The Victorian mental health workforce, including those in Sunbury and Macedon Ranges, will receive a boost of nearly 400 scholarships and grants for students studying mental health and alcohol and other drug (AOD) courses.
The Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Scholarship program aims to help AOD practitioners and allied health professionals, develop their mental health skill set.
Mental health minister Gabrielle Williams said investing in the workforce is crucial to delivering a reformed system of care.
“These scholarships are training up the next generation of highly skilled, motivated and supported mental health workers,” Ms Williams said.
“The Royal Commission recommended a skilled and supported workforce for the reformed system – our landmark Workforce Strategy is getting more Victorians into work, while providing the best possible mental health care.”
Ms Williams met some of Victoria’s Scholarship recipients on Wednesday, May 3, which include; mental health nursing students, (AOD) practitioners, allied health clinicians and lived and living experience workers.
Several grants have also been awarded to psychiatric enrolled nurses undertaking a clinical placement and 160 postgraduate mental health nurse scholarship students.
Additional programs include; Lived and Living Experience Workforce Development program, the Regional and Rural Mental Health Workforce incentive scheme, scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Social and Emotional Wellbeing workers and the Certificate IV in Mental Health Free TAFE program.
Applications for the next round of scholarships will open for semester two.
Details: acn.edu.au/scholarships.
