace or duplicate what they do,” it said.
“They’ll work across select secondary and primary schools as part of a Statewide pilot program.”
The Department said applications were open for mental health and learning support specialists.
“People who’re seeking to take part in the pilot program could have a background in psychology, social work, occupational therapy, nursing or similar,” it said.
The Department said the pilot would commence during term three this year and the service would be refined and expanded during 2023.
It said the pilot schools were located in three metropolitan locations: Western Adelaide – Ocean View College and Le Fevre High School; Southern Adelaide – Seaford Secondary College and local primary schools; and Northern Adelaide – Para Hills High School and Parafield Gardens High School.
The Department said the pilot would also roll out in three regional locations: Lower Mid-North – Balaklava High School and Clare High School; Upper Mid-North – John Pirie Secondary College and local primary schools; and South East – Penola High School and local primary schools.
