The Minister for Education has announced a new mental health support trial for children set to be launched in up to 10 primary schools across the state.
The Minister, James Merlino announced the $1.2 million early intervention and prevention pilot program – a partnership with the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute (MCRI) and The Ian Potter Foundation.
“This pilot will provide evidence-based training and resources to help school staff to better identify and respond to mental health issues affecting primary school students,” Mr Merlino said.
“The project will help schools build strong connections with community-based health and other services so students and families can be linked to these services as appropriate,” he said.
Mr Merlino said the pilot would start in selected schools in the north-east of Melbourne and the Loddon Campaspe region from the first Term of 2020.
He said that at full roll-out, the initiative would employ more than 190 qualified mental health professionals in more than 300 schools across the state.
He said the health professionals would provide student counselling and early intervention services, as well as coordinating support for students with complex needs, linking in with broader allied and community health services.
“Every government secondary school campus will receive between one and five days a week of support from a mental health practitioner depending on its size and requirements,” Mr Merlino said.
