From pilot to policy: A ‘behind the scenes look at MHiPS’ feature by the Australia and New Zealand School of Government

Published

Wednesday, July 16, 2025 - 12:00 PM

The Australia and New Zealand School of Government’s (ANZSOG) latest case study documents the unique origin story of The Mental Health in Primary Schools (MHiPS) initiative, one of Australia’s largest investments in children’s mental health.

Written for ANZSOG by Marinella Padula, ‘From pilot to policy’ is informed by interviews with key staff from MHiPS, as well as the Ian Potter Foundation, who have provided funding for MHiPS, the Victorian Principals Association and the Department of Education. This collaboration between academic, government, peak bodies and philanthropic organisations underpins the success of MHiPS.  

The case study outlines the journey MHiPS has taken since an initial meeting with the Victorian Government in 2019, through to the national expansion happening today. This includes the co-design process behind the development of the Mental Health and Wellbeing Leader (MHWL) role, which guides a whole-of-school approach to supporting student mental health and wellbeing, and support for the MHWL in the form of a professional learning program. 

ANZSOG is a global leader in education and government-focused research relevant to the public sector. This case study has been developed for anyone interested in policy development, implementation, evaluation, collaboration and co-production.

 Read ANZSOG’s full case study on MHiPS here.