The low down on Mental Health Treatment Plans

A Mental Health Treatment Plan is a tool used by doctors, counselors/therapists, and clients to shape the focus of mental health therapy. A mental health care plan helps therapists and clients make positive change happen through purpose, focus, and direction.

A Mental Health Treatment Plan initially gives you six rebatable sessions per calendar year. That means six sessions from January 1 - December 31.

At headspace Newcastle, this means that your sessions are FREE

Once you hit the six sessions though, you can ask for more if you and your psychologist think you need them. Head back to your GP to discuss your mental health treatment plan.

They’ll assess you and be able to refer you for four more rebatable sessions in that year. You can have a maximum of ten rebatable sessions in a calendar year.

Who Needs A Mental Health Treatment Plan?

Mental health treatment plans are for everyone experiencing mental health challenges and difficulties with life as well as for people who have been diagnosed with mental illness. Most young people who attend headspace Newcastle require a Mental Health Treatment Plan to access clinical services.  

Visit your GP

If you don’t have a regular GP, are looking for a new one, want to find one out of hours or one that bulk bills (which means you don’t have to pay anything - just bring your Medicare card along), the Government's Health Direct website is super handy. headspace Newcastle also has a GP onsite to help with Mental Health treatment plans, call 49294201 for an appointment.

Once you’re at your appointment, tell your GP about what you’re going through, and ask about a mental health treatment plan.

If you haven’t received a diagnosis for a mental illness before, your GP will need to assess whether you have a diagnosable mental illness.

Sometimes a GP will want longer than their usual appointment time to do this.

There’s no need to be shy around your GP when you’re talking about mental health. It’s a topic they get asked about a lot: more than 1.2 million Australians used mental health treatment plans in the 2016 - 2017 financial year.

The GP will then decide if a mental health treatment plan and a referral to a psychologist is right for you.

If they think it’s the right decision, your GP will refer you to a psychologist for up to six Medicare rebatable sessions. A Medicare rebate is where Medicare will refund you part of the cost of your appointment with a doctor or specialist.

At headspace Newcastle, this means that your sessions are FREE