The Australian Mental Health network is complex and can be difficult to understand.
Sometimes we get so caught up in the busy, by the time we realise we are in need of a little more than a chat with the friends, maybe some counselling or therapy, we are too tired and warn down to navigate this system, and possibly too afraid to reach out for fear of judgement. (Please note NO fear of judgment should ever trump your well-being or safety).
Even though we can't do much about the fear of judgement without having a chat to you, today we are going to look at making the navigation of this system easier.
Where do I start?
Is having a chat to a friend helpful? If so, continue to reach out and connect, especially on the days where you are feeling alone and isolated. If not - You have 1 of 4 Options. 1. Reach out to an online/community service provider. These are government funded, free and often available up to 24 hours a day. A few well-known providers available for a call or chat include Beyond Blue, Lifeline, Blackdog Institute and eHeadspace for teens. The purpose of this is having a professional on the other end that will listen, NOW. They may direct you to one of the remaining two options. 2. Contact your GP. If you have a GP, make an appointment. Your GP will be able to talk you through some treatment plans or options and could suggest a MHP – otherwise known as Mental Health Plan. This is funded under the Better Access initiative. Eligibility includes being diagnosed with a mental health condition such as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or other DSM V recognised conditions. These diagnoses form a part of your health record and may be access by police, insurance under writers and future employers in some instances (i.e defines force). A ‘mental health plan’ currently provides a consumer with 6 individual and 6 group treatment sessions (provided by a GP or other eligible medical practitioner – psychologist, social worker, OT) and can be extended to 10 sessions upon further recommendation. For eating disorders there are more sessions available. Until 30 June 2022, a further 10 sessions is available under COVID-19 provisions. The mental health plan is often misperceived as ‘free’ therapy. It is not. It provides a Medicare rebate to the practitioner and may incur an out-of-pocket expense. This ranges, much like with doctors, from practitioner to practitioner. When opting for a mental health plan ask your GP about the diagnosis afforded to you and ask about the possible impacts and implications of this – it allows you to make an informed decision. Mental health plans do not apply to relationship counselling. When looking for a practitioner make sure you read their website and ask about training background. Not all practitioners are trained the same or even regulated. 3. Finding your own service provider. You don’t need a mental health plan to engage with a service. You can do this privately (without requiring a diagnosis). If you have a private medical fund, it may cover mental health and they may have a database of providers. You can jump onto Google, local community pages or built for purpose sites such as Psychology Today to locate a practitioner. In Australia there are a few ‘types’ of mental health providers. Psychologists – Train extensively in a clinical model for 6 years before qualifying for registration and must specialise for endorsement. Whilst no mental health plan is required, they do accept mental health plans and qualify for a Medicare Rebate as they are registered with AHPRA. Usually, the most expensive of the therapy providers and can have long waitlists. Social Workers – Train mostly in case management and community health. Some social workers go on to study mental health before being afforded accreditation as a ‘mental health’ social worker. They accept mental health plans, but these are not required. Social workers are often less expensive than psychologists and may have shorter waitlists. Training varies and it is important to make sure your practitioner is familiar with your ‘issue’. Counsellors/Psycho- and Hypnotherapists – No mental health plan required. Training varies a great deal. This is an unregulated field and whilst some counsellors (like me) have extensive training and a background in counselling and psychology, whilst others may have entered the field with a diploma and no or little prior experience. Counsellors can be as effective as any of the other providers especially in dealing with things like anxiety, depression, and adjustment. Many counsellors are registered/affiliated with a counselling organisation and some counsellors are approved private medical aid providers. Counsellors are generally speaking the least expensive and you are likely to not struggle with the likes of long waitlists. When looking for a counsellor, for your own peace of mind, check their qualifications, speciality, affiliation and whether they are insured.
4. EAP. If you are employed, you are likely to have an EAP scheme/ Employee Assistance Programme. This would likely cover you and or your immediate family members for a few discussions with a trained professional (as above). The session allocations vary and are capped at various session numbers per organisation per industry. EAP access should not cost the consumer as it is paid for by the employer. Despite being paid for by the employer EAP programmes are confidential and no information pertaining to the content of sessions is disclosed to the employer. Sometimes depending on the provider, the employer only gets coded numbers to represent consumers. This is another avenue to process any lingering stress, anxiety or other anguish be it professional or personal.
Hopefully this steps out navigating the mental health system a little bit more for those who are uncertain of where to begin. If you are still unclear or overwhelmed, send us a message or call for a cost and obligation free consulation.
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