The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses.
Operating in collaboration with the Department of Education and Training's Area-based multi-disciplinary teams, this role will have the following functions:
- provide direct counselling support and other early intervention services for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and/or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health needs;
- coordinate supports for students with critical needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions and other health professionals to engage further support as required; and
- enhance promotion and prevention activities in the school by contributing to whole school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to manage student health and wellbeing, and helping to embed mental health promotion and prevention programs and strategies in the school.