How to get a Mental Health Treatment Plan in Australia

If you want to access therapy with a Medicare rebate in Australia, you will need something called a Mental Health Treatment Plan, sometimes shortened to MHTP or just "a plan." It is a document your GP creates that outlines your mental health needs and allows you to claim Medicare rebates on sessions with eligible practitioners like psychologists, social workers, and occupational therapists.

The process is more straightforward than a lot of people expect. Here is how it works.

Step 1: Book a longer appointment with your GP

Call your GP clinic and ask for a longer appointment specifically for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. Most clinics know exactly what this means. The appointment usually runs for about 30 to 40 minutes, so it is longer than a standard visit.

If you do not have a regular GP, you can see any GP for this. Some people prefer to find one they feel comfortable talking to about mental health, which is worth considering if this feels like a big step.

Step 2: Talk with your GP about what is going on

During the appointment, your GP will ask about your mental health, your symptoms, how things are affecting your daily life, and what kind of support you are looking for. You do not need to have all the answers. You do not need a diagnosis. You just need to be able to talk honestly about how things have been for you.

Your GP will create the treatment plan based on this conversation. It will include some information about your current situation and goals for therapy.

Step 3: Get your referral

Once the plan is done, your GP will give you a referral to a specific practitioner or type of practitioner. If you already have someone in mind, like a therapist you have found through telehealth, let your GP know so they can include the right details on the referral.

Under a standard Mental Health Treatment Plan, you get up to 10 individual Medicare-rebated sessions per calendar year. Your GP will review the plan after your first 6 sessions to check in on how things are going.

What it costs

The GP appointment itself may be bulk-billed, depending on your clinic. The therapy sessions will have a Medicare rebate, but most practitioners charge above the rebate amount, which means there is a gap fee you pay out of pocket. Ask your therapist about their fees and the expected gap before your first session so there are no surprises.

A few things worth knowing

• You can use a Mental Health Treatment Plan for telehealth sessions, not just in-person
• The plan is valid for the calendar year, and you can get a new one each year
• You can change therapists during the plan if the fit is not right
• The plan does not lock you into a specific number of sessions. It just sets the maximum number of rebated sessions
• Your GP can also refer you to a social worker or psychologist, both of which are eligible for Medicare rebates

Getting a Mental Health Treatment Plan is one of the most accessible ways to start therapy in Australia. If you have been putting it off, it is worth booking that appointment.