Mental Health Care Plans

If you can’t afford the regular fees of a psychologist on your own, it might be worth exploring what financial support is available to mitigate the costs of professional support.

A Mental Health Care Plan is a great place to start. A MHCP is a mental health treatment plan that gives you access to 10 sessions with a psychologist that are partially subsidised by Medicare each year. Psychologist appointments can cost upwards of $200 an hour, but with an MHCP, you can get $89.65 back for each session with a registered psychologist and $131.65 for sessions with a clinical psychologist.

Sounds good right? So how do you get one?

All you have to do is go to your GP and request a MHCP. They will do a quick review of the mental health concerns or conditions you would like help with, and then they will set you up with an MHCP. You might have to fill out some questionnaires about how you’re going, like a K-10 Scale, but this shouldn’t take too long and is just to give them an idea of how much distress you’re in so they can pass this on to the mental health clinician that you're going to see.

ℹ️ For more information, check out our article on getting and using a Mental Health Care Plan.

Tip #1: I’ve found it really helpful to have an ongoing relationship with the same GP. After 6 sessions, you have to return to your GP for a review of your MHCP before they sign off on the next 4 rebated sessions, which is a lot quicker and easier if you go to the same person that wrote it for you. Fun fact, you can also get a new MHCP every calendar year, so if you have a good relationship with a GP who knows your mental health status, they should have no problem whipping one up for you each year. 

Tip #2: It’s a good idea to go into your GP session for a MHCP with a psychologist in mind that you would like to see. That way, your GP can write you a referral to see them when they create your MHCP and you won’t have to waste money going back for a second appointment to request a referral. 

Side Note: Eating Disorder Care Plans 

If you’re struggling with an eating disorder and want some assistance getting it under control, there’s also a nifty plan available called an Eating Disorder Care Plan. It’s similar to a MHCP, but it’s specifically designed for people who are struggling with their relationship with food, body image and eating. EDCPs are pretty generous - you can get 20 Medicare rebated sessions with a dietitian and up to 40 rebated sessions with a psychologist in a calendar year, which is awesome if you need ongoing support.

I’ve used an EDCP, and I have to say that it really made a difference to my wallet. It can be tough balancing the cost of seeing a dietitian and a psychologist at the same time, but knowing that part of the bill is going to be covered by Medicare makes it a lot more manageable. 

Try a Bulk Billing Practice

If you’ve tried a Mental Health Care Plan and the cost is still too high for you to maintain, you might want to consider trying a mental health practitioner who bulk bills. When a medical practice bulk bills, they send the bill for your GP or psychology service directly to Medicare, and they accept whatever rebate they receive as the full payment for your appointment. This means that there are no out of pocket expenses for you!

You can find bulk billing GPs and psychologists using databases like:

• HotDoc
• Health Engine
• Psychology Today 

Simply enter your location and what kind of support you’re looking for, and these search engines will provide you with a list of bulk billing mental health professionals near you.

Low Cost Psychiatry Sessions

If you thought the fees for a psychology session were bad, just wait until you see the bill from a psychiatrist…ooft! 

Seeing a psychiatrist is something that I have often avoided in the past - not because I don’t find them useful or because I don’t need their help, but because I haven’t been able to afford their $500+ an hour fees. If you’re after a one-off review of your treatment plan, Dokotela might be an option for you. They offer free one-off psychiatrist appointments to Australians over 18 who are living in a rural or regional area, or who are eligible for primary health network funded services. Using a special Medicare code (291) you can receive one no cost psychiatrist session via Telehealth where they will perform a review of your mental health and give your GP recommendations for how you should look after yourself over the next 12 months. You’ll need a referral from your GP, but they should be able to tell you if you’re eligible for this freebie. 

Helplines and Online Support Services 

If seeing a psychologist or psychiatrist just isn’t in your budget right now, that doesn’t mean that you have to go it alone. Helplines, online forums and digital mental health services can offer you a safe place to land while you’re working through tough times and usually offer services that you can access from the comfort of your own home for free.

If you’ve found this website, you’re off to a great start!

Aside from our fabulous online community here on the ReachOut Forums, we have a few other support options available:

🗒 Check out our articles for some advice on looking after yourself and to hear other young people’s stories of taking charge of their mental health. We have resources on anxiety, depression, relationships, work, and…you guessed it: managing financial stress! 

💞 Our PeerChat service is an online chat service for 18-25 year olds looking for support. In your 1:1 session, you’ll get free, confidential support from one of our peer workers who has their own lived experience of mental health challenges and can walk alongside you through any struggles great or small. 

Want some other options?

Lifeline - 13 11 14

Crisis service

Available 24/7

Offers phone, online chat and text support 

As someone who has volunteered at Lifeline and has used their service myself on a number of occasions, I can honestly say that Lifeline is a great option if you need a chat. It’s primarily known as a suicide crisis service, so Lifeline is a good number to call if you’re struggling with thoughts of self-harm or suicide, but it’s also open to anyone that is going through a rough time. No matter what you’re struggling with, the call-takers at Lifeline are there to offer a listening ear without judgment and are always happy to talk things through. 

Kids Helpline - 1800 55 1800

Crisis service

Available 24/7

Offers phone and online chat support

“Aren’t I a bit old for Kids Helpline?”

No! Despite the name, Kids Helpline is actually available for anyone from 5-25. Their phone line and chat service is run by qualified counsellors who you can chat to confidentially and they have a tonne of resources that are specifically designed for each age group (kids, teens and young adults). 

QLife - 1800 184 527

3pm-12am, 7 days a week 

Offers phone and online chat support

An excellent choice if you’re a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and you’re looking for a safe space to talk freely about what’s going on for you with someone who gets it. 

Headspace - Register online

9am-1am, 7 days a week

Offers phone and online chat support 

A specific service for young people aged 12-25 to explore articles, talk to peers, and chat 1:1 to a trained professional.

Butterfly Foundation - 1800 334 673

8am-12am, 7 days a week 

Offers phone, online chat and email support

A service specifically designed for people who are struggling with an eating disorder, a difficult relationship with food and eating, or body image concerns.

Suicide Call Back Service - 1300 659 467

Available 24/7

Offers phone and chat support

If you’re having thoughts of suicide, Suicide Call Back Service is a wonderful resource. As well as offering phone and chat support for individuals 15+, Australians over 18 can make video chat appointments with a trained counsellor for free.

Free Support Groups and Drop-Ins 

Support groups can be a fantastic and budget-friendly way to get mental health support. Not only do you have the opportunity to share what’s going on for you, you can meet and talk to other people who are going through something similar, which is a great reminder that you’re never alone. 

Drop-in services offer a similar but less structured approach to meeting like-minded people. Here, you have the opportunity to drop into a safe space and spend time connecting with peers, chatting with trained support workers and professionals, or just taking some time out for yourself in a friendly and welcoming environment.

If you’re looking to give a support group or a drop-in service a try, check out these free and low-cost options:

Headspace 

Headspace has over 150 centres across Australia where you can drop in and have a chat with a trained team member.

Alternative to Suicide

Alt2Su offers non-clinical, peer-led support groups for individuals who have lived experience with suicide or suicidal ideation. They run online groups in the evenings that anyone in Australia can join for free, and even have specific groups for women and LGBTQIA+ individuals looking to connect with other members off their community that are living with thoughts of suicide. 

Butterfly Foundation 

The Butterfly Foundation runs support groups for individuals who are recovering from eating disorders, as well as their families and carers. They have online support groups for people over 18, as well as online chat groups for individuals 16 and up. 

WayAhead

WayAhead runs free support groups for people struggling with anxiety. They have face-to-face sessions and online support groups for specific mental health conditions like Social Anxiety and OCD, a support group specifically for men facing anxiety, as well as open groups such as ‘Collective Purpose’ and ‘Connect, Share, Learn’.

Anxiety Recovery Centre

While WayAhead primarily services NSW, the Anxiety Recovery Centre is a Victoria-based service that provides face-to-face and online support groups. Like WayAhead, they offer sessions specifically tailored to particular mental health conditions and lived experiences like Agoraphobia, Panic Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder, Women’s Trauma, etc. as well as offering groups suitable for everyone, like their Self-Care Club!  

Self-Love is Free (and Super Important)

While professional support is undoubtedly an important part of recovering from a mental health condition, regular and ongoing sessions with a clinician are not always a viable option for everyone when they’re struggling with money. Whether you’re studying, looking for work, or just feeling the pinch of the increased cost of living, it can be incredibly difficult to find a spare few hundred dollars to see a psychologist or psychiatrist.

But, that doesn’t mean that you’re doomed.

A clinician once told me that while sessions with a mental health professional are important, it’s what you do between those sessions that is truly crucial to your recovery. Taking the time to practice self-care, connect with others, relax and reflect are not insignificant acts when it comes to looking after yourself, and making time for these things can be a huge act of self-love. Financial hardship is a huge stressor in and of itself, so if you’re struggling with money, it’s okay to cut yourself some slack and find ways to cope that are within your means. 

I hope that the options I’ve mentioned in tonight’s Weekly Wellbeing are helpful and that you can breathe a little sigh of relief knowing that there are some budget-friendly options out there when it comes to mental health support. And remember, you will always have a safe space to be heard here at ReachOut 💜