Mental Health in Primary Schools funding
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders (MHWLs) are funded to lead a whole-school approach to mental health and wellbeing in their school. They are not required to have a teaching role alongside their role as the MHWL. If they hold another role within the school, MHWLs must be provided with reasonable time out of the classroom or their other role to perform the roles and responsibilities of the MHWL.
Funding is provided under ‘Targeted Initiatives’ in the Student Resource Package (SRP) (Reference 130). The specific funding allocation schools receive each year may change based on the enrolment-based calculation at each SRP cycle (Indicative, Confirmed and Revised).
Schools that participated in the Primary Welfare Officer initiative
The Primary Welfare Officer (PWO) initiative transitioned to MHiPS from 2023 to 2026, in line with the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) implementation schedule. In the year these schools commenced MHiPS, the PWO funding line in the SRP was replaced by the MHiPS funding line.
Former PWO schools receive the higher of 2 funding amounts to employ their MHWLs – either their PWO funding in the year prior to transitioning to MHiPS (with indexation) or their MHiPS funding based on enrolments.
Funding acquittals
Government schools
Government schools must acquit MHiPS funding in eduPay.
School-based salaries and wages for staff members that are employed as an MHWL must be reported against the MHiPS project code 245006 titled ‘Mental Health in Primary Schools’. For detailed instructions, refer to Mental Health in Primary Schools: instructions for reporting salary expenditure .
Government schools are required to spend their MHiPS funding in the calendar year it is received. The department’s School Carryover Policy applies to any unspent MHiPS credit funding remaining at the end of each calendar year. For more information, refer to: Student Resource Package – Managing the Budget: School Carryover Policy.
Non-government schools
Non-government schools participating in MHiPS must acquit the funding they receive for MHiPS each year. The department works with the Victorian Catholic Education Authority and Independent Schools Victoria to coordinate this process.
Reviewed 13 February 2026