Student Resource Package – Targeted Initiatives

School Mental Health Fund (Reference 139)

In response to the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System (Royal Commission), the 2021-22 Victorian State Budget provided $200 million over 4 years and $86.85 million ongoing to create a new Schools Mental Health Fund (Fund). The Fund provides additional resources to government schools to support and further promote student mental health and wellbeing.

The Fund provides schools with funding to strengthen school-wide capacity and capability to improve students’ mental health and wellbeing. An evidence-based Menu underpins the Fund to give schools confidence in purchasing programs and interventions that will meet their students’ needs. Schools are required to spend and acquit their Fund allocation on items listed on the Menu in 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.

For further information on the School Mental Health Fund refer to: Mental Health Fund and Menu.

Eligibility

• Primary Schools
• Secondary Schools
• P–12 Schools
• Specialist Schools

The Fund was rolled out to government schools based on area between 2022 and 2024, with rural and regional schools prioritised, in line with the Royal Commission’s findings. All government schools now receive the Fund.

Note: Camp/outdoor schools and Parkville College are not eligible to receive the Fund. Hospital Schools and Victorian School of Languages are only funded at base rate with no enrolment funding.

Calculation

Funding will be allocated as credit (70%) and cash (30%). School on-cost rates (superannuation and payroll tax) are applied to the credit proportion.

All schools start with a base allocation amount of $25,000.

Regional and rural loading

All regional and rural schools receive an extra loading (10%).

Small school threshold

• All schools with 200 students or less will get the base allocation
• A per student rate will apply above 200 students

Enrolments used to calculate the Fund will be updated at each SRP cycle (Indicative to reflect principal enrolment projections, Confirmed to reflect February census enrolment and Revised to reflect audited enrolments).

Large school threshold

A slightly lower per student rate will apply above the large school threshold number of students:

• Primary: 600 students
• Secondary: 1,200 students
• Primary/Secondary: 900 students
• Other: 600 students

Rate

• Per student rate starts to apply above 200 students
• The model has tailored rates for primary and secondary, responding to the Royal Commission’s call for more primary support