A mental health care plan is a plan for people with a mental health disorder, this can range from a feeling of depression, hopelessness and more complex mental health issues.

If you have mental health issues, your doctor and nurse 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 refers you to local mental health services.

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

Make an appointment with your usual GP, who will assess whether you have a mental disorder and whether you will benefit from a mental health treatment plan.

If you have a mental health care plan, you will get money back from Medicare for up to 10 individual or 10 group appointments with an allied mental health service in a year. That means for certain psychologists, counselors and social workers, you are also entitled to Medicare rebates for 10 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 1 go. After the first 6 appointments, you need to see your doctor again for 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.

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