Today's Australian newspaper details the funding disparity for veterans needing psychological care, with the NDIS paying higher and more sustainable rates than the Department of Veterans Affairs. AAPi's concerns about the situation are featured in the story.
AAPi Executive Director Tegan Carrison said psychologists were facing significant financial strain, forcing them to be unable to service clients with unsustainable funding models, including veterans.
The two-tier system exacerbates this. The low rate through the DVA, along with the low Medicare rebate for clients of registered psychologists, showed that psychologists were not being properly valued by the Federal Government.
"We are concerned that the low psychologist rates via DVA have already reduced, and will continue to reduce, the supply of skilled psychologists who can work effectively with veterans and their families,” she said.
AAPi member Dr Valerie van Loggerenberg said "the payment imbalance had left many mental health practitioners feeling discouraged.
"If we want to have people working with veterans over the longer term, we need to provide some sustainable living for those of us who work with veterans,” Dr van Loggerenberg said.
Read the full article here.