November 2009

Three people in Mindful reception jpeg

Minister for Mental Health Lisa Neville, Victoria’s Chief Child Psychiatrist and Mindful Director Dr Sandra Radovini and the University of Melbourne Department of Psychiatry head Professor John Tiller.

New thinking on mental health workforce training

Victorian mental health workers will have access to world class training and support through a new training facility and workforce strategy.

Mental Health Minister Lisa Neville opened Mindful’s new redesigned facility in Flemington and announced the new Shaping the Future workforce strategy as part of Mental Health Week celebrations.

‘The redeveloped Mindful centre will be of great benefit to Victorian families.

‘Mindful, a leading educator in child and adolescent mental health practice, operates as a partnership between the University of Melbourne and Monash University and conducts research in child and adolescent mental health.

‘We are providing $520,000 to help boost services at Mindful, as well as $400,000 to assist Mindful relocate.

‘The new premises will include technology for video conferencing and on-line education and training that will support staff in remote locations.’

Ms Neville said achieving better mental health for children and young people was central to the Government’s strategy to reform Victoria’s mental health system.

‘We know children and young people have different needs when it comes to mental health and this must be reflected in clinical treatment.

‘Our focus on early intervention enables mental health services to take action on the warning signs of mental illness before people get sick, intervening as early as possible to prevent a lifetime of chronic illness.’

Ms Neville also launched the Government’s mental health workforce strategy.

‘This strategy is part of our broader commitment to developing a specialist mental health workforce in Victoria.

‘The strategy includes $100,000 to attract new people to mental health services and more than $500,000 to support the development of nurse practitioners in the sector.

‘Developed in partnership with representatives of the mental health workforce, the strategy will play a crucial role in ensuring the sustainability of our workforce and ensure that Victoria continues to lead the nation in the delivery of cutting-edge treatment and care in mental health into the future.

‘The reforms will ensure mental health workers are supported and consumers continue to receive high quality treatment and support,’ Ms Neville said.