The State Government is ramping up efforts to strengthen the mental health workforce, announcing nearly 300 scholarships and grants aimed at helping professionals upskill and advance their careers.
Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt visited the Alfred Hospital on Tuesday 24 September to open the next round of Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Scholarship Program – which is available to mental health nurses, allied health professionals, alcohol and other drug (AOD) practitioners and lived and living experience workers.
“This scholarship program is about building a strong and skilled mental health workforce and means better treatment, care and support for Victorians,” Ms Stitt said.
“We are delivering hundreds of opportunities for our dedicated mental health workforce to take the next step in their career – making it easier and more accessible to upskill with financial assistance.”
The scholarships are critical to retaining and recruiting the workforce, particularly in the specialist mental health sector, helping to further develop their skillset and deliver high quality, evidence-based patient-centred care.
The program is a priority of Victoria’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy 2021-2024 which sets out the approach to growing a diverse, skilled and multidisciplinary workforce needed to fulfil all recommendations from the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.
More than 1200 workers are already benefitting from the program which has helped Victoria’s public mental health workforce to grow by 17 per cent between 2021 and 2023.
“Victoria’s strong and supportive mental health and wellbeing system relies on the dedication of our workers – and we’re making sure more people can study and upskill to keep making a positive impact on people’s lives,” Southern Metropolitan Region Member John Berger said.
The Labor Government invested almost $3 billion into mental health in this year’s Victorian Budget 2024/25 – making it easier for Victorians to get the mental healthcare they need and deserve.
This investment includes $16 million to deliver a new mental health early career and graduate program in Victoria’s network of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals – helping build the pipeline of trained professionals.
Since handing down the Royal Commission the Federal Government has invested more than $6 billion in mental health and wellbeing – the largest investment in mental health in Victoria’s history – with work underway on 90 per cent of the report recommendations.
Scholarship applications are now open for 2025 course enrolment.
For more information, including eligibility requirements and to apply, visit health.vic.gov.au/mental-health-nurse-scholarship-program.
