Mental Health Care Plan

A mental health care plan is a plan for people with a mental health disorder. If you have mental health issues, your doctor can write out this plan.

It identifies what type of health care you need, and spells out what you and your doctor have agreed you are aiming to achieve. It also may refer you to local mental health services.

If you have a mental health care plan, you will be entitled to Medicare rebates for up to 10 individual and 10 group appointments with some allied mental health services in a year. That means for certain psychologists, occupational therapists and social workers, you are also entitled to Medicare rebates for 10 individual and support group sessions in a year.

Your doctor can give you a referral to allied mental health services in your area. Or you can get more information from Beyond Blue, which includes a search tool to locate mental health professionals near you.

You can’t get Medicare rebates for all 10 sessions in one go. After the first 6 appointments, you need to see your doctor again for a mental health plan review and another referral.

The Mental Health Care Plan is part of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule (Better Access) initiative. This initiative aims to improve outcomes for people with a clinically diagnosed mental disorder.

A mental health care plan is available to you if you have a mental health issue that has been diagnosed by a doctor.

Visit your doctor who will assess whether you have a mental health issue and whether you will benefit from a mental health treatment plan.

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