Policy and Advocacy Mental Health Update January 2025

National Early Intervention Service Model 

The Department of Health and Aged Care is consulting on the draft service delivery model for the National Early Intervention Service (NEIS). This model, informed by targeted consultations in late 2024, aims to ensure the service is nationally implementable, sustainable, and inclusive. OTA was invited to contribute to the initial consultation phase. 

The NEIS will support individuals at risk of, or experiencing, mild mental ill-health or transient distress, offering free cognitive behavioural therapy delivered by trained professionals via phone or video. Services will be accessible without a diagnosis or GP referral, beginning 1 January 2026, with full implementation by 2029. 

Further details, including the consultation paper and survey, are available on the Department’s website. Feedback is invited until 20 January 2025. 

Mental Health Medicare Mental Health Centres Grant Opportunity 

A grant opportunity for the delivery of Mental Health Medicare Mental Health Centres centralised tele psychology and tele-psychiatry service was released on 23rd December with the closing date for applications on 31 January. 

We were very disappointed to see that the guidelines for the service identify only psychologists and psychiatrists for provision of the service. We have written to the Department asking that they clearly highlight the inclusion of mental health OTs in the grant documents and processes going forward to enable the inclusion of mental health occupational therapists in delivery of the tele-health services and as tender applicants.  More information about the grant and the service is available here.  

SA Mental Health Act Consultation 

South Australia is developing a new Mental Health and Wellbeing Act. As part of this process, the SA Office of the Chief Psychiatrist is conducting a supplementary consultation to explore additional changes to the Mental Health Act 2009 aimed at preventing critical incidents and improving emergency mental health care. 

The consultation is open on the YourSAy website, where a discussion paper and supporting information are available. The site also provides details on registering for online consultation sessions to learn more about the proposals. Feedback can be submitted until 7 February 2025.