Opposition Leader Matthew Guy unveiled the initial stage of his mental health plan at Federation University's Ballarat campus on Tuesday, more than nine months out from the state election.
Under the plan, the Victorian Liberal-National coalition would launch the nation's "largest ever recruitment drive" within 100 days of taking office.
It would also take steps to recognise qualified counsellors as mental health practitioners in Victorian schools, opening the door for an extra 2000 to carry out the role.
"There is a massive mental health crisis that needs to be fronted head-on and dealt with," Mr Guy told reporters.
"Some of this plan will bring mental health workers into every Victorian school, where they're needed the most at this point in time."
Other elements of the plan include pumping an unspecified sum of financial support into helping university students attain an undergraduate mental health qualification and assisting them to enter the workforce through a post-graduate qualification.
In addition, the opposition would seek more training places for psychiatrists and psychologists to fast-track their progression and attempt to lure mental health workers from other states and territories with relocation packages.
Mr Guy did not reveal how much the proposals would cost or how the coalition intended to pay for them, but said voters would not have to wait long.
"The final part of the costings on this will be released with our full mental health plan," he said.
"That's coming in stages, so you'll see that when that's released in just over a month."
More mental health initiatives are set to be announced as part of the opposition's plan.
Mental health is shaping as a key battleground for the state election on November 26 after a royal commission found the state's system was "broken", with critical shortages in the sector.
In response, the Victorian government committed $3.8 billion to overhaul the system as part of the 2021/22 state budget and has since pledged millions more.
The royal commission proposed a levy to pay for the mental health reforms, with laws requiring big businesses to pay an additional 0.5 per cent surcharge enacted from January 1 this year.
Since ousting Michael O'Brien as opposition leader last year, Mr Guy has vowed to repeal the levy if the Victorian coalition wins government for the first time since 2014.
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