Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS)
Hi everyone,
This year, St. Mark’s has received funding from the Victorian Government to begin to implement the Mental Health in Primary Schools Initiative (MHiPS). My name is Sheridan Bredin and I am St. Mark’s Mental Health and Wellbeing teacher for the 2026 school year.
What is the Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) Initiative?
The Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative is a Victorian Government initiative that funds a dedicated Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) to improve student mental health, supporting early intervention for children. This year, St. Mark’s is beginning its first year of the initiative. MHWLs are trained teachers who implement a whole-school approach, strengthening classroom teacher capacity to support student wellbeing, fostering social-emotional learning, and building connections with mental health services.
MHiPS isn't a specific program that is implemented, nor a one on one counselling service. Rather, it’s a whole school approach that builds capacity of school staff and the broader school community to support mental health and wellbeing.
The initiative moves away from only acting when a crisis occurs. It focuses on:
- Proactive Wellbeing: Building positive mental health for all students
- Skill Building: Training teachers to embed social and emotional learning into the curriculum
- Clear Referral Paths: Creating simple ways to connect families with internal and external support services when needed
Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL)
The MHWL is a VIT-registered teacher, specially trained by the University of Melbourne and Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. They train and mentor teachers to better identify and support mental health concerns and work with leadership, staff, and families to coordinate tailored support for students. Training has just begun for the 2026 school year.
This year, I will be at school on Wednesday and Thursdays. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask me. I look forward to working with the St. Mark community this year!
Kindest,
Sheridan Bredin.