The Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing is proud to announce the successful recipients of this year's Sector Capability and Learning Expansion (SCALE) grants.
These projects showcase the innovation, expertise and commitment that exists across Victoria's mental health and wellbeing workforce. Designed to expand high-quality workforce development beyond individual organisations, the SCALE program supports learning that can be shared across the sector and contribute to lasting system improvement.
A strong theme across this year's recipients is building the workforce's ability to provide culturally responsive care. Projects including Culturally Responsive Risk Assessment and Crisis Engagement in Mental Health Services (Frankston Mental Health and Wellbeing Local), Listening Beyond the System: Bicultural Voices on Mental Health (cohealth), Cultural Intelligence in Mental Health Care (Centre for Muslim Wellbeing) and Strengthening Bicultural Practice in Mental Health Settings (Alfred Mental and Addiction Health) will help strengthen practice with Victoria's diverse communities.
Other projects focus on strengthening partnerships with consumers, families and carers, including Carer Aware (Eastern Health) and Expanding the Workforce Capacity to Support Advance Statements of Preferences (GV Health). These initiatives support a more collaborative, person-led approach to care and decision making.
Several recipients are exploring areas that are gaining increasing attention across the sector. Embedding Spirituality in Clinical Mental Health Models of Care (Alfred Mental and Addiction Health) and Living Well – Integrating Physical Health Care into Mental Health Services (Eastern Health) recognise the importance of whole-person care and the many factors that contribute to mental health and wellbeing.
The successful projects also include workforce development in trauma-informed care, suicide prevention, reflective practice and core clinical skills. Initiatives led by Orygen, Latrobe Regional Health, Goulburn Valley Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services, Bendigo Health, Forensicare and Alfred Mental and Addiction Health will help strengthen essential capabilities across the workforce and support high-quality care for Victorian communities.
Together, these projects reflect the core capabilities needed for the future mental health workforce: working effectively with diverse communities, partnering with families and carers, responding to trauma, supporting workforce wellbeing and delivering compassionate, holistic care.
Congratulations to all successful recipients. The Collaborative Centre is delighted to support these initiatives and looks forward to seeing their impact across Victoria's mental health and wellbeing workforce.
The full list:
| Project | Organisation |
|---|---|
| Carer Aware: train the trainer for carer LLEW to support & build whole of workforce skills in working with families & carers | Eastern Health |
| Project Echo: an online community of practice for inter-sectoral lived experience and peer workers | Goulburn Valley Area Mental Health and Wellbeing Services |
| Culturally responsive risk assessment and crisis engagement in mental health services | Frankston Mental Health Wellbeing Local |
| Listening beyond the system: bicultural voices on mental health | cohealth |
| Expanding the workforce capacity to support advanced statement of preferences | GV Health |
| Trauma informed care online training package | Orygen |
| Embedding spirituality in clinical mental health models of care | Alfred Mental and Addiction Health |
| Working at the intersections of family violence and mental health – a 3 session series | Bendigo Health and Victorian Institute of Forensic Mental Health (Forensicare) |
| Facilitator development workshop: living well – integrating physical health care into mental health services | Eastern Health |
| Cultural intelligence (CQ) in mental health care – workforce training program | Centre for Muslim Wellbeing |
| Strengthening bicultural practice in mental health settings | Alfred Care Group, Bayside Health |
| SRAM ED: Suicide risk assessment and management in emergency departments | MBPH |
| Staff wellbeing in practice – creating meaningful change for consumers, carers and supporters through enabling reflective and supportive ways of working | Latrobe Regional Health |
| Core skills program for new community mental health clinicians | Bayside Health Alfred AMAH |