It has been an incredibly challenging week for all Australians, particularly those in Sydney who have been affected by the tragic and awful events in Bondi and Wakeley. On behalf of AAPi, I offer my condolences to the families of those whose lives were lost, as well as my hope that those injured make a full recovery. I want to also recognise the first responders to the scene, and the mental health professionals who are supporting victims and witnesses after these terrible incidents.
24 women have already been killed by male perpetrators in Australia in 2024, according to Counting Dead Women. That’s 3 women every fortnight so far this year. The current hypothesis that the Bondi attacker was targeting women is indicative of the widespread problem of violence against women in this country, something that we as mental health professionals are acutely aware of. Supporting women and believing their stories of violence is something that psychologists take very seriously, and part of what we can do is help to destigmatise speaking out about family and domestic violence. Naming the problem is always the first step.
I am also conscious that communities of various cultures and religions may be experiencing additional stress and tension, considering the use of the term terrorism in the media following the attack in a church in Western Sydney. We know that many individuals and communities have often been disproportionately and unfairly targeted by racist and discriminatory behaviour in the wake of incidents such as these in the past. As a profession, we can support these clients seeking help by acknowledging their fear and distress at being targeted, and the impact of these sorts of incidents on their day-to-day experiences.
Many of you, my peers and colleagues, will be supporting clients who have been affected by these tragedies, and we need to acknowledge that we may also be affected. If this is the case, I would encourage you to reach out to your peers and support networks and engage in supervision, or find a safe space to process.
Much discussion is already being had regarding shortfalls in the mental health system, and if you feel you are able to, I would urge you to contribute to government submissions. AAPi is of course continuing our efforts to advocate for change and the bolstering of our mental health systems in Australia, and we would welcome your knowledge, insights, and expertise.
AAPi has had a significant media presence this week with articles featured across multiple publications - The Courier Mail, Geelong Advertiser, NT News, Herald Sun, and more, offering practical advice in response to the tragic events in Sydney.
‘Need action’: Psychologists blast Minns’ mental health inquiry
AAPi is calling for better support for Australians with complex mental health needs, following the events in Bondi over the weekend. Director Carly Dober said people with schizophrenia are falling through the cracks of the Australian healthcare system, despite the NDIS budget being on track to hit $100 billion.
The NDIS is increasingly more difficult for people to access for those who are experiencing mental illness, and even once in the system, navigating it is extremely difficult.
Read the article.
Also in response to the tragic events in Bondi over the weekend, AAPi Director Carly Dober was featured in this Marie Claire article regarding processing traumatic events, as well as this Kidspot article addressing how to talk to children about distressing events such as this, and this Kidspot article on the importance of censoring social media content, especially for teenagers, following a distressing event.
Carly also provided insights on how to cope with distressing news stories on The Jimmy & Nath Show on the HIT network.
AAPi calls for HECS debt relief for psychology graduates in rural and regional areas
AAPi was featured in Croaky calling for the Government to introduce HECS debt relief for psychology graduates located in rural and regional areas. According to the Association almost two-thirds of graduates have a HECS debt of $80,000 or more, with over a quarter owing more than $100,000.
Executive Director Tegan Carrison said “there is a massive workforce shortage of mental health professionals in rural and regional areas, but if the Government could offer psychologists incentives [on the same basis as] GPs…, it would be a win-win for the mental wellbeing of both the provider and the client.”
Last night we hosted one of our most popular CPD webinars this year - EMDR Therapy: Protocol, Theory and Research, presented by Liam Spicer.
The feedback received for this CPD event has been overwhelmingly positive, with members saying, "great presenter and informative and interesting" and "great to see neurodivergence being included in this presentation."
If you weren't available to attend live, catch up on the recording on demand in our Webinar Library.
The following new resources are now available on the AAPi website for members:
Access these and many more, in either the Knowledge Hub, or search the library of Resource Downloads.
The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) now has a dedicated webpage for psychology and allied health providers treating veterans.
Under DVA statutory registration arrangements, an allied health provider must be registered with Medicare under the Medicare ‘Better Access’ Scheme to provide allied mental health care services.
Learn more about how you can register as a DVA health care provider.
Referrals and treatment cycle
Under DVA treatment cycle arrangements, a referral to an allied health provider will last up to 12 sessions or one year, whichever ends first. Once a treatment cycle has ended, the client needs a new referral from their GP before you can provide further treatment. Clients can have as many treatment cycles as their GP determines are clinically necessary.
DVA fee schedules are available here.
The Federal Chief Allied Health Officer position is currently being advertised. This is a very important position, and we encourage suitably qualified members to consider applying.
Further information can be found here, and the application kit here.
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Event Details:
- 12pm-1pm AEST
- Tuesday, 23 April 2024
- 45-minute presentation with 15-minute live Q&A
This session is FREE for Ahpra registered allied health and medical practitioners.
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