It has been another busy and eventful period. In the past weeks, we have engaged in many deep conversations about the trajectory and future of psychology. While much of what AAPi does on a daily basis may not be immediately visible, our background work is crucial in shaping the landscape of psychology and mental health. Much of our work takes months or years to come to fruition.
In this newsletter, we have some wins to announce.
We have achieved some excellent recommendations through a NSW mental health inquiry with state-based and national significance. This has the potential to end the two-tier system in the public sector.
We have achieved recognition of all psychologists to provide services under WorkCover in WA. Previously, only psychologists with clinical or counselling endorsement were allowed in the scheme.
We have achieved powerful recommendations to improve mental health care related to birth trauma.
AAPi's Amanda Curran has been appointed the psychology and whole of allied health rep for the NDIA working group designing an early intervention pathway for psychosocial disability.
As part of this project, Amanda has upcoming workshops regarding the scope of work, potential solutions, and ways forward.
We have been instrumental in proposed legislation for the modernisation of Medicare and bulk billing changes.
Please note my use of we as a collective. AAPi is a community of peers working together to achieve positive changes and share the highs and lows together. We do not operate in a bubble. We work collaboratively and diligently as a community and a sector to stand up for what is necessary and beneficial.
AAPi provided expert advice and opinion on the Australian Government's Select Inquiry into the cost-of-living crisis. We expressed our deep concerns about this ongoing stressor for Australians, how it impacts access to basic healthcare and the impacts on mental health. We provided strong recommendations to raise the Medicare rebate and other measures to improve the current status of mental health care in Australia.
Other key activities this week:
- AI Governance work
- Digital interoperability working group participation
- Allied Health Sector Primary Care Working group
- Further advocacy work to include psychology in the paid placement scheme
- Posed questions in Senate Estimates
- NDIS roundtable participation
- WorkSafe Victoria advocacy meeting
- Advocacy to increase psychology funding for legal aid
- Meetings with the Department of Health to ensure psychology is strongly represented
- PHN meetings
- Established a peer group to support psychologists through the notifications and complaints process
- NDIS registration task force participation
- Finalised submissions for the National Autism Strategy, the Scope of Practice review, the NDIS Amendment Bill and the National Guidelines for Including Mental Health and Wellbeing in Early Childhood Health Checks.
Next week, I will be representing psychology at the Scope of Practice Review Phase 3 Workshop.
Thank you to each and every AAPi member for your support. We exist to serve and represent you!
Enjoy our jam-packed newsletter.
The final report into equity, accessibility, and appropriate delivery of outpatient and community mental health care in New South Wales was released this week as part of a parliamentary inquiry. The report highlights several key issues and recommendations to address the gaps and challenges within the mental health care system.
AAPi's significant contributions to the inquiry, including a submission and expert testimonies from Amanda Curran and Sahra O’Doherty, have been instrumental in shaping the report's recommendations. We are proud to share that the majority of AAPi’s priority advocacy items have been included in the final recommendations.
Recommendations include action at a Federal level for Better Access, pay increases and changes to pay grades for the public sector.
Upon the report's publication, the NSW Government announced $118 million to support community mental health.
AAPi will continue to work with the NSW Government and all stakeholders to ensure the implementation of the report's recommended actions.
Read the summary of the recommendations.
Significant changes have been made to WorkCover WA, with all registered psychologists added as accepted providers from 1 July 2024. Prior to this, only psychologists with clinical or counselling endorsement we accepted into the scheme. This has been a large undertaking involving input from many stakeholders, and we thank WorkCover WA for listening and making this change.
In AAPi’s submission to the consultation with WorkCover WA last year, AAPi highlighted that WA was the sole jurisdiction in Australia that imposed restrictions on psychologists based on the endorsement. AAPi highlighted concerns about discrimination, evidence-based decision-making, and equitable access to psychological care for those who need it.
Read the summary of the changes.
As a result of strong sector advocacy, the Government has introduced a Bill that will improve how bulk bill claims are managed. AAPi is extremely pleased to have been involved in the consultation about this proposed legislation. Once these changes are implemented, they will greatly ease the burden for psychologists who bulk bill, particularly those who provide services via telehealth.
Read the summary.
The AAPi Recommended Fees Guide for 2024-2025 is now available on our website.
Medicare Fee Changes from 1 July
The 2024 Medicare increase has been announced. Get all the details here.
Members can access our updated Medicare Quick Reference Guide for Psychologists here, or explore the full range of Medicare resources here.
Dr Judith Griffiths
Dr Judith Griffiths is a Registered Psychologist with endorsement in Sports & Exercise Psychology; she holds a PhD in Social Psychology and is fascinated by people and how they can perform better. She is a Board endorsed supervisor and currently provides supervision to Sport and Exercise, and Counselling Psychology Masters students at the University of Queensland. Judith has worked in academia as a lecturer and researcher for over 25 years and has worked in her own private practice since 2017.
Judith brings with her a wealth of experience across the different branches of psychological practice and is keen to use these skills to support and advance the psychology profession in Australia through advocacy for equality and inclusivity for all psychologists, regardless of their journey to registration. She is passionate about maintaining the integrity and independence of smaller endorsement areas.
Judith has represented AAPi in the past and was also part of the conference and part of the organising committee.
Cailin Jordan
I am a dedicated and skilled psychologist with a strong commitment to improving the mental and emotional well-being of Australians.
I am an active member of the profession and to that end, I hold memberships in several professional organisations, including the AAPi, Australian and New Zealand Counsellors Association, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, American Society of Reproductive Medicine Mental health Professionals Group and The Fertility Society of Australian and New Zealand.
Currently, I am employed as the Senior Counsellor at Genea Hollywood Fertility Centre, where I provide counselling to patients undergoing fertility treatments, including implications counselling for individuals and couples experiencing donor fertility and surrogacy treatment. For twenty years, I also operated a private practice in NSW and in Western Australia as a Psychologist within medical practices. My practice focussed in offering psychological services in areas such as grief, loss, adjustment, fertility, postnatal depression, relationships, trauma, anxiety and depression.
I believe I can contribute effectively to AAPi by way of assisting to set strategic direction, overseeing prudent financial management and ensuring good corporate governance. Importantly, I am passionate about continuing professional development and education and believe that I would be able to make a material contribution to enhancing professional development, policy and government advocacy for the Association. Most importantly I am particularly passionate about seeing all psychologists recognised for their skills and the optimisation of availability of skilled practitioners to meet the demands of Australian’s mental health needs.
AAPi's media coverage for the month of May was certainly significant, with 267 clips and an audience reach of 8,446,577.
Highlights included:
- Article on "Buy Now Pay Later" for mental health in The Australian
- Interview with Sahra O'Doherty on Sky News on mental health budgets which was then syndicated to News Corp newspapers
- Carly Dober on ABC Radio Melbourne's "Need to Know" segment
- AAPi's response to a study about childhood maltreatment causing mental health conditions in The Guardian
- A feature story on ABC TV news and ABC online regarding the regional mental health crisis in NSW.
- Budget reactions included in Croakey, Health Services Daily and ABC online.
Australia's new digital mental health service. Will it help?
The government has announced the introduction of a digital early intervention service to Australia's mental health system, starting in 2026. Based on the UK's Talking Therapies model, this service will combine apps, websites, and free telehealth therapy sessions to provide low-intensity cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to address early psychological distress.
Although low-intensity interventions have potential, comprehensive reform of the mental health system is necessary to ensure better mental health care for everyone.
Read the article.
The plan to embrace gas to ‘2050 and beyond’ fails real climate action
AAPi Director Carly Dober wrote this recent article in Women's Agenda, addressing the Government's allocation of $54 billion to fossil fuel subsidies over the next few years. Carly highlights that critics are calling for an end to fossil fuel subsidies, and a focus on transitioning to renewable energy, emphasising that the current allocation of resources reflects misplaced priorities.
Read the article.
Is it ok to be radically honest?
AAPi President Sahra O'Doherty was a guest on this recent episode on ABC Radio National's 'Life Matters', discussing radical honesty.
Listen here.
Weaponised incompetence and sharing the load in the home
AAPi Director Carly Dober is featured in this ABC article on weaponised incompetence, which refers to a tactic where individuals pretend to be incompetent at certain tasks to avoid responsibility. Carly notes that although there is no formal data, she frequently encounters this issue in the clinical setting, especially among women.
Read the article.
In collaboration with their youth advisory group, Prevention United has released a policy brief on "The impact of screentime and social media on the mental health of young Australians."
This brief examines the benefits and risks of digital environments on young people's mental health, and provides insights on how to leverage the positive aspects of screentime and social media while minimising potential mental health harms for young Australians.
Read more.
The Australian Association of Psychologists Incorporated (AAPi) submitted recommendations for the National Guidelines on Mental Health in Early Childhood Health Checks, advocating for accessible and affordable psychological services for children and families. Our submission emphasised the need for structural reforms to support mental health in the first five years of life, and the impacts of financial pressures and housing issues on family mental health.
AAPi's key recommendations include: employing experienced child psychologists, upskilling child health nurses, using early autism screening tools like SACS, and improving the quality of early caregiver-child relationships.
Our submission also called for increased Medicare coverage for mental health services, higher rebates for psychological services, and support for rural families.
The New South Wales Parliament Select Committee on Birth Trauma report has now been handed down, incorporating several key recommendations from AAPi's submission. Many thanks to Alysha-Leigh Fameli and all members who participated.
Key recommendations include:
Recommendation 5
That the NSW Government improve mental health support for women and families affected by birth trauma by:
- including psychological support in public postnatal care
- ensuring that parents have access to psychological support beyond the immediate post-partum period
- reviewing the funding needs of services currently offering specialised helplines for birth trauma counselling and committing to providing the level of funding and support required
- advocating to the Australian Government to increase Medicare-rebatable psychological support for new parents to reduce gap fees and enable access to the number of sessions clinically required.
Recommendation 36
That the NSW Government improve psychological support for parents managing grief following pregnancy loss.
The AAPi voice is mentioned throughout the report:
"According to the Australian Association for Psychologists, birth trauma can have severe consequences for patients and their families: Emotionally, women may experience feelings of fear, anxiety, or depression, impacting their ability to bond with their newborn and cope with the challenges of parenting. In the long term, birth trauma has been associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), which can significantly impair the individual's mental health and quality of life."
As was that of AAPi member and subject matter expert Alysha-Leigh Fameli:
"This concern was echoed by registered psychologist Ms Alysha-Leigh Fameli who underscored that birth trauma is a complex multifaceted issue, requiring intensive ongoing treatment. Ms Fameli stressed the inadequacy of ten Medicare-rebate psychology sessions, stating it results in substantial out-of-pocket costs for parents seeking effective mental health treatment. She called on Medicare rebates to be extended for new mothers who need mental health treatment to 40 sessions per year, which she said this is in line with other sensitive mental health conditions such as eating disorders."
Read the full report here.
Combating Physician Burnout aims to provide education about three key concepts: stress, burnout, and physician impairment. Edited by recognized experts on physician burnout, this volume features contributions from domestic and international authorities in the field, including academic and community psychiatrists, and those involved in residency and medical student education.
Regardless of career stage, readers will benefit from the unique perspective on burnout—and the practical advice on combating its effects—offered by this guide.
AAPi members have access to Combating Physician Burnout as a PDF download for the month of June, here.
Navigating commercial Lease negotiations can be challenging, but with the right strategies, Tenants can secure valuable concessions that offer substantial savings without direct financial expenditure.
Read Your Leasing Co's latest blog on how savvy Lease negotiations can add significant value to your Lease terms.
AAPi members have access to a FREE lease review with Your Leasing Co, to examine the terms and conditions of your existing lease agreement and identify any potential issues or areas of concern, as well as areas that can be improved next time round.
AAPi members also have access to Your Leasing Co’s call centre for any Landlord/Tenant issues, or leasing enquiries.
Explore this member benefit here.
Next week is Men’s Health Week, which recognises the importance of men’s wellbeing. The rate of male suicide is alarmingly high: 3 out of 4 suicides in Australia are by men.
Australia’s largest men’s health study shows what's working, and where gaps lie in men’s uptake of mental health services | Australian Institute of Family Studies
The latest Ten to Men report showed that whilst there is a clear increase in the uptake of mental health services among men, there are still some pressing barriers that need to be addressed.
The report, which links Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) data with other Ten to Men survey responses, highlights the patterns of usage for mental health services and prescriptions and analyses the socio-economic, health and demographic characteristics impacting men’s usage of mental health care in Australia.
The study identified that some of the men experiencing greater depressive symptoms who may have benefitted from treatment did not subsequently access mental health care. This was more often the case among employed men and those who conformed more to traditional masculine norms.
Further information:
Watch our on-demand webinar on Men's mental health with Zac Seidler
Register for our upcoming webinar with Dr Ray Swann about Promoting Healthy Masculinities.
We are very grateful to AAPi member Peter Tingle for writing this comprehensive article on working within compensable injury systems in Australia. His insights and expertise provide valuable guidance for navigating these complex systems.
This helpful resource is now available for our members here.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander (First Nations) people are disproportionately represented in Australia's prisons, representing 32% of the prison population.
First Nations people often have complex health needs, and require culturally safe healthcare services in prison - addressing their health needs in prison is essential for public health.
Read more.
On 16 April 2024 WorkSafe held a Scheme modernisation webinar about the changes under the Scheme Modernisation Act, how the changes will be applied, and the types of claims impacted.
Watch the webinar recording here.
The Butterfly Foundation's second annual Body Kind Youth Survey highlights worsening body image issues among Australian youth aged 12-18. Key findings include:
- 56.5% are dissatisfied with their body, up 11% from 2022.
- 48.5% avoided school due to body dissatisfaction.
- 78% wished to be thinner, a 16% increase from 2022.
- 61.7% felt social media contributed to body dissatisfaction, up 12% from 2022.
- The majority want better body image support in schools, with over 90% advocating for action in high schools.
The foundation worked with parenting influencers to share these findings and provide resources for concerned parents. Read the full report and access resources here.
Expansion of the National Sign Language Program (NSLP)
Starting 1 July 2024, the National Sign Language Program (NSLP) will include sign language interpreting and captioning services for health and medical appointments. This expansion complements the existing support the NSLP provides for Deaf older people in accessing aged care services, banking, and participating in social and cultural activities. Services will remain free and will be delivered by Deaf Connect.
Learn more.
Delivering contemporary mental health services for older Tasmanians
The Tasmanian State Government is implementing a $20.5 million plan to reform Older Persons Mental Health Services. The program has recruited key leadership positions and initiated a rapid support program for dementia patients in northern aged care facilities, with plans to expand statewide. Additionally, a new 40-bed Older Persons Mental Health Facility will be built with a $82.56 million investment over the next four years, as part of the 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future.
Learn more.
