Addressing The Mental Health Crisis: New Initiative To Boost Access To Psychologists In Underserved Areas

By Julius Ewudo, ASEAN Region Representatives

In response to the increasing need for mental health care and the severe shortage of psychologists in Australia, Therapy Pro has announced the launch of its new Provisional Psychology Internship Programme.

With the support of grant funding from the Department of Health and Aged Care, this initiative will provide paid internships to 85 provisional psychologists over the next four years. The programme’s combination of primary and secondary supervision, diverse client experiences and professional coaching aims to bolster the landscape of mental health support available to the community.

A recent report by the McKell Institute highlighted the significant rise in mental health issues across Australia, with psychological distress among young workers doubling during the pandemic from 15 per cent to 30 per cent.

Workforce shortages to support this growing need are acute, with 38 per cent of psychologists unable to take new clients and 52 per cent of those on waiting lists waiting more than 4-6 weeks. The economic cost of mental ill-health is up to $70 billion annually.

Positioning provisional psychologists to services key areas such as child and youth, community mental health and regional and remote areas aims to help alleviate these shortages, improving access to critical mental health services.

“Through this programme, we’re building a pathway for future psychologists to make a tangible difference in areas that need it most,” said Therapy Pro Managing Director, Phil Laidlaw.

“This programme is about making high-quality psychological services accessible to all Australians, regardless of their location.”

The programme will support individuals via a combination of face-to-face and telehealth services, including across rural and remote Queensland, where it is common for clients to wait more than 12 months for psychological services.