Thursday, 15 August 2019

In reply to  Ms VAGHELA (Western Metropolitan) (28 May 2019)

Mr MERLINO (Monbulk—Minister for Education):

The Andrews Labor Government has committed $51.2 million over four years, and $31 million ongoing, to enable every secondary school campus across the state to employ a mental health practitioner such as a psychologist, social worker or mental health nurse.

The initiative is being implemented incrementally according to an Area-based model, commencing with Bayside Peninsula in Term 3, and Barwon in Term 4 2019. By 2022 every government secondary school campus, including all of the secondary schools in the Western Melbourne Area, will receive between one and five days a week of support from a mental health professional.

The phased roll-out will help ensure there is adequate workforce supply across the state and the provision of support to schools to effectively implement the initiative.

The Department of Education and Training is currently engaging with schools via a needs analysis questionnaire to determine their level of need and readiness to implement the initiative. This will help to inform the future roll-out plan.