Access To Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS)

Moreton Bay General Practice Network’s (MBGPN) Access to Allied Psychological Services (ATAPS) program has been funded by the Department of Health and Ageing to continue through the 2010-2011 financial year.

ATAPS provides funding for General Practitioners (GPs) to refer patients, who have been diagnosed as having a mental disorder, to an allied health professional to provide low cost focussed psychological strategies.

ATAPS is particularly suitable for providing short term psychological services to individuals with mild to moderate common mental illness. ATAPS primarily treats high prevalence mental disorders such as anxiety and depression.

To be eligible for the provision of focussed psychological strategies under ATAPS, patients must have received an assessment and a Mental Health Treatment Plan and require focussed psychological strategies.

Focussed psychological strategies are specific mental health care management strategies, derived from evidence based psychological therapies.

The following are specific focussed psychological strategies shown to be evidence-based for a number of psychological disorders, as listed in the 1 November 2007 Medical Benefits Schedule (pages 79-80):

  • Psycho-education (including motivational interviewing)
  • Cognitive Behaviour Therapeutic Strategies (behaviour modification, exposure techniques and activity scheduling)
  • Cognitive Interventions
  • Relation Strategies (progressive muscle relaxation, controlled breathing)
  • Skills Training (problem solving, anger management, social skills, communication, stress management, parent management training)
  • Interpersonal Therapeutic Strategies (especially for depression)
  • Narative Therapeutic Strategy (emphasises the changes that can be brought about in people's lives thorugh particular tellings and retellings of the stories of their life, understanding these stories and ro-authoring  them in collaboration between the clinitian and the patient.  This is a particularly useful and beneficial strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations)

Emphasises the changes that can be brought about in people's lives through particular tellings and retellings of the stories of their life, understanding these stories and re-authoring them in collaboration between the clinician and the patient. This is a particularly useful and beneficial strategy for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander populations.(especially for depression)

These focussed psychological strategies can be provided by allied health professionals qualified and credentialed to deliver such strategies including psychologists, social workers, mental health nurses, occupational therapists and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health workers.

For patients to be eligible to received focussed psychological strategies under MBGPN ATAPS program they must fit within the following criteria:

 

Criteria

Measurement Scale to be used

Payment by MBGPN

Gap Payment Required from Patient

1

Commonwealth registered benefit holders patients

K10

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

2

Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander patients who require a Mental Health Plan

K10

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

3

Patients who do not meet the above criteria but are affected by a drug and alcohol condition co morbid with a mental condition

K10

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

4

Patient is aged between 15-25 and requires a Mental Health Plan

K10

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

5

Women suffering from Peri-natal Depression (the term of the pregnancy and the first year following the birth of the child)

Edinburgh Post Natal Depression Scale

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

6

Patients who are homeless who do not fall into the above criteria

K10

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

7

Children 0-15 suffering from a mental health disorder and their family / parents who would benefit from therapy support and/or education

K10

MBGPN will provide $100 (GST excl.) payment for 6 psychologist visits

Nil

For more information about this program, please read the MBGPN ATAPS Overview document below or contact Cathy Burden.

 

 

Updated:  July 2010

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