Mental Health Fund and Menu

Schools Mental Health Fund model and procurement advice

The Schools Mental Health Fund (the Fund) is allocated directly to government schools through Student Resource Package (SRP) cash and credit allocations. The Fund will be released annually in line with the 3-year roll-out schedule and in line with regular SRP timelines (indicative, confirmed and revised SRP cycle).

The funding model comprises:

• $25,000 base allocation amount for all schools
• additional enrolments-based funding for schools with 251+ students
• a 10% additional loading for rural and regional schools. This is in response to the Royal Commission’s call for a particular focus on rural and regional schools
• a moderately higher per student rate for primary school settings (applied after enrolment threshold is reached). This is in response to the Royal Commission’s recognition that secondary schools are typically larger and many already have access to several department-funded mental health programs (including Mental Health Practitioners, GPs in schools, headspace counselling)
• a 60/40 credit/cash split acknowledging the implementation priorities for the Fund and Menu.

More information on the Fund can be found on the Student Resource Package – Targeted Initiatives page.

The following arrangements apply. Schools:

• must only use their Fund allocation to purchase programs, staff or resources from the Schools Mental Health Menu (Menu)
• may use a component of their Fund allocation to fund relief teachers to enable school staff to attend professional learning or other activities related to implementation of the Menu
• can use additional funds to purchase programs, staff or resources from the Menu, for example Equity Funding (social disadvantage or catch up)
• must spend and acquit their Fund allocation during the calendar year the funding was received. The department’s Credit Carryover Policy applies to any unspent credit component of the Fund at the end of each calendar year. For more information on the Credit Carryover Policy, refer to: Student Resource Package – Managing the Budget: Credit Carryover Policy.

Reporting and acquittal

The department’s Strategic Online Planning Tool (SPOT) captures school intentions to use the Fund and Menu. Schools are required to identify planned activities that utilise Menu items and planned Fund expenditure within their schools’ annual implementation plans (AIPs).

Schools can also report on their progress in implementing funded activities via SPOT, in line with existing AIP processes. The funding planner supports schools to consider how they will use allocated Equity Funding, Disability Inclusion Tier 2 Funding and Schools Mental Health Fund and Menu.

Schools are supported to acquit fund spending with project codes for salary and cash expenditure in CASES21. The Schools Mental Health Fund: instructions for reporting expenditure is a step-by-step guide on reporting credit and cash expenditure.

Procurement

Schools are expected to follow the Rules of use when using their Fund allocation to purchase from the Menu. Following the Rules of use will support schools to ensure they:

• receive the best value for money offering
• have the required oversight in place to monitor service quality and other specifications
• comply with legislative and procurement policy requirements.

All procurement documentation must be stored by schools for audit purposes. Resources and templates are available to support schools to meet their procurement obligations at each step, and this includes procedural advice on procurement thresholds.

Engaging staff

If schools choose to employ new staff or extend current staff to support their mental health and wellbeing priorities as part of this initiative, advice on important considerations regarding eligibility and suitability can be found at Recruitment in Schools. The Schools mental health skills checklist assists schools to understand the skills and qualifications necessary for staff to be employed in schools when using the Fund. All professionals working in schools should be engaged according to the department’s employment protocols.

To contract a health service or mental health professional to provide mental health services to students, schools can use the School council health services agreement (DOCX) (staff login required). More information on engaging staffing, including mental health professionals, can be found in the Procurement rules of use.

Using the Schools Mental Health Fund for Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader and Mental Health Practitioner salaries

The Fund can be used to top up the salaries of appropriately qualified:

• Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders (MHWLs) employed under the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative. This applies to government primary schools only
• social workers, psychologists, occupational therapists, mental health nurses or counsellors of a prescribed class employed under the Mental Health Practitioners in secondary and specialist schools initiative. This applies to government secondary schools and specialist schools with secondary enrolments only.

Note: Government primary schools wishing to use the Fund to engage a Mental Health Practitioner cannot do so under the Mental Health Practitioner initiative as this program is only funded for secondary schools and specialist schools with secondary enrolments. Schools should instead advertise for and engage the required professional under the relevant title, for example, social worker, psychologist or occupational therapist.

The Skills checklist on the Fund and Menu resources page outlines the professional roles, key activities and minimum expected qualifications of staff engaged using the Fund.

Schools must use the Schools Mental Health Fund project code 245005 when reporting and acquitting use of the Fund on these salaries in eduPay.

For more information on reporting and acquitting the Fund, please see the Instructions for reporting expenditure on the Fund and Menu resources page.

Purchasing a wellbeing dog

Schools may use the Fund to purchase wellbeing dogs through applicable Menu providers. Schools purchasing a dog to support implementation of a Menu program must use the department’s Template agreement for the purchase of dog (short form) (DOCX) (staff login required). This agreement contains a warranty that the dog is fit for purpose and gives legal protection to schools purchasing a wellbeing dog.

Schools purchasing a wellbeing dog through a Menu provider must also comply with the school’s and department’s policy, procedures and guidelines including the Animals – Wellbeing and Engagement policy and the relevant school council agreements:

• School council agreement – wellbeing and engagement animal handler (school-owned) (DOCX) (staff login required)
• School council agreement – wellbeing and engagement animal handler (staff-owned) (DOCX) (staff login required).

Aggregated buying

Schools may choose to collaborate and pool funding with other schools to address common mental health and wellbeing objectives. Pooling funding may help schools to:

• access programs, staff or resources from the Menu that are beyond the reach of a single school’s allocation, yet are identified as a collective need by multiple schools in a local area
• support a larger community-focused initiative that needs sustained support to result in long-term practice change
• strengthen links with local schools and other education settings, enabling a more collaborative approach to identifying and meeting the needs of children and families in the local community.

Advice on how schools can pool funding or enter an aggregated buying arrangement are available at Rules of use.