Funding mental health support for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander people

Summary

• A free annual 715 health check is the doorway. It unlocks up to ten rebated allied-health sessions a year, which can include psychology.
• Your local Aboriginal Medical Service is the best first stop. Many bulk-bill and can organise the whole thing in one place.
• Closing the Gap registration makes any prescriptions cheaper. Ask your GP to set it up.

If money is the thing holding you back from seeing a psychologist, you are not alone. There is also more help than most people realise. There is no single Indigenous mental health payment. Instead, a few Medicare and Commonwealth programs stack together, and used well they bring the cost right down. This is how they fit.

Someone to yarn with: 13YARN (13 92 76) is a free, confidential line staffed by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters, any time of day. Lifeline 13 11 14 is also there. In an emergency, call 000.

Start with the 715 health check

The 715 is a free yearly health check for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. It takes under an hour. You can have it at an Aboriginal Medical Service or a bulk-billing GP. On its own it is useful. Its real power is what it opens up: a referral for up to ten rebated allied-health sessions a year. Most other Australians get five. Those sessions can include seeing a psychologist.

Your local ACCHS is the easiest path

Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services are built to give culturally safe care. Many have psychologists or visiting clinicians on site. They can do the 715, write the referral, and arrange follow-up, often bulk-billed. Going through one means you are not chasing pieces of the system on your own.

A note on the sessions

These psychology sessions are billed under the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander allied-health items. The rebate is a little lower than a standard Mental Health Treatment Plan session, because the consults are shorter. The amounts change each July. Ask your service or GP what the current figure is before you book.

If medication is part of it

Some people will be offered medication too. The Closing the Gap PBS Co-payment Program reduces or removes the script cost for eligible people. Ask your GP to register you, so it is cheaper from the very first script.

Assessment is usually separate

One thing to know up front. These rebates are built for treatment and ongoing support, not a one-off assessment like a full ADHD or autism work-up. Those are usually charged on their own. If an assessment is your goal, ask for a written quote first. Our guides to ADHD and depression and anxiety explain what support can look like.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a special rebate just for Indigenous mental health?

Not a single payment. The 715 check, up to ten rebated sessions a year, Closing the Gap, and the standard Mental Health Treatment Plan work together to lower the cost.

Where do I start?

Your local Aboriginal Medical Service is the best first stop. They can do the free 715 check, write referrals, and often bulk-bill.

Can I get culturally safe support by telehealth?

Yes. Telehealth brings support to regional and remote areas, and many services offer it.

Will the rebate cover a full ADHD or autism assessment?

Usually not on its own. The rebated sessions fund treatment rather than a one-off assessment, so ask for a quote.

Important: This is general information, not personal medical advice. Care should be tailored to you by a registered practitioner. If you are in crisis, call Lifeline 13 11 14, 13YARN 13 92 76, or 000 in an emergency.