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Psychological Support Services (PSS)

Psychological Support Services (PSS) provides free access to short-term psychological therapy either face-to-face or via telehealth. PSS is for people experiencing mild to moderate mental health concerns who live in the Central and Eastern Sydney region and are experiencing financial hardship or low income, and who may not be able to access support through Medicare subsidised psychological services.

Under this program, CESPHN commissions Project 54 which reduces barriers to accessing psychological support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples by providing outreached-based, culturally appropriate, and sensitive support in locations across the region including La Perouse, Glebe and Sutherland LGA.

Eligibility

Psychological Support Services is for people who:

  • Live within the Central and Eastern Sydney region. Find your local PHN.
  • Have a diagnosable mild to moderate mental health concern.
  • May benefit from short-term treatment.
  • Are unable to access other services including the Better Access Initiative (Medicare subsidised psychological services) due to financial hardship or low income (Individual income below $67,000 or family income below $140,000).
  • For Project 54, the service is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who live within the CESPHN region.

Psychological Support Services has skilled clinicians who can support individuals who fall within the following groups:

  • Children (0-12 years who have not yet graduated from primary school) with, or who are at risk of developing a mild to moderate mental, emotional, or behavioural disorder.
  • Young people (12-25 years).
  • Adult (low income).
  • Individuals who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Intersex, Queer/Questioning (LGBTIQ+).
  • Individuals experiencing perinatal depression and their partners.
  • Individuals who identify as Aboriginal and or Torres Strait Islander.
  • Individuals who identify as part of a Multicultural Community.
  • Individuals who have attempted, or who are at risk of suicide, or self-harm.
  • Individuals with mild intellectual disability who may benefit from short-term psychological intervention when co-occurring mental health concerns are diagnosed.

In order to improve access to the program for underserviced or hard to reach groups, Non-Medical Practitioner (NMP) referrals are also accepted. NMP referrals allow Mental Health Practitioners (MHP) to carry out up to 10 sessions prior to obtaining a MHTP.

A Non-Medical Practitioner can include:

  • Education wellbeing staff and leadership.
  • headspace clinical staff.
  • Managers of community or neighbourhood centres.
  • Maternal and child health clinicians.
  • Aboriginal health workers, care coordinators, outreach workers and managers of Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHS).
  • Multicultural community health workers.

Suicide Prevention Service (SPS)

This service is for Individuals 18 years and over, who have attempted suicide or who have heightened suicidal ideation and are being supported in the primary health care setting, therefore no longer considered at acute risk. PSS SPS is designed to assist individuals with recent risk who no longer have acute needs but would benefit from intervention that specifically focuses on suicide prevention, prevention of future risk taking, identifying early warning signs and triggers.

A GP Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) forms part of accessing this service. This can be added to the online Service referral form and Healthlink referral form (Healthlink ID: CESPHNMH) templates. Both referral form pathways are compliant with the billing requirements for a GP MHTP.

Referral Forms

Please do not open the Best Practice or Medical Director file before uploading into your clinical software.

Non-Medical Practitioners can refer individuals to PSS prior to the development of a GP Mental Health Treatment Plan. Limited additional sessions may be available based on clinical need after initial sessions have been completed. However, the individual will need to see their GP for a Mental Health Treatment Plan before additional sessions are approved.

Non-Medical Practitioners can refer to PSS using the online referral form.

Referrals will not be accepted via direct email or Fax due to security and privacy concerns.

Best PracticeMedical DirectorOnline
PSS Initial Referral and Mental Health Treatment PlanBiconMedical Director template download2019015 icons 22

To download the instruction manual to import Best Practice (BP) forms, click here.

To download the instruction manual to import Medical Director (MD) forms, click here.

Service Providers

Service ProviderLilly Pilly Counselling (LPC)Australian Primary Mental Health Alliance (APMHA) Healthcare Ltd.
WebsiteClick hereClick here
Emailadmin@lillypillycounselling.com.auadmin@apmhahealthcare.com.au

To become a PSS provider, please contact the Service Providers above.

For any referral queries, contact CESPHN Mental Health team:

Ph. – 1300 170 554.

Email – mentalhealth@cesphn.com.au

Click here to access the registered PSS providers on the CESPHN Service Directory.

PSS Brochures

From 1 July 2024, the PSS program model of care changed.

Funding for Psychological Support Service (PSS) is capped and targeted to delivering services to at-risk populations within the CESPHN region as well as individuals facing barriers to accessing care due to financial hardship, rather than the general population. The program delivers short term therapies for mild to moderate presentations.

The program has now been re-designed to provide a course of treatment indicated for mild to moderate presentations that minimises barriers to care. This will ensure the program can remain open to eligible clients and reach the intended target population.

What has changed with the PSS program?

Referrals to PSS can be made for a course of 10 sessions. After that, client’s may be able to access up to 8 additional sessions dependant on treatment need or extenuating circumstances. The decision about ongoing sessions will be made by the consortium clinical lead, in line with the advice of the treating clinician and the referring GP .

Once clients have reached the maximum sessions under PSS they will exit the program. Clients cannot return to PSS unless there is a new diagnosis or treatment need. You should consider this at the time of the initial referral – if you feel that they will need a longer period of therapy this might not be the most appropriate pathway.

To increase accessibility to the program, we have removed the mandatory GP review required to continue sessions beyond session 10. Clinicians will continue to encourage clients to seek GP reviews.

Has the SPS program changed?

Suicide Prevention Service (SPS) referrals continue to be open. Clients can access 8 SPS sessions of psychological therapy for suicide prevention. These do not count to the sessions noted above.

Multiple rounds of SPS and extensions to SPS are not available. This would indicate the client needs a step up in care to a more appropriate service.

Will there be an overall lifetime restriction of sessions?

PSS is designed to be a one-off short-term program for individuals with mild to moderate mental health concerns. It is not an annually renewable program like Better Access.

Once clients have reached the maximum sessions under PSS (up to 18 Max) they will need to exit the program.

Clients can be referred again in the future if a new treatment need arises or a new mild to moderate mental health diagnosis occurs.

Can GPs re-refer clients to the program once they have utilised all their initial sessions?

Yes. Clients can be referred again in the future if a new treatment need arises or a new mild to moderate mental health diagnosis. E.g., A person seen treated for depression in PSS returns for Perinatal mental health support.

PSS is not designed or funded to provide ongoing treatment for clients on a continuing basis. Clients who continue to present to PSS may need a higher level of care that is no longer in the scope of mild to moderate treatment.

For most Individuals using PSS up to 10 sessions of intervention for an episode of care will be sufficient as they are presenting with mild-moderate levels of need. You can discuss any alternative options available to your client with the CESPHN Mental Health team.

If my client was discharged due to demand management, will they be eligible for more PSS?

Individuals can return to the PSS program to complete treatment if sessions are still available within their initial 10 sessions approval. To do this, Individuals will need to return within 12 months and still meet eligibility criteria. Please note that sessions beyond the 10 sessions are not guaranteed.

What services are available for client’s ineligible for or after completion of PSS?

CESPHN are working with PSS providers to ensure they can navigate our mental health service directory and understand the programs available locally.

A treating clinician will be able to refer clients to a range of options. Several options are listed below for your reference:

  • PICS – Mental Health Nurse and Peer Support program which now includes some group based therapeutic intervention along with the individual therapeutic intervention that mental health nurses can provide.
  • Connect and Thrive – Psycho-social support providing recovery based and trauma informed support and coordination for people living with severe and persistent mental illness
  • NSW Health Safe Havens located in Kogarah, Darlinghurst and Newtown providing a calm, culturally sensitive and non-clinical alternative to hospital emergency departments, for people experiencing distress or suicidal thoughts
  • SANE – counselling, peer support, online groups and events, 24/7 community forums, and online information and resources.
  • Your coach plus – CBT based mental health coaching and social prescribing, a low intensity option for people once they have finalised PSS.
  • SocialRX – Wellbeing group-based support and social prescribing service

If you have any further questions, please contact CESPHN Mental Health Intake Team on 1300 170 554 or mentalhealth@cesphn.com.au

Please note CESPHN emails are non-encrypted end to end therefore we cannot send or receive any emails with personal or sensitive information as it is considered a breach of privacy.