fees & rebates
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers
are registered Medicare providers of Focused Psychological Strategies
You may be eligible for a rebate with a valid treatment plan
consultation fees.
All consultation fees and policies apply to both in-person and telehealth appointments.
Initial Appointment | 60 minutes
$259
Standard Appointment | 50 minutes
$259
Appointments under Better Access Initiative
- with a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP)
After Rebate
$171.75
Rebate amount
$87.25
A limited number of reduced-fee sessions are available for eligible clients experiencing financial hardship. Please see the Accessibility Statement for further details.
payment.
steady space is a private billing practice.
All consultation fees can be made by card and are due at the time of your appointment.
Please note that where late cancellation fees apply, Medicare and Private Health Fund rebates cannot be claimed.
Please see our cancellation policy for further information on late-cancellation fees.
For further information on MHTPs - along with other rebates that may be available for you - see rebates
pr0cessing rebates.
Medicare rebates can be processed for you at time of payment, following your appointment.
Private Health Insurance rebates cannot be processed for you directly. On payment at the time of your appointment you will be issued with a paid invoice that you can submit to your insurer to claim rebates on eligible psychological services.
For further information on rebate eligibility for services via Medicare and Private Health Funds.
rebates.
Rebates may be available via Medicare or Private Health Fund Insurance. The number of sessions, out-of-pocket costs, and eligibility varies depending on the type of referral.
Medicare rebates are available for Focused Psychological Services where eligibility criteria are met under:
Mental Health Treatment Plan
(MHTP)Initial course of up to 6, and a maximum of up to 10 appointments, per calendar year.
Chronic Condition Management Plans
(CCMPs or GPCCMPs)Up to 5 appointments per calendar year.
Unlike the Better Access initiative (focused on diagnosable mental health conditions), CCMP services are designed for clients whose mental health needs are part of a broader chronic condition management plan.
For further information on MHTPs and CCMPs
medicare rebates.
Depending on your fund and level of cover, you may be eligible to receive a partial rebate for mental health services, including counselling and psychological services, with an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker.
Please check with your insurer directly regarding details of your cover and eligibility, as the benefit amount, annual limits, waiting periods and other conditions vary depending on your policy cover.
private health funds.
If you are unsure whether your current referral is valid, or your private health insurance provides a rebate - you can check directly with your referring doctor, or health fund. If you remain unsure, reach out and I may be able to assist you.
cancellation policy.
rescheduling.
If you need to reschedule your appointment please notify as early as possible.
Rescheduling 48-hours prior to your appointment time does not attract any cancellation fees. This allows for the time set aside for you (including time spent in planning and preparation for your session) to be offered to someone else.
You can easily reschedule by sending an email, phoning (please leave a voicemail message), or even sending an sms.
If you are unable to attend an appointment scheduled in person as planned, you can contact to request a telehealth appointment (videocall or telephone) up until the time of your appointment. This provides an option for you to avoid late-cancellation fees and maintain continuity of care.
cancellation fees.
Cancellations require adequate notice. We respect your time, and our own. Please note the timeframes for late-cancellation fees below:
• More than 48 hours: No cancellation fee
• Less than 48 hours: 50% of the session fee
• Less than 24 hours or non-attendance: Full session fee
Late-cancellation fees are payable at the time of cancellation or non-attendance.
Reminders are provided prior to your appointment.
steady space is a private practice that aims to carefully manage the number of clients we are working with at any one time. By not overcommitting to referrals, we can more readily ensure that existing clients have access to available appointments, and we can ensure continuity of care for those currently engaged in treatment and support. This means you can rely on consistent access to appointments within the timeframes we have planned together.
Because each appointment time is reserved specifically for you, unattended or late‑cancelled sessions cannot be reallocated. For this reason, cancellation fees apply. Where rescheduling your appointment with more than 48 hours’ notice, we can offer that time to someone else.
Medicare and Private Health Insurance require that you attend the appointment (in person or via telehealth) for a rebate to be claimed - which is why rebates cannot be applied to late-cancellation/non-attendance fees.
If you have any concerns or questions about this policy and how it applies to your circumstances, please feel free to reach out and discuss directly at the time of enquiry, scheduling your appointment, or when returning your consent form prior to first appointment.
confidentiality.
Accredited Mental Health Social Workers are bound by a code of ethics and professional standards of practice, which includes maintaining confidentiality about what you discuss with them.
At steady space your privacy and right to confidentiality is taken seriously. The commitment to maintaining high standards of respecting your rights includes that you can access confidential support that aligns with Australian privacy laws, compliance standards, and AASW guidelines where relevant. What you share in your sessions is treated with care, respect, and discretion.
There are exceptional circumstances where your information would need to be shared without your consent - where serious risks to your safety or that of others is concerned. Under these circumstances, there are still limitations as to what can be shared, and with who. Our practice is to involve you and advise of planned disclosure, wherever possible. There are, however, circumstances where it is recommended that a person not be advised of disclosure - and again this is most often in regard to disclosure potentially impacting the safety of you, or another. You can see our privacy policy on the website, and full details of confidentiality limits are outlined within initial intake consent forms. If you wish to see these before the intake process, you can also send an email to request all forms. You are also encouraged to ask any questions or discuss any concerns prior to or during your appointment.
more on MHTPs and CCMPs.
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Mental Health Treatment Plan
MHTP (previously known as MHCP)
Referral Process
For eligibility to receive a Medicare rebate under the Better Access Initiative, you must either:
- be directly referred by a psychiatrist or paediatrician
- see your GP or prescribed medical practitioner (PMP) to develop a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP)
- have a psychiatrist managing your care refer under a referred psychiatrist assessment and management plan (PAMP)
Number of appointments with a MHTP
Under a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), you can claim rebates for up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year (January 1 – December 31).
• A referral is a ‘course of treatment’.
• An initial course of treatment can provide for up to 6 sessions.
• After the first 6 sessions, your referring doctor will receive a report outlining assessment, treatment, and any recommendations.
• If further sessions are recommended you will need to return to your doctor for a review of your referral to receive an additional course of treatment - or up to a maximum of additional 4 sessions (to the total of 10 per calendar year).
Once you have reached the claiming limit of a maximum of 10 within the calendar year, you can continue to access services, without being able to claim the rebate.
Referral Validity
Referrals are valid for the number of services shown on the referral letter, even if you change your treating allied health professional.
If you have unused services on your referral at the end of the calendar year, you can use them in the following calendar year - however they will count towards the new year’s claiming limit.
Family & Carer Inclusion
Better Access services allow up to a maximum of 2 services per calendar year be used by a family member or carer of the client.
These services can be provided to a family member or carer, where the:
- client has been referred as part of a MHTP, PAMP or direct referral from a psychiatrist or paediatrician
- treating or referring practitioner determines it is clinically appropriate
- client consents for the service to be provided to their family member or carer as part of their treatment
- the service is part of the client’s treatment
- can be provided if the client isn’t in attendance.
Any services delivered to a family member/carer count towards the client’s calendar year allocation for individual services (i.e. they are part of the maximum of up to 10 sessions within a calendar year).
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Chronic Condition Management Plan
CCMP or GPCCMP
What is a CCMP?
A CCMP or a GPCCMP (GP Chronic Condition Management Plan) is a personalised plan developed by your GP with you, to support management of long-term or terminal, health conditions.
From July 1, 2025, a single CCMP has replaced older plans like the Chronic Disease Management Plan (CDMP) and Team Care Arrangement (TCA). If you had a CDM Plan or TCA before July 2025, they are still able to be used until June 30, 2027.
Eligibility for a CCMP
Your GP can refer you to a number of different allied health professionals if you:
- have a chronic condition (lasting for 6 months or more)
- or terminal condition
- and they believe you would benefit from a structured care plan.
Your referring GP can decide with you if your condition would benefit from a mental health support with an eligible provider.
With the new changes, your GP does not have to name the specific allied health provider on your referral, however they can decide with you which allied health profession/services would best support you.
Referral to an AMHSW
AMHSWs are included amongst allied health professions eligible to provide services under ‘mental health workers’.
Timeframes
Referrals under a GPCCMP are valid for the timeframe stated in the referral. If there is no timeframe stated, they are valid for up to 18 months from the first service date provided under the referral.
Eligible clients can use 5 allied health services per calendar year. The 5 services may be either:
- one type of service
- or a combination of different types of services, for example one dietetic and 4 mental health or psychology services.
You can discuss with your GP/Medical practitioner which allied health services you access and decide the combination of different eligible allied health services each calendar year.
Reporting Requirements:
If you receive services under a CCMP, there is a requirement that a written report/letter be provided to the referring medical practitioner after the first and last service. Communication with your GP can be provided more often, if it is clinically indicated as necessary and/or you or your referrer request.
Reports can include assessments carried out, treatment provided, and any recommendations for future.
for referers.
I welcome referrals via Medical Objects:
Medicare Provider Number: 1981001X
I accept referrals under Mental Health Treatment Plans (MHTPs), Chronic Disease Management Plans (CDMPs), and psychiatrist referrals.
I understand the current challenges in providing treatment and support for clients living with complex mental health issues within the community — including growing demand for specialist care and gaps in services placing primary care and community teams under increasing pressure.
I value collaborative communication and am available to discuss referrals and support treatment planning when required. My experience working in public mental health services supports high responsivity to changes in acuity and risk - with an understanding of stepped care and where and when additional support, including increased safety planning or support is indicated.
My practice is informed by over 18 years working in multidisciplinary teams in public mental health services, with a strong focus on collaborative work with GPs and other professionals and service providers in the community. My experience includes adult mental health - general, mood, and psychosis teams - older adult mental health, and in disaster mental health.
For further information created for GPs by AASW read more here
Areas of expertise and support I can offer include:
Comprehensive biopsychosocial assessment and formulation to contribute to and support diagnostic clarification in adult and older adults presenting with mental health concerns where complexity and comorbidity exist.
Providing evidence-based focused psychological interventions and strategies for a number of presenting issues and mental health conditions
Supporting clients and families with psychoeducation, and monitoring medication efficacy, side-effects, strengthening understanding and engagement through psychosocial support.
Responsive to changes in acuity or decline in mental state that may require additional support including risk assessment and management
Older adult mental health: I understand the interacting factors of physical health and multimorbidity, with changes in mental state and cognition as well as the broader social context and stage of life that are more commonly experienced by adults over the age of 65. I provide older Adult specific mental health assessments including cognitive screening - and adapting therapeutic support to be responsive to these factors, as well as considerate of generational cohort factors.