Referrals
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS
- Please read through the information below regarding Mental Health Treatment Plans (MHTP) and Eating Disorder Plans (EDP) for guidance on the most updated information from Medicare about seeing a psychologist.
- If you are of belief the client may potentially have a mental health disorder after your evaluation, and would benefit from seeing Dr Alissa Knight who specialises in youth (12 to 26 years) with Eating Disorders, Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Anxiety Disorders, Obsesive Compusive Disorder (OCD), Phobias, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Bipolar Disorder Type II, and other related conditions, please write a referral for them to see Dr Alissa Knight at The Calming Suite with a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) for an initial 6 sessions, or 10 sessions for an eating disorder.
- You are welcome to use one of Dr Alissa Knight’s referral forms below.
- The client will require a review after 6 sessions, or 10 sessions for an eating disorder to continue seeing Dr Alissa Knight.
- For eating disorder clients, they will require a medical review by their GP at the 10 session mark in treatment. Thereafter, at the 20 session mark in therapy they will be required to see a psychiatrist or pediatrician for review.
- You can email your referral to Dr Alissa Knight at: info@thecalmingsuite.com.au
Mental Health Treatment Plans
What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) and why would it benefit me?
A Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP), or an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP) are evidence-based, best practice models of treatment for people who have a diagnosed Mental Health Disorder. The plan can currently enable Australian individuals to receive Medicare rebates (between $88.25 – $129.55) for up to 20 individual psychological therapy appointments per calendar year, and 40 therapy sessions specifically for those with an eating disorder.
What this means is that if it costs you $200 to see a psychologist for each session, once you have paid, you will immediately receive between $88.25 to $129.55 back in your bank. As such, the real amount it is costing you (out of pocket) to see a psychologist each session is between $111.75 to $77.45. If you think the client (or yourself if self-referring) may be eligible please see the details below about accessing a plan.
Am I eligible for a Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP)?
A Mental Health Treatment Plan is available to you if you have a mental health disorder diagnosed by a GP, Psychiatrist or Pediatrician
Am I eligible for an Eating Disorder Plan (EDP)?
You are eligible for an EDP if:
- You have a diagnosis of Anorexia Nervosa according to the DSM-5 (assessed by GP) OR
- You have a diagnosis of bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder or other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)
- A Global EDE-Q score of 3 or higher
- Your condition is characterised by rapid weight loss, or frequent binge eating or inappropriate compensatory behaviour as manifested by 3 or more occurrences per week.
How do I get a Mental Health Care Plan (MHTP) or Eating Disorder Plan (EDP)?
To do this, you will need to:
- Make an appointment with a GP – when making an appointment tell the receptionist that the appointment is for a MHTP. This will allow them to set enough time for your appointment.
- Bring your Medicare card
- Speak to your GP about your presenting mental health issues – discuss your symptoms, how you feel, what has been concerning you, and what you feel has affected your life. Your GP may ask you to come back for a second consultation before deciding whether a mental health plan is the right thing for you.
- Ask the GP to email a copy of your MHTP or EDP to Dr Alissa Knight at The Calming Suite at: info@thecalmingsuite.com.au
- Ask for a copy of your MHTP or EDP for your own records
What happens after I receive my Mental Health Treatment Plan?
Once you have a MHTP you are entitled to 20 Medicare rebated sessions with Dr Alissa Knight or any psychologist Australia wide. You must go back to your GP after 6 sessions to have a review.
What happens after I receive my Eating Disorder Plan (EDP)?
If you have received an EDP, you will be entitled to claim Medicare rebates for up to 40 appointments with Dr Alissa Knight in a year. You will need to go back to your GP at the end of each 10 sessions block to be reviewed, and continue receiving sessions.
At the 20th session mark in therapy, you will need to be assessed by a psychiatrist or pediatrician in order to continue with Dr Alissa Knight. This is a national rule for all psychologists in Australia with eating disorders.
As such, your GP will need to refer you to see a psychiatrist or pediatrician to:
- Confirm your diagnosis
- Evaluate your response to therapy so far, and
- Make recommendations as to whether further session is needed.
It can often be very difficult to get in to see a psychiatrist or paediatrician, with long waitlists. As such, it is recommended to talk to your GP early about referring you, so you are not caught with a long delay.
Once you have seen the psychiatrist or paediatrician at the 20-session mark in therapy, if they decide that it is in your best interests to continue seeing Dr Alissa Knight, and you feel the same, you will need to provide her with a copy of your review.
What if I still have sessions remaining from my MHTP in the previous year, and now it has rolled over to a new year?
You are allocated up to a possible 20 Medicare rebated sessions per calendar year. However, your GP is only allowed to provide you with a MHTP once every 12 months. This can make things a little tricky.
For example, if you got your first MHTP in October 2021 and used 6 sessions that year, as soon as January 1st (of the next year ~ 2022) rolls around you’re entitled to a new 20 sessions for the new year. However, the rules are a little awkward and your GP isn’t allowed to write you a new plan until October 2022.
Steps from here:
- What this means is you can use your remaining 4 sessions immediately in 2022 (from the first MHTP you got in October 2021).
- Then you can go back to your GP and request to have an additional 10 sessions with Dr Alissa Knight under a
- Because it’s a Review and not new Mental Health Care Plan, the GP can only provide an additional 4 sessions.
- Once those 4 sessions are up, you’ll have to go back again to your GP for another Review.
- So, although it is a little tedious, you will eventually receive your 20 sessions for the year, just with a little more work.
What if I decide to change psychologists? Will this affect my Mental Health Treatment Plan (MHTP) entitlements?
No, it will not affect your MHTP, or the number of sessions you are entitled to. If you have been seeing another psychologist, and for whatever reason decide that you no longer wish to see them, the number of sessions you have left on your MHTP will simply be transferred to a new psychologist. What you need to do however, if go back to your GP and ask that they write you a new referral with the name of your new psychologist on it, so that Medicare can recognise them with your MHTP.
Can I claim Telehealth sessions on a Mental health Treatment Plan?
Yes, you can. Due to the COVID pandemic, Medicare decided to allow individuals to receive the same rebate amount $88.25 to $129.55 for telehealth sessions as face-to-face sessions until the end of 2022.