Providing evidence-based, short-term treatment for people who experience mild to moderate mental illness and have barriers to accessing mainstream treatment options. Clients are able to access a number of defined therapy sessions delivered by an approved mental health clinician.
The Psychological Therapies Program is an initiative funded by Brisbane South PHN and managed and delivered by Wesley Mission Queensland.
The program provides evidence-based, short-term psychological interventions for socio-economically disadvantaged people who experience mild to moderate mental illness or people who have attempted or are at risk of suicide or self-harm and have barriers to accessing mainstream treatment options. Clients can access a number of defined therapy sessions delivered by an approved mental health clinician.
The Psychological Therapies Program, delivered across the entire Brisbane South region, has been in operation since October 2017 when it replaced the former Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program.
The Psychological Therapies Program is a funded initiative by Brisbane South PHN and managed and delivered by two community targeting both general and multicultural specific populations.
Clients who have had thoughts about hurting or killing themselves in the past 4 weeks but are not at immediate risk can access 12 sessions over a 2-month period as determined clinically appropriate by the clinician and client.
All clients must have been assessed by the referring GP as low-risk and have been given options if they require immediate assistance.
Clients accessing Psychological Therapies under a stream other than the risk of suicide or self-harm stream have access to 6 sessions within a maximum 6-month timeframe.
All clients must be socioeconomically disadvantaged, in addition to one of the below contributing factors:
Being at risk of suicide or self-harm - the client has had thoughts about hurting or killing themselves in the past 4 weeks but is not at immediate risk
The service accepts referrals from general practitioners, psychiatrists, paediatricians, community-based organisations (provisional referrals).
1. Complete Psychological Therapies Referral Form ensuring client meets core eligibility requirements:
2. Send the form to Wesley Mission Queensland or Head to Health Intake Service via Fax or Secure Messaging.
3. Client will be contacted for completion of intake/assessment process.
4. If not eligible, intake team will contact the referrer suggesting alternate supports.
5. Once approved the client will be allocated to a service provider who can meet their individual needs. The provider will communicate regarding the client’s commencement, disengagement and exiting from the service.
Referring GP will be advised once service commences and receive a summary report at the client’s exit from service.
Phone: 07 3151 3840
Fax: 07 3539 6445
Both require the completion of a Mental Health Care Plan. The Psychological Therapies Program is for people who could not otherwise afford the cost of psychology, including gap payments through Better Access, meet defined target group populations, and would benefit from short-term intervention.
Clients who have the capacity to pay and can readily access psychological services or do not identify with a target group population are ineligible for this program and should continue to be serviced under Better Access arrangements.
Once the referral has been accepted, the provider aims to see the client within 10 working days or in the case of suicide prevention, within 3 working days. Any delays in the commencement of the service will be communicated to the referrer by the service provider.
Any allocation delays will be communicated to the referring GP by intake staff. Clinical responsibility for clients referred will remain with the GP until seen by the psychological therapies’ services.
Target clients are detailed on the next page however the following clients are NOT eligible for this service when the primary reason for referral. i.e. the client would not benefit from short-term psychological intervention: