Vision / our why…
Our mission is crystal clear: to be Australia's best member association for psychologists. AAPi is a dynamic, member-centric organisation that tirelessly champions the cause of all psychologists nationwide. We're on a mission to broaden the knowledge of psychologists, level the funding playing field, and cultivate clinical excellence and innovation. Our goal? To ensure everyone has improved and increased access to psychologists.
The work we do is more than just important - it's essential. We're committed to delivering exceptional care and quality to the Australian public through compassionate, research-driven psychology services. Our aim is to empower individuals, families, and communities to achieve improved mental wellbeing and an enhanced quality of life.
Taking action…
In the past decade, we've seen a troubling trend whereby funding bodies and employers are increasingly distinguishing between 'clinically endorsed' psychologists and their peers. This has led to a widespread misconception that clinically endorsed psychologists - who represent just 26% of all psychologists - possess superior qualifications, expertise, and competency than the remaining 74% of their colleagues.
Let's set the record straight: there's no difference in client outcomes between clinical psychologists and registered psychologists. There's also no evidence to justify the pay and status gap, with registered psychologists often earning 40% less. At AAPi, we view this two-tier system as fundamentally divisive and unnecessary.
As a member community, we are taking the following actions:
- Strong advocacy campaigns including consultation with Governments and stakeholders.
- Media coverage to create awareness and support for change.
- High level negotiations to improve the provision of psychological services under Medicare and other funding models such as private health, WorkSafe, Centrelink, and employer groups.
- Legal action to remove the two-tier system.
Please see our news section for updates on our progress.