AAPi's calls for 40 rebated sessions for peri-natal mental health featured in the Adelaide Advertiser, Herald Sun and Sunday Tasmanian this week, in response to a previous story in the Advertiser about a psychologist experiencing post-natal depression.
Executive Director Tegan Carrison said: “For anyone with serious, complex problems, research shows that 40 sessions are considered the optimal level of treatment … our psychologists working closely with peri-natal women are reporting that their clients are being forced to stretch out their sessions."
Adelaide peri-natal health psychologist Dr Heather Mattner recommended a voucher system introduced which would give all pregnant women up to 20 rebated psychology sessions as a package for during and following pregnancy.
“I would like to see a pilot program trialled in South Australia urgently,” she said. "We know that early intervention is critical in peri-natal mental health yet we don’t enable that.”
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