Mental Health Practitioner

Portland Bay School is a government special development school for students with an intellectual disability between the ages of 5 -18 years, serving the Western District community around Portland, Victoria. The school aims to develop students that enjoy healthy, happy and productive lives by supporting students¿ academic, social, personal and interpersonal learning in a safe environment.

The school operates junior, middle and senior departments situated on the same campus and provides comprehensive individual programs in communication and literacy, mathematics, physical education, the arts and life skills. Some of our specialist programs include bike education, work experience, community service, sailing, cooking, gymnastics, camps, swimming, art and gardening.

The school is situated in new facilities at 77 Henty St Portland which is close to the town centre. The school features 8-modern learning studios, hospitality kitchen, multi-purpose room, gymnasium, sensory rooms and courtyard, basketball court, playground, manual activities area and arts room.

The school enrolment is currently 74-students.

• Selection Criteria
• Ability to implement a range of small group and whole-school mental health prevention and promotion activities aimed at improving student mental health and wellbeing, including the delivery of capability building and awareness raising activities for staff and / or students on key mental health and wellbeing issues affecting the school's student population.
• Demonstrated ability to input into the development, implementation and evaluation of processes and strategies aimed at enhancing mental health and wellbeing prevention, promotion and early intervention.
• Demonstrated experience in assessing, conceptualising and analysing wellbeing issues, and providing evidence-based direct counselling support to clients with a range of mental health needs.
• Demonstrated experience in coordinating supports for young people with complex needs including referrals to a range of specialist services as appropriate.
• Highly developed communication, networking and interpersonal skills including the ability to liaise effectively with a wide range of people.
• Clear understanding of legislative requirements regarding privacy of health information.
• Role

The Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) initiative was announced by the Minister for Education in late 2018 to expand mental health and wellbeing support in government schools. The initiative provides for a suitably qualified mental health professional in all government secondary school campuses and specialist school (with secondary-aged enrolments) settings.

Operating in collaboration with the relevant Department of Education Regional Mental Health Branch, this role has the following functions :

• Enhancing mental health prevention and promotion activities in the school by contributing to whole-school health and wellbeing plans, building the capability of teaching staff and school leadership to address matters relating to student mental health and wellbeing, and helping to develop and deliver appropriate programs and strategies in the school according to specified school priorities
• Providing early intervention services (including short-term counselling) for individual students and groups identified as at-risk and / or experiencing or demonstrating mild to moderate mental health concerns; and
• Coordinating supports for students with complex needs both within and external to the school, including proactively working with regions, local mental health service providers and other health professionals to engage further support as required.
• Education support class level 1 range 4_

The successful applicant will be an experienced professional who will carry out their duties and responsibilities, relative to their professional discipline, with a high level of autonomy and with mínimal reliance on professional supervision. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and implementation of professional support programs within an educational environment, including guidance to other professional staff.

As an education support class position, this role supports the educational services being provided to students, but will not include duties of teaching as defined in clause 2.6.1 of the _Education and Training Reform Act 2006_ (Vic).

• Responsibilities
• Providing advice and professional learning to others, including teachers and other school wellbeing staff, to build the capacity of schools to improve students wellbeing, learning and developmental outcomes.
• Planning and implementing evidence-based intervention strategies for students with complex needs including collaborating with families, other professionals and a