This proposal would broaden access to mental health care services and consists of 3 components.

Component 1 would increase the Better Access Initiative to unlimited psychology or psychiatric therapy sessions and raise the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) rebates for patients with a diagnosed mental illness. Within any 12-month period, patients would be eligible for unlimited sessions. Patients would need a referral from their general practitioner (GP) every 10 treatment sessions under their mental health treatment plan.

The proposal would fund the COVID-19 temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth and phone consultation services on an ongoing basis.

The proposal would have effect from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would fund the COVID-19 temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth and phone consultation services on an ongoing basis.

The proposal would have effect from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would fund the COVID-19 temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth and phone consultation services on an ongoing basis.

The proposal would have effect from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would fund the COVID-19 temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth and phone consultation services on an ongoing basis.

The proposal would have effect from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would fund the COVID-19 temporary Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) telehealth and phone consultation services on an ongoing basis.

The proposal would have effect from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would improve the Better Access scheme by reducing the minimum number of participants in group psychological therapy sessions to four patients from the current requirement of six in accordance with recommendation 5 of the Report from the Mental Health Reference Group. It would also remove the current cap of 10 group therapy sessions a year and instead allow patients to access unlimited group therapy sessions.

The proposal would be ongoing and start from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would improve the Better Access scheme by reducing the minimum number of participants in group psychological therapy sessions to four patients from the current requirement of six in accordance with recommendation 5 of the Report from the Mental Health Reference Group. It would also remove the current cap of 10 group therapy sessions a year and instead allow patients to access unlimited group therapy sessions.

The proposal would be ongoing and start from 1 July 2022.

The proposal would improve the Better Access scheme by reducing the minimum number of participants in group psychological therapy sessions to four patients from the current requirement of six in accordance with recommendation 5 of the Report from the Mental Health Reference Group. It would also remove the current cap of 10 group therapy sessions a year and instead allow patients to access unlimited group therapy sessions.

The proposal would be ongoing and start from 1 July 2022.

This proposal is related to the 2021-22 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook measure Medical Workforce which would eliminate all or part of the Higher Education Loan Program (HELP) debt for eligible healthcare workers if they reside in and practice in rural, regional, or remote Australia.

Under this proposal, the policy would be expanded to 3 additional eligible professions:

• Clinical Psychology
• Social Work
• Psychiatry

Eligible participants would be required to work: