Psychological Treatment Sessions that have been referred by your GP through a Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) are at a lower discounted rate compared to other psychological services provided through this practice. It is therefore important to clarify the type of psychological service you require, and its related fee, through the tab options below.
Mental Health Australia's 2023 Report to the Nation highlights that 58% of the community feels that the rising cost of living is having a significant impact on their mental health. Adding to this financial burden, 21% of the community considers the cost of mental health services to be a significant barrier to accessing them.
The National Mental Health Commission's 2023 report titled Curiosity, Compassion & Care: A Report on People's Lived Experience of Distress and Mental Ill-health in Australia, found that "Cost was also reported as a barrier to private health care, particularly when considering that people living with mental illness will often have a reduced income and have out-of-pocket costs associated with accessing a psychologist and paying for medication. This makes it impossible for some people to access the right care, while those with the financial means were aware of this privilege." (p. 24).
At Bundall Psychology Centre we do our best to keep our fees for mental health treatment at a reasonable rate to (1) alleviate the financial barriers to quality mental health services and (2) ensure we do not contribute to the cost of living burden that only serves to impact negatively on mental health.
So please, consider the tabs below to gain further clarity on the type of Psychological Service you need. If you are not seeking services for psychological treatment through a Medicare Mental Health Treatment Plan, standard fees relevant to those services will apply.