Mental Health Practitioners initiative

Resources

Referral and consent resources

• Mental health practitioner (MHP) – consent form and privacy information (DOCX)(opens in a new window)
• MHP internal referral form (DOCX)(opens in a new window)
• Sample newsletter content for MHP initiative (DOCX)(opens in a new window)
• MHP initiative: file transfer and acknowledgement form (DOCX)

Recruitment support

• Qualifications checklist (DOCX)(opens in a new window) – lists the minimum and desirable qualifications and registration requirements for mental health practitioners
• Recruitment advice (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window)
• School Jobs Vic(opens in a new window) – provides resources to support the recruitment of mental health practitioners, including position descriptions, templates and suggested interview questions
• Forms – Teaching Service and HR Administration – provides links to commonly used department forms, including template Offer of employment for Education Support Staff
• Template offer of employment – counsellor applicants (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window)
• Template offer of employment – mental health nurse/occupational therapist/psychologist applicants (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window)
• Template offer of employment – social work applicants (DOCX) (staff login required)(opens in a new window)

Professional supports for MHPs

• Professional Supervision Framework (PDF) (staff login required)(opens in a new window)
• Mental health and wellbeing toolkit(opens in a new window)

Other departmental wellbeing initiatives and supports

The department also has a range of programs and initiatives to build the capacity and capability of schools to respond to a range of issues and support the mental health and wellbeing of students.

• Mental Health Fund and Menu
• Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative
• High Impact Wellbeing Strategies(opens in a new window)
• Doctors in Secondary Schools
• Respectful Relationships(opens in a new window)
• School-Wide Positive Behaviour Support
• Inclusion Outreach Coaching(opens in a new window)
• Enhancing Mental Health Support in Schools – headspace counselling(opens in a new window)
• Amplify – student voice(opens in a new window)
• Headspace mental health training(opens in a new window)
• Bully Stoppers(opens in a new window)
• Safe Schools(opens in a new window)
• Navigator Program
• Team around the learner(opens in a new window)
• LOOKOUT Education Support Centres(opens in a new window)
• Be You(opens in a new window)
• Child Protection and Child Safe Standards (PROTECT)(opens in a new window)

Schools can contact their regional and area-based Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion Workforces (HWIW) to engage with:

• Student Support Services (SSS) is comprised of psychologists, social workers, speech pathologists, occupational therapists and behaviour analysts
• Primary and secondary school nurses
• Visiting Teacher Service (VTS)
• Koorie Engagement Support Officers
• other region or area-based staff whose key role is to provide health and wellbeing support to schools.

Critical incident support

Mental Health Practitioners are not responsible for leading management of a critical incident.

• Health, Wellbeing and Inclusion Workforces
• Emergency and Critical Incident Management Planning
• Managing trauma guide (DOCX)(opens in a new window)
• High Impact Teaching Strategies – trauma informed factsheets and resources(opens in a new window)

External referral options for mental health services

• Headspace(opens in a new window)
• eHeadspace(opens in a new window) phone: 1800 650 890, 3 pm to 10 pm Australian Eastern Standard Time
• Kids Helpline(opens in a new window) phone: 1800 551 800, 24 hours a day 7 days a week
• Beyond Blue(opens in a new window) phone: 1300 224 636
• Yarning SafeNStrong (YSNS)(opens in a new window) phone 1800 959 563
• ReachOut Australia(opens in a new window)
• Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services(opens in a new window)
• Lifeline(opens in a new window) phone: 13 11 14, 24 hours a day 7 days a week