AAPi Director Carly Dober wrote an article for The Canberra Times about the importance of neurodiverse families receiving access to mental health and psychology services.
"The current state of accessibility and affordability to psychology services, in particular for neurodiverse families, is a matter of pressing concern and demands immediate attention and action."
"The Australian Association of Psychologists Incorporated stands in firm agreement with the need for enhanced screening, assessment and treatment support for neurodiverse children, as pointed out in these pages."
"One crucial step towards improving mental health support for students is the introduction of more psychologists in schools, establishing a minimum of one psychologist for every 500 students."
“Allowing provisional psychologists to offer Medicare rebates to their clients would potentially increase the total number of individuals providing psychological services by 22.5 per cent. This substantial increase would play a pivotal role in addressing the growing demand for mental health services and bridge the gap in the availability of qualified professionals.”
Carly also noted the need for a significant increase in the Medicare rebate for the clients of all psychologists, which is necessary and long overdue. This increase would reduce out-of-pocket expenses, ensuring mental health services are more accessible, especially for those in lower socioeconomic areas. It would increase bulk-billing rates, making psychological support available to a broader segment of the population.
Carly states that to address this crisis effectively, the government must spearhead critical changes that prioritise the mental wellbeing of the nation's youth.
Read the full article here or PDF here.