How do I get a mental health care plan?

How to get a mental health care plan online in Australia

To get a mental health care plan online in Australia, book a longer telehealth consult with an AHPRA-registered Abby GP. They will assess your mental health, decide whether a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (GPMHTP) is appropriate, and — if it is — write the plan and refer you to a psychologist or other allied mental-health clinician. Under the Better Access initiative, an eligible plan unlocks up to 10 Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions per calendar year.

If you're in crisis right now, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or 000.

What is a Mental Health Care Plan?

A Mental Health Care Plan — formally a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan, or GPMHTP — is a structured plan written by a GP under the Australian Government's Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative. It documents what is going on for you, your goals, and the treatment pathway, and it acts as the ticket to Medicare-subsidised psychology sessions. The framework is published by the Department of Health.

Common reasons people are eligible include depression, anxiety, panic disorder, PTSD, adjustment disorders, eating disorders, perinatal mental health concerns, and sleep difficulties tied to a mental-health diagnosis. The eligibility decision belongs to the GP and is grounded in clinical assessment.

How does the consult work?

The MHCP consult is longer than a standard appointment — typically 30 to 45 minutes — because the GP needs to do a proper assessment. Expect questions about your mood, sleep, energy, motivation, work and relationships, any previous mental-health history, family history, current medications, alcohol or drug use, and any thoughts of self-harm.

This is also a planning conversation. The GP will ask what you would like to get out of the next 6 to 10 sessions, who you would like to see (your choice of psychologist), and how you would like to be supported in between sessions. Abby AI, our medical decision-support tool, surfaces your relevant prior history before the consult so the GP arrives in context. For more, see how to get a mental health care plan online in Australia.

What is the Better Access initiative — and how many sessions are covered?

The Better Access initiative is the Medicare programme that subsidises mental-health treatment in primary care. With an eligible MHCP, you can access:

• Up to 10 individual sessions with a registered psychologist, accredited mental-health social worker, or accredited mental-health occupational therapist per calendar year.
• Up to 10 group therapy sessions per calendar year, delivered by an eligible practitioner.
• A GP review after the first 6 sessions, so the next 4 can be approved if you and your GP both think it is the right next step.

For the full breakdown including who counts as an eligible allied health provider, see the Better Access initiative — your 10 sessions explained. The Medicare item numbers that pay for the consult and the allied health sessions are listed at MBS Online.

How do I get the psychology referral?

Once your GP has written the MHCP, you receive a referral by email to the psychologist (or social worker / OT) of your choice. You can choose your own clinician — Abby does not require you to use any particular provider. If you do not have one in mind, the GP can suggest options. To learn how Abby handles the referral itself, see getting a psychology referral through Abby.

The first six sessions are bulk billable through some psychologists, while others charge a gap; the Medicare rebate is the same regardless. You take the referral with you to your first psychology session.

Can a Mental Health Care Plan be done by telehealth?

Yes. The Better Access programme has supported telehealth-issued MHCPs for some time, and the framework is now permanent for eligible providers. Telehealth-issued plans are clinically equivalent to in-person plans and unlock the same Medicare benefits. The session structure, the rebates, and the documentation are identical.

Telehealth is a particularly good fit for mental-health care because the friction of getting to a clinic — taking time off, sitting in a waiting room, leaving the house when motivation is at its lowest — is often part of what stops people from seeking help. A telehealth MHCP is a way around that friction.

What if I'm in crisis right now?

An MHCP is the right tool for ongoing support, but it is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate distress, having thoughts of harming yourself, or in a situation that cannot wait, please do not wait for an appointment.

• Lifeline — 13 11 14 (24/7).
• Beyond Blue — 1300 22 4636.
• 13YARN — 13 92 76 (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support).
• If your safety is at immediate risk, call 000 or go to the nearest emergency department.

For the broader crisis pathway, see if you're in crisis — immediate support.

How Abby can help

Abby GPs are AHPRA-registered, listed on the public AHPRA register, and routinely write MHCPs. Around 71% of Abby patients see the same clinician again next time (Abby Health internal data, Q1 2026), which matters more in mental health than almost anywhere — the second consult is shorter, warmer, and built on what you already shared. Start at abbyhealth.app/services/mental-health. Abby appointments are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card.