Charles Sturt University has secured a $2 million grant from the Department of Health and Aged Care to address critical shortages in the mental health workforce. This funding, provided through the National Mental Health Pathways to Practice Program Pilot, aims to offer placement opportunities for students in nursing, occupational therapy, and social work.
The initiative is aligned with the 10-year National Mental Health Workforce Strategy, a comprehensive plan to develop a sustainable and skilled workforce capable of delivering mental health treatment, care, and support to current and future populations.
Under this program, Charles Sturt University will facilitate 229 nursing, 78 occupational therapy, and 61 social work student placements, continuing until June 30, 2025. These placements are designed to provide students with valuable on-the-job learning experiences.
Professor Megan Smith, the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Science and Health, emphasized the significance of the program in offering crucial opportunities for students to gain practical experience.
In collaboration with Recovery Camp, an award-winning provider of transformative mental health programs, Charles Sturt University will further extend its impact. The funding will enable Recovery Camp to expand its number of camps throughout the program period.
Dr. Christopher Patterson, Director, and Co-founder of Recovery Camp expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, “Recovery Camp and Charles Sturt University have been working together for many years now, ensuring Charles Sturt pre-registration students have had the best possible mental health clinical placement experience.”
He added, “More than 230 Charles Sturt students have come to camp, learning first-hand from people with lived experience of mental illness, in a positive, activities-based environment. The opportunity of welcoming an additional 229 student nurses and expanding the experience to occupational therapy students is truly exciting. We are looking forward to the next couple of years, and beyond.”
