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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-10-17 Daily Xml
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Answers to Questions

Mental Health

298 The Hon. S.L. GAME ().13 September 2023).

1. Does the minister believe it is appropriate for psychologists providing mental health counselling for veterans in South Australia to receive $61 less per session under the federal rebate system than they would treating NDIS clients?

2. What support is the state government providing to veterans in South Australia to make up for this shortfall, which is seeing some providers dropping veteran clients in favour of NDIS clients?

The Hon. C.M. SCRIVEN (Minister for Primary Industries and Regional Development, Minister for Forest Industries): The Minister for Veterans Affairs has advised:

1. The Medicare Benefits Schedule is a federal rebate system over which the state government has limited influence. I have written to the federal Minister for Veterans' Affairs, the Hon. Matt Keogh MP, to request that the disparity between the Medicare Benefits Schedule fee between NDIS and federal Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) clients is investigated.

2. The Australian government is responsible for funding health services for eligible DVA clients. The state government has limited influence over private service providers in relation to which clients they accept.

Mental health and suicide prevention is a focus at national and state levels, for both the general population and for veterans. South Australian veterans have free access to high quality mental health services delivered by a range of organisations. It is critical that veterans are enabled to connect with all of the services available to them.

The Jamie Larcombe Centre (JLC) opened in November 2017. The primary role of the JLC is to provide acute, subacute and rehabilitative mental health care to men and women aged over 18 years who are current or former serving members of the Australian Defence Force.

The JLC includes an ambulatory service incorporating outpatient treatment and a post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) service, 24 single rooms with ensuites (inpatient unit), outpatient rooms, a gymnasium, research spaces, gardens, and a children's playground for families.

Service delivery and development is underpinned by the Specialist Mental Health Services for Veterans Model of Care (the model of care). The purpose of the model of care is to guide service delivery and improvement through the identification of key components that inform evidence-based treatment for veterans' mental health.

The Veteran Mental Health Rehabilitation Unit for outpatients provides an accredited PTSD group program, veterans and seniors group programs, individual and couple counselling, and a Transition to Care service. Referrals may be received from health and community organisations, self/family, ESOs and the inpatient unit.

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