Enhancing Mental Health Support in Secondary Schools

The program provides services to all student cohorts, while tailoring strategies towards those who face higher mental health risks or greater barriers to engagement.

Since January 2019, the Department of Education has contracted North Western Melbourne Primary Health Network (NWMPHN) as the lead agency nominated by the Victorian and Tasmanian PHN Alliance.

NWMPHN is responsible for coordinating and contracting the other five Victorian PHNs to implement the program locally. It also contracts the six headspace centres in its region to deliver the service.

The other PHNs subcontract EMHSS service delivery to headspace centres. There are 26 centres throughout Victoria receiving funding through this initiative.

The EMHSS program comprises of two components:

1. Provision of face-to-face counselling services through headspace centres.
2. Provision of a regional telephone service for students at rural and regional schools located too far away from a headspace centre. (This component is commissioned by the Department through headspace.)

In the 2024-25 Victorian State Budget, the program received funding to continue until 30 June 2028. This will give additional capacity to participating headspace centres to provide mental health interventions to Victorian government secondary students before, during, and after school hours.

EMHSS allows students to access a broad range of free primary mental health interventions including counselling, group work and family inclusive practice.