MELBOURNE, Feb. 17 (Xinhua) -- The Australian state of Victoria has launched a statewide school mental health program showing an 80 percent success rate in boosting primary students' wellbeing.
The Mental Health in Primary Schools initiative, developed by Australia's Murdoch Children's Research Institute (MCRI) and backed by the Victorian government, deploys trained Mental Health and Wellbeing Leaders to all 1,800 government and low-fee primary schools, a MCRI statement said Tuesday.
The initiative equips teachers to spot mental health challenges among students early and link families to services, supported by 200 million Australian dollars (about 139.4 million U.S. dollars) over four years, plus 93.7 million Australian dollars ongoing for its state-wide expansion, it said.
A new evaluation revealed 80 percent of schools reported student mental health gains within two years, including better emotional literacy, help-seeking, school connectedness, attendance, and social skills.
After one year, 87 percent of teachers gained confidence in support roles, 88 percent reported less staff stigma, and 83 percent saw family stigma drop, said the evaluation report.
Fewer than one in four affected children get mental health support, especially non-English speakers, younger kids and girls, the report showed. ■