• Equitable funding for aged care residents to access mental health assessment and treatment service at a level similar to individuals living in the community.
• Increased input from psychological science and the profession into the aged care system, including reducing reliance on pharmaceutical measures for addressing behavioural issues and respecting self-determination.
• The importance of psychological care and oversight in the end-of-life decisions and processes.
• Advocating that changes to the laws in relation to assisted dying must never compromise the provision and resourcing of end-of-life and palliative care services.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS response to the Department of Health’s Residential Aged Care Funding Model
• APS Response to the Mental Health Reference Group Report
• State based submissions to legislative changes regarding voluntary assisted dying such as the APS submission to the Queensland Inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care and voluntary assisted dying

Representations

• National Aged Care Alliance

• Advocating for increased integration of psychologists and psychological science within the justice system.
• The critical role of psychologists in schools, including minimum ratios, and the ethical and legal issues to address the safe delivery of psychological services to children.
• The importance of ensuring the quality and safety of psychological care for people who have experienced childhood sexual abuse i.e. trauma-informed practice, psychological safety.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS response to the Australian Law Reform Commission Review of the Family Law System Issues and Discussion Papers
• APS response to a review of Victoria’s Child safe Standards
• APS response to the Productivity Commission's Inquiry into Mental Health
• Submission to Queensland Anti-Cyberbullying Taskforce

Representations

• DRANZEN
• Disaster Resilience Australia and New Zealand
• Education Network
• Psychologists in early intervention services (Victoria)
• Victorian Department of Education, Functional Behaviour Analysis Expert Group

• National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) service allocation and the intersection of the NDIS and mainstream health services and the emergence of services gaps created as a result of the criteria for a psychosocial disability.
• Addressing several barriers to the delivery of psychological services to NDIS participants.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS response to the National Disability Agreement Review: Productivity Commission Issues Paper

Representations

• Department of Veteran Affairs

• Ensuring the delivery of psychological services is evidence-based and aligns with the practice of psychology.
• The structure and function of mental health services is informed by psychological science at the state and federal government level.
• Advocating for the protection of data and confidential psychological information.
• Ensuring there is a continued focus on implementing evaluation and measurement of mental health outcomes.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS White Paper: The Future of Psychology in Australia
• APS Response to the Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health
• APS Response to the Draft National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Information Priorities
• APS Response to the Senate Standing Committee on Community Affairs about the My Health Record System
• APS Response to the GP Mental Health Training Standards 2020-22

Representations

• Department of Home Affairs Health Expert Advisory Group (HEAG)
• National Rural Health Alliance
• National Workforce Agenda for the domestic and family violence, and sexual assault workforces
• Child Sexual Assault Evidence Pilot
• ACS&QHC Primary Care Advisory Group
• Department of Human Services - Strategic Consultative Group
• Allied Health Treatment Cycle Clinical Expert Workshop

• Psychology Board, AHPRA and COAG ministerial council issues that impact on psychologists and the broader health workforce such as governance of the boards, system linkages, regulation of psychologists, mandatory reporting, legal requirements and other standards and policy issues.
• Remuneration for psychologists.
• Workforce planning and advocating for improved access to psychologists for people living in regional, rural and remote areas of Australia, including calls to support the training of psychologists in these areas.
• Advocating for the role of psychologists across sectors, including as experts in mental health, clinical governance, supervision and clinical oversight of other mental health workers.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS Response to Council of Australian Governments (COAG) Health Council regarding proposed reforms for mandatory reporting by treating practitioners and Regulation of Australia’s health professions
• APS Response to Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) regarding cultural competency
• APS Response to the Senate Community Affairs References Committee Inquiry into the Accessibility and quality of mental health services in rural and remote Australia
• APS response to the Public Consultation: Area of practice endorsement registration standard

Representations

• AHPRA Professions Reference Group
• Australian Digital Health Agency

• Advocating for social cohesion and combating racism and other forms of discrimination.
• Increasing the psychological responsivity to current and ex-service military personnel and advocating for improved system processes for the benefit of veteran mental health.
• Advocating for and supporting the cultural safety of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders and reducing the health disparity between Indigenous sand non-Indigenous Australians.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS response to the Department of Veterans Affairs Veterans’ Advocacy and Support Services Scoping Study
• Submission to the Inquiry into Intergenerational Welfare Dependence

Representations

• Department of Justice Victoria’s Work Development Permit Scheme

• Elevation of psychological wellbeing of workers and the structure and regulation of workplace wellbeing and psychological health, including the management of psychological injuries.

Highlights

Submissions

• APS Response to the Safe Work Australia National Return to Work Strategy Discussion Paper and National return to Work Strategy
• APS Response to Consultation Regulation Impact Statement: Recommendations of the 2018 Review of the Model Work Health and Safety Laws

Representations

• State Insurance Regulatory Authority