Mental Health Treatment Plans in Australia: What They Are and Where to Get One
A Mental Health Treatment Plan, also called a Mental Health Care Plan or GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, is a structured plan prepared by a GP under Medicare's Better Access initiative. It records your mental health concerns and treatment goals, and it is the document that unlocks up to 10 Medicare-rebated individual psychology sessions per calendar year, delivered in two blocks with a GP review in between.
The framework is set by the Australian Government and administered through Medicare. You can read the official detail on the Department of Health and Aged Care Better Access page.
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Mental Health Care Plan
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No. Abby Health does not provide Mental Health Treatment Plans (also called Mental Health Care Plans). These plans are prepared by your regular local GP, and that is the right place to get one, Better Access is built around an ongoing relationship with the GP who knows your history and reviews your progress.
If an Abby clinician prepared a plan for you in the past, your local GP can take care of your plan reviews and any next steps. Nothing about your existing sessions is lost.
Book a longer appointment with your usual GP and mention when booking that you would like to talk about a Mental Health Treatment Plan, so enough time is set aside. Your GP will talk through what has been going on, complete a structured assessment, and, where clinically appropriate, prepare the plan and a referral to a psychologist or other allied mental health professional.
If you do not have a regular GP, Healthdirect's service finder can help you locate one near you.
Abby Health offers Nurse Practitioner-led mental health support. Our Nurse Practitioners are AHPRA-endorsed clinicians with specialist mental health experience. They provide assessment and short-term support for mild to moderate concerns, such as anxiety, low mood, stress, sleep difficulties and grief, along with practical strategies and coordination of referrals.
Regular GP review is built into this care. Where your needs are better met by a GP, psychologist or psychiatrist, including where a Mental Health Treatment Plan would help, your clinician will say so plainly and help you get there.
Appointments are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card. Strict Bulk Billing eligibility criteria applies.
Nurse Practitioner mental health appointments can be booked online seven days a week.
See the Help Centre for what telehealth can and cannot safely do.
The GP consultation that creates or reviews a plan is a standard medical appointment, many local GPs bulk bill it for eligible patients, and others charge a fee with a Medicare rebate. The psychology sessions a plan enables attract a Medicare rebate per session; some psychologists bulk bill, while others charge a gap. Rebate amounts are set by the MBS and published at Services Australia.
Support that starts from home
If you are in immediate danger, call 000. For urgent support at any hour: Lifeline 13 11 14, the Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467, Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636, or 13YARN 13 92 76 (a service by and for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people). A treatment plan is for ongoing support, not urgent safety, please do not wait for an appointment if you need help now.
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The information reflects guidance available as of the "last updated" date shown above. Medical knowledge evolves, and individual circumstances vary — always discuss decisions about your care with a qualified clinician.
In an emergency, call 000 or attend your nearest emergency department. Abby Health is not an emergency service. For mental health crisis support, call Lifeline on 13 11 14.
If you have feedback or believe any information in this article requires correction, please contact our editorial team at support@abbyhealth.app. Abby Health complies with AHPRA advertising standards and the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care's National Safety and Quality Health Service Standards.
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