Mental health programs and partnerships

The department works with mental health organisations here in Australia and internationally. Our focus is on prevention and early intervention.

Many of these organisations also provide specific programs that build the skills and mental health literacy of teachers, leaders, specialist staff, and parents and carers. This enables them to recognise and effectively respond to children and young people who need help with their mental health. Learn more about these mental health programs and partnerships below.

K-12 student programs

Be You: Beyond Blue

Be You builds on the success and experience from five existing programs aimed at promoting social and emotional health and wellbeing for children and young people in the education space: KidsMatter Early Childhood, KidsMatter Primary, MindMatters, Response Ability and headspace School Support. Be You is building on the base of evidence and ten years of experience of these programs.

Approach: Skilling teachers and clinicians.

For more information visit Be You.

NSW School-Link

School-Link works to improve the mental health, wellbeing and resilience of children and young people by forming a connection between health and education in New South Wales.

Through this collaboration between education, health and other services students are supported to achieve improved mental health through early identification, timely access to mental health services and support for education staff and mental health professionals to deliver coordinated care to children and young people with mental health concerns.

Approach: Skilling and supporting all staff and NSW CAMHS Clinicians.

For more information visit NSW Health

K-6 student programs

PAX Good Behaviour Game: PAXIS Institute

This is designed to integrate into the day-to-day classroom routines as a behaviour management strategy. The internationally-recognised PAX Good Behaviour Game, delivered by class teachers, with support from the PAX Partners within the school, is a proven effective way to increase learning outcomes by reducing multiple mental health symptoms across a range of disorders including conduct disorder, ADHD, depression and anxiety.

Approach: Delivered to students by class teachers with support from the leadership team. Parents, carers and other adults are also included in the program. This program is available for Years K-6.

Information for schools wishing to join this program.

Learn more about the PAXIS Institute programs.

7-12 student programs

Youth Aware of Mental Health (YAM): Mental health in Mind

A mental health and suicide prevention program held over three weeks. It sees young people as the experts of their own mental health and seeks to give their voices and experiences a central role in developing peer-support within each school using role-play to discuss alternative options and actions for previous experiences to help develop emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills.

Approach: Delivered at school with students in Years 9-10 by accredited instructors.

Visit the Mental Health in Mind - YAM website

Youth in Distress: Managing Suicidality and Self-harm: Black Dog Institute

Workshop designed to build on the current skills of School Counselling Service staff, to undertake risk assessments and safety planning for youth in distress.

Approach: Upskilling School Counselling Service staff.

Contact: mentalhealthservices@det.nsw.edu.au

Category:

Student management and wellbeing

Topics:

DoE
Mental health

Business Unit:

Inclusion and Wellbeing

Page details

Page contact details

Last modified date

12/11/2025

Business unit contact email

correspondence-studenthealthandwellbeing@det.nsw.edu.au

Executive director

Laura Milkins

Executive director’s business unit

Teaching Learning&Student Wellbeing