The Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System recommended a new incentive scheme to address mental health and wellbeing workforce supply needs in rural and regional Victoria.
In response, the Victorian Government has invested in the Regional Mental Health Workforce Incentives program which launched in mid-2022.
The Regional Mental Health Workforce Incentives program aims to:
- Support the attraction, recruitment, and retention of new workers to priority positions in state funded mental health and alcohol and other drug services in rural and regional Victoria
- Support individuals and their dependents to move, settle and integrate into rural and regional Victorian communities.
See how the incentives have made a difference.
About the incentives
The Regional Mental Health Workforce Incentives program includes the following elements:
Workforce relocation and incentive grants
Grants are being provided to encourage and support mental health and alcohol and other drugs (AOD) workers to relocate, settle and remain in rural and regional areas. Grants will be available to qualified workers recruited to priority, hard-to-fill positions within state funded mental health and AOD services.
Integration support for workers and their families
Local community navigators have been employed across Victoria to ensure candidates are adequately supported prior to employment, during relocation, and in their settlement and integration into local communities. Pre-employment and integration support will be provided to connect individuals and their families to essential services and to create the social and professional connections needed to settle into their new community.
Service eligibility
Victorian Department of Health funded mental health and AOD services based in MMM2 – MMM6, under the Modified Monash Model are eligible to apply for grants.
Grant scope
Grants can be used flexibly by both services to support attraction costs and by workers relocating and settling in rural and regional areas. Services will negotiate with recruits regarding expenses they will be able to claim. Grants can be used to support costs such as accommodation, professional development, relocation, childcare, school fees and vehicle costs for new workers.
Grant administration
Grants are administered by Rural Agency Workforce Victoria (RWAV). Further information and grant application forms are available from the RWAV website.
Grant guidelines
To access the grant guidelines, see Regional Mental Health Workforce Incentives on the RWAV website.
Updated