An estimated 45 per cent of all Australians experience a mental illness in their lifetime, but less than half will access treatment.
Thousands of Australians vulnerable to mental health disorders are falling between the cracks because they lack access to affordable treatment and care options.
While the Government’s increased focus on mental health in recent times is encouraging, the mental health needs of a significant number of Australians are still not being met under current Medicare arrangements.
Medicare support for psychology service needs to be strengthened and improved to ensure people can access and afford the right services at the right time.
That is why the APS has developed the White Paper: The Future of Psychology in Australia. It is a blueprint for the Government to improve Medicare and the mental health system to deliver better health outcomes for all Australians.
The White Paper makes 17 recommendations to evolve Medicare to achieve three key outcomes:
- Increase community access to, and affordability of, psychological services in Australia
- Increase treatment and care options for all Australians who have a mental health diagnosis
- Reduce the burden that poor mental health creates for individuals, families, communities, governments and the economy
The recommendations are a result of collaboration and consultation across the profession; led by a 20 person Expert Committee including APS members, informed by extensive APS member consultation, and endorsed by the Board of Directors. The White Paper is the foundation for the APS’s advocacy for the profession and its members for the years to come.
Representing the largest mental health workforce in Australia, the APS is ideally placed to make these important recommendations for change to the mental health system. As psychologists, we know from the people we help every day what works for who and when, and how to address the mental health crisis gripping our nation.
Frances Mirabelli
Chief Executive Officer