Following the announcement of the new State budget on 20th May, Acting Premier James Merlino announced on breakfast radio that the State Government will be creating a new $200,000 fund to support extra mental health initiatives in schools. He stated publicly that Arts Therapy will be on the menu of mental health supports that schools can use this funding for.
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Image Credit: Dr Amanda Musicka-Williams AThR
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On the 31st May, Dr Lisa Moseley and I wrote directly to Merlino and the Premier Daniel Andrews, thanking them for this development and offering further assistance should it be required.
On the 10th July we received an email inviting us to attend a meeting with members of the “Fund and Menu” team from the Department of Education, and this was scheduled for 23rd June.
In preparation, members of the ACTivate Arts Therapy campaign gathered testimonials and photographs of their work in schools and sent these through to me for compilation. I created a resource pack that included these, as well as a document summarising the evidence for the efficacy of Arts Therapy in schools.
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Image credit: Lucian Marine AThR
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During the meeting, the representatives from the Department of Education were warm, interested and said that the presentation had been very helpful. It was clear that while they did not know much about Arts Therapy, they were genuinely interested and engaged.
On 29th June 2021, Lisa and I received a formal letter from James Merlino himself. This letter brings the ACTivate Arts Therapy campaign to a pinnacle.
The Deputy Premier, Minister for Mental Health and Minister for Education has confirmed that Arts Therapy will be included on the menu for the new fund to support mental health services in schools. We are elated by this news.
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Image Credit: CATA
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For me as an individual, this is a heart warming moment. Whilst very political, this is also a personal story about standing up for values and beliefs, persistence, being a collective and working together.
For us as a collective, this outcome is evidence that our voices do count, and that when we work together we can achieve positive change in the world. This is a story of grass roots success.
For Arts Therapy as a profession, this is a historic moment of recognition, and a turning of the tide that I predict will signal the real beginning of a new era for Arts Therapists working as valued members of a diverse and holistic mental health and wellbeing workforce.
For our community as a whole, this means greater choices and access for our young people to more diverse and holistic options for looking after their mental health and wellbeing.
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Image Credit: Dr Carla van Laar AThR
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Thank you once again to everyone who has been part part of this campaign – we have done this together.
Please see the letter below as confirmation that the State Government are providing a $200 million fund for mental health supports in Victorian schools and they confirm that Arts Therapy will be on the menu of supports these funds can be used for.
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3 Comments
Jo Edmonds
What an amazing resource for schools to have at their disposal. You all have worked so hard for the benefit of arts therapists and the community in this difficult time, aiding the healing our children who need to recover from this pandemic and it’s affects. Let alone the children suffering with systemic family issues. You are all amazing!!
Gayle King
Carla and Activate Arts this is an amazing accomplishment and hopefully leads thw way for those of us working in schools in other states. Young people will benefit from having easier access to a sevice that meets their developmental and indivisual needs, making schools a place for young people to know they can be seen, hward, accepted and resourced to find their way.
Dayle Coggin
This is so heartwarming Carla! You are an inspirational person. Keep up the goid fight.
Much Love
Dayle Coggin