How to get a mental health treatment plan

What is a mental health treatment plan

A Mental Health Treatment Plan (previously known as a Mental Health Care plan) is part of the Australian Government’s Better Access initiative to ensure we all have access to professional mental health care at affordable rates.

Your doctor or psychiatrist will create your Mental Health Treatment Plan with you. The plan may include strategies to care for your emotional and psychological wellbeing, and referrals to mental health specialists.

Every Medicare card holder in Australia is eligible for a Medicare rebate for:

• 10 sessions of individual in-person or telehealth counselling sessions per calendar year (psychological therapy)
• 10 sessions of group therapy sessions per calendar year

These sessions might be with a psychologist, accredited mental health social worker or other allied health practitioner like a mental health nurse or occupational therapist.

• Until 30 June 2022 10 additional individual psychological therapy sessions (including telehealth) are available to all people eligible for services under the Better Access initiative.

The Medicare rebate may cover the entire cost of your counselling (bulk billed), or it might cover a portion of the fees, and you pay the rest (gap fee).

First Step: Book an appointment with your doctor

Doctors regularly create Mental Health Care Plans for patients experiencing mental health conditions like anxiety and depression. If you don’t have a regular GP, or you don’t feel comfortable speaking to your family doctor about your mental health, it’s also okay and very common to see a different doctor who specialises in mental health.

You can find a doctor in your area using the Health Direct Service Finder directory

It’s best to book a longer appointment when you see your doctor to discuss your Mental Health Treatment Plan so that you’re not rushed when you go in. Your doctor will talk to you about your concerns, andget you to complete a questionnaire before you create your care plan together.

You might like to take a support person to your appointment. They can sit in the car or waiting room for emotional support or come into the appointment with you. This can be helpful if you have a little one or other children with you too.

It’s normal to feel nervous or overwhelmed when talking to health professionals about your mental health, You might feel worried you’ll forget to tell your doctor about everything that’s been happening. PANDA created Mental Health Checklists to help you start the conversation. It’s anonymous, takes 5 minutes to complete, and you can email a copy of your results to yourself.

Once you’ve created your Mental Health Treatment Plan with your GP, you’ll see the mental health practitioner of your choice. After the 6th session, you’ll return to your GP for a review to see if you feel like you need another 4 sessions of counselling.

The process of getting a Mental Health Treatment Plan is easy, but if you still have questions or concerns, please call the PANDA Helpline and we can have a chat about options or the referral process together.