Kealy: Reforms a must for health

Member for Lowan Emma Kealy is urging the State Government to support ‘simple’ reforms to open the door for hundreds of extra workers for Victoria’s mental-health workforce.

Ms Kealy, Victorian Opposition representative for mental health, said six lockdowns continued to weigh on the youngest Victorians and the state needed to look for ways to boost a mental-health workforce in schools.

She said an anomaly in legislation prevented people qualified as counsellors from offering guidance counselling services at Victorian schools.

“Our kids can’t afford to wait any longer for more specialist support to help them get through the isolation of lockdown,” she said.

“The mental-health workforce is under intense pressure and in desperate need of more resources.”

The Liberal-nationals introduced a Private Member’s Bill in State Parliament last week to change the definition of a ‘mental health practitioner’ under the Mental Health Act.

Registered psychologists, registered nurses, social workers and registered occupational therapists are already covered by the Act.

Ms Kealy said the Liberal-nationals

proposed to expand this definition to include registered counsellors in an effort to unlock more than 2000 additional mental-health workers to support students across the state.

“Backed by the Australian Counselling Association, this is a small change that will make a world of difference to young Victorians by ensuring the right support is available, when they need it,” she said.

“This common-sense reform will unlock more mental-health workers to cover the surge in demand, which will make a world of difference to our youngest Victorians.”