Submissions and Publications
Mental Health Victoria makes regular submissions to the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments based on the collective insights of Associates and the wider mental health and wellbeing sector.
2026
Advocacy for Social, Community, Home Care and Disability Services (SCHADS) Award funding
June 2026
Mental Health Victoria's advocacy to Premier Allan, Treasurer Symes and Minister Stitt calling for funding for organisations to implement changes arising from Fair Work Commission decisions regarding the SCHADS Award. MHV's letter was co-signed by 16 Associate organisations.
Victorian 2027-27 Budget Mental Health Funding Analysis
May 2026
Mental Health Victoria's summary of the 2026–27 Victorian and Federal Budgets sets out every identifiable mental health, alcohol and other drugs, and suicide prevention commitment across both budgets — clinical care, community support, AOD and capital at the state level, and a largely one-year Commonwealth rollover at the federal — and measures that investment against a system under sustained pressure. The summary argues that while there are welcome commitments, foundational reform remains incomplete, and calls on governments to reset the plan, address workforce shortages and burnout, finish stalled Royal Commission initiatives, and deliver sustainable psychosocial supports for the estimated 130,000 Victorians with unmet need outside the NDIS.
Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy
February 2026
Mental Health Victoria's 2026 sector submission to the Victorian Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Strategy outlines persistent workforce challenges — including severe shortages, burnout, high vacancy rates and declining morale — and argues that while some progress has been made since the Royal Commission, foundational reforms remain incomplete. The submission calls for evidence-based workforce planning, recurrent funding, improved safety and wellbeing, and greater co-design with the sector to ensure the next Strategy delivers lasting change
2025
Submission to the 2026-27 Victorian State Budget
November 2025
Mental Health Victoria (MHV) provided a pre-budget submission that outlines targeted and implementable initiatives designed to address foundational challenges and maximise opportunities for improved outcomes and equity across Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing system.
In this submission, MHV advocated for funding across three pillars:
- System Stabilisation: Emergency Access, Psychosocial Support, Housing First, Universal Early Intervention and Promotion, Community Capability and Cohesion
- Workforce: Growth in Mental Health Workforce, Foundational Skills, Leadership Development and Pay Parity
- Reform Enablers: Network Mental Health in Governance and Pay What It Takes
Delivering quality care more efficiently
October 2025
Mental Health Victoria (MHV) provided a submission to the Productivity Commission’s review of Delivering quality care more efficiently.
In this submission, MHV advocated:
- Broadening quality and safety regulation alignment to include community managed and clinical mental health providers alongside aged care, NDIS and veterans' care sectors.
- Including mental health perspectives in local partnerships for collaborative planning, procurement and service evaluation.
- A National Mental Health Commission led review of Commonwealth and state governance to clarify strategic and delivery accountabilities.
- Protected minimum funding periods for prevention programs to ensure maturity and longitudinal impact.
- A National Mental Health Commission led assessment of prevention and early intervention initiatives to identify optimal investment opportunities and integrate findings across all public policy domains.
Secondary Submission - Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement
August 2025
Mental Health Victoria (MHV) provided a secondary submission to the Productivity Commission’s review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement (NMHSPA), following the release of the Productivity Commission’s Interim Report.
MHV is pleased that many recommendations in the Productivity Commission’s Interim Report align with MHV’s initial submission to the NMHSPA review. MHV again observe the failure of the current agreement to fulsomely acquit its vision, and it is with this in mind that MHV have structured this submission to include both enabling recommendations (made regarding the NMHSPA as an instrument) and material recommendations (that speak to policy priorities within the NMHSPA).
Submission to Productivity Commission - Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement
June 2025
Mental Health Victoria's submission to the Productivity Commission's Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement puts forward the views of our Associates both as reflections on the current Agreement, and ways to improve it. At a high level, our submission expresses:
- The breadth of the NMHSPA makes it difficult to work towards shared outcomes.
- The NMHSPA is a reasonable starting point, but many improvements are required, particularly a clearer implementation direction to realise outcomes.
- Commissioning processes and funding models under, and related to, the NMHSPA, remain problematic, duplicative and unnecessarily complex.
- The NMHSPA doesn’t allow flexibility and is weak on early prevention and intervention.
- The NMHSPA could better build cross-portfolio innovation and integrate with state-based reform.
Joint open letter urging investment to address unmet need for psychosocial support
May 2025
With thanks to Mental Health Victoria’s Psychosocial Support Network – we have this week joined other State and Territory Peaks in calling on Ministers for Health and Mental Health across Australia to invest in addressing unmet need for psychosocial supports outside the NDIS.
Publication: MHV x RANZCP Joint policy statement on the role of the mental health system in the delivery of AOD treatment care and support
May 2025
Mental Health Victoria (MHV) in partnership with the Royal Australian New Zealand College of Psychiatrists – Victorian Branch (RANZCP), are pleased to release our sector-informed policy position on the role of mental health services in the delivery of alcohol and other drug treatment care and support.
This policy position has been developed in collaboration with representatives of Victoria's acute mental health system for consideration by the Victorian Government alongside the development of its 10-year Alcohol and Other Drug (AOD) Strategy. The policy position aims to ensure that AOD system planning is informed by a view of the continuum of treatment, care and support options required to meet the needs of Victorian’s experiencing substance use issues, or co-occurring substance use and mental health issues.
The paper specifically draws into focus the unique and significant role of mental health services in responding to acute and crisis presentations, and the delivery of a range of treatments without which the architecture of Victoria’s AOD system would be incomplete.
Submission to Infrastructure Victoria - Draft 30-year infrastructure strategy 2025-2055
April 2025
Mental Health Victoria (MHV) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to Infrastructure Victoria's consultation on Victoria's draft 30-year infrastructure strategy. As Infrastructure Victoria develops Victoria’s draft 30-year infrastructure strategy, we implore Infrastructure Victoria to consider the work done in mental health care reform to date, and how this work can be leveraged to improve health equity across Victoria. MHV’s submission to this consultation deepens for impact some of the recommendations put forward by Infrastructure Victoria, broadening these priorities to embed the critical initiatives needed to improve the Victorian mental health care system.
Submission to The Legislative Assembly Environment and planning Committee, Parliament of Victoria on Supply of Homes in Regional Victoria
April 2025
Mental Health Victoria (MHV) welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the Victorian Legislative Assembly Environment and Planning Committee’s inquiry into the supply of homes in regional Victoria. As the peak body for mental health in Victoria, MHV seek to inform the policy settings that are the foundations for positive mental health and wellbeing for the Victorian community.
Submission to The Department of Health and Aged Care - Review of Primary Health Network Business Model & Mental Health Flexible Funding Model
January 2025
Mental Health Victoria’s submission to the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care’s Review of Primary Health Networks’ (PHN) business model and Mental Health Flexible Funding Model. The Submission highlights an opportunity to realign the focus of PHNs as a steward between national interests and local needs; reiterates challenges with short-term funding contracts’ and emphasises the need for greater awareness and consistency of opportunities under the Mental Health Flexible Funding Model.
2024
Commonwealth Consultation on Foundational Supports
November 2024
On behalf of our Associates, Mental Health Victoria has made a submission to the Department of Social Services’ consultation on Foundational Supports. In this submission, we emphasise the importance of incorporating psychosocial supports in the consultation and policy deliberations for both General and Targeted Foundational Supports.
2025/26 MHV Budget Submission
November 2024
Mental Health Victoria has released its Submission to the 25/26 Victorian Budget, where we have called for the prioritisation of investment and outcomes tracking in the mental health and wellbeing system reform; investment in initiatives to grow and retain the mental health and wellbeing workforce; and the demonstration of commitment to human-centred care in the mental health and wellbeing system.
2023
A Sustainable Future for Mental Health: Submission the Victorian State Budget 2024-2025
December 2023
Mental Health Victoria is pleased to present our submission to the 2024-2025 Victorian State Budget, A Sustainable Future for Mental Health: Submission to the Victorian State Budget 2024-2025. We look forward to working collaboratively and productively with government and continuing our strong relationship and shared commitment to realising improved mental health and wellbeing in Victoria.
The First 100 Days: One Year Later
October 2023
In 2022, Mental Health Victoria presented the State Government with our report: First 100 Days - Mental Health Sector Brief to an Incoming Victorian Government. A year later and with a new Minister for Mental Health, MHV has reviewed and revised our previous report to reflect the current priorities of the sector and reflect on our advice to the Minister and the Department for the future.
Mental Health Month - A Year in Review: 2023 Timeline for sharing
October 2023
It’s Mental Health Month, and next Tuesday 10th October, we recognise World Mental Health Day, and call attention to this year’s theme ‘Mental Health is a Universal Human Right’ (World Mental Health Day Official). This year and every year, Mental Health Victoria acknowledges the lived and living experiences of those impacted by mental illness – the consumers and carers – and those working in the field, raising awareness, having courageous conversations, and advocating for improved mental health and wellbeing for all.
Submission on the Draft National Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Strategy
January 2023
The Draft Strategy provides a systemic approach to reducing stigma and discrimination, and provides the foundation to support the changes needed across community, workplace and service settings, including the mental health and wellbeing system itself. To strengthen the Strategy, Mental Health Victoria have proposed a number of recommendations to ensure the Strategy's vision is achieved and supported.
2022
Strategy, Stability, Support: Mental Health Victoria's submission to the Victorian State Budget 2023/24
December 2022
Mental Health Victoria presents to government a suite of 30 budget recommendations and initiatives. MHV’s budget recommendations to government are based on several months of widespread and detailed sector consultation, and analysis of emerging data and trends.
The First 100 Days: Mental health sector briefing to an incoming Victorian Government
November 2022
This document, created after extensive consultation with the Victorian mental health and wellbeing sector throughout September and October 2022, serves as a guide to an incoming Victorian State Government for its first 100 days in office to strengthen the strategic approach to mental health reform, strategy, and investment throughout the next term of government.
The Human Rights Roadmap: 40 ways to operationalise human rights in Victoria's mental health and wellbeing system
September 2022
Developed in partnership with Monash University's Castan Centre for Human Rights Law, this report sets out 40 practical recommendations to embed human rights at the foundation of Victoria's reformed mental health and wellbeing system. Spanning governance, system foundations, legislative underpinnings, decision-making capacity, supported decision-making, coercive practices and data sovereignty, it offers legislators, policymakers and services a clear path to balance beneficence with autonomy—ensuring care that is safe, effective and rights-based. A roadmap with achievable next steps for Victoria's once-in-a-generation reform.
Submission on Proposed OHS Amendment (Psychological Health) Regulations
April 2022
MHV's April 2022 submission to WorkSafe on its proposed Occupational Health and Safety (Psychological Health) Regulations and Regulatory Impact Statement. Informed by consultation with members, the Lived Experience Advisory Network and the Victorian Mental Health Peaks Network, MHV supports the regulations and their preventative approach to psychosocial hazards. The submission recommends adding direct and indirect discrimination as a distinct hazard, strengthening supports for workers with existing conditions, and refining definitions. It also calls for implementation that prioritises education over compliance and acknowledges the disproportionate cost pressures facing mental health and suicide prevention organisations.
Draft National Safety and Quality Mental Health Standards for Community Managed Organisations
MHV's submission to the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care on its draft Standards for Community Managed Organisations (CMOs) builds on earlier consultation feedback. MHV supports the Standards and offers seven recommendations to strengthen them: articulating strengths-based principles, partnering meaningfully with consumers, carers and families, defining safety and diversity priorities for key population groups, clarifying alignment with other standards, recognising the multidisciplinary scope of CMOs, integrating with federal and state reforms, and developing a clear implementation and communication plan. Throughout, MHV calls for recovery-oriented, human rights-based care.
Submission on the Draft Victorian Suicide Prevention and Response Strategy
February 2022
Mental Health Victoria, Suicide Prevention Australia, and On the Line (SuicideLine Victoria) jointly responded to the Victorian Government's draft Strategy. The submission endorses a "towards zero suicides" vision and calls for clearer definition of lived-experience cohorts, recognition of situational risk factors such as homelessness, unemployment and relationship breakdown, and stronger attention to early intervention, quality standards and means restriction. Its key recommendations include a Victorian Suicide Prevention Act, expanded aftercare, new supports for families affected by suicidal distress, and a dedicated Suicide Prevention Unit within government.
Briefing: Victoria’s mental health and wellbeing workforce strategy 2021–2024
February 2022
This MHV briefing summarises the Victorian Government's workforce strategy, developed in response to the Royal Commission into Victoria's Mental Health System. Backed by an additional $41 million for 358 new FTE positions, the Strategy sets four priorities: attracting people to mental health careers, building skills and capabilities, supporting workforce safety, wellbeing and retention, and strengthening system enablers. The briefing outlines each priority's action areas and flags MHV's implementation concerns, including interim capacity during ongoing crises, the urgent need for Commonwealth collaboration on training and immigration, and the importance of detailed implementation plans, governance and clear timelines.