Accessing treatment

A GP referral and a mental health care plan can help you access psychological treatment with support from Medicare through the Better Access to Mental Health initiative. To begin, you’ll need to visit your General Practitioner (GP), who can assess your mental health needs. Your GP will create a Mental Health Care Plan, which outlines your treatment needs and goals. This plan allows you to access up to 10 sessions with a psychologist per calendar year, with Medicare covering a portion of the cost. 

If you are seeking treatment for an eating disorder, you may be eligible for an Eating Disorder Treatment Plan (EDTP) which provides you with up to 40 Medicare-subsidised therapy sessions per year. EDTPs are tailored, comprehensive approaches designed to support individuals in their recovery from an eating disorder. These plans typically involve a multidisciplinary team, including psychologists, dietitians, and medical professionals, who work together to address both the psychological and physical aspects of eating disorders. Treatment often includes therapy such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) or Family-Based Therapy (FBT), which help individuals explore the underlying thoughts, feelings, and behaviours contributing to the disorder, nutritional counselling and medical monitoring to ensure physical health is managed safely.