'Huge demand': how a $10 clinic is helping meet city's mental health crisis
Demand for psychology appointments at one Ballarat service has spiked almost 60 per cent in a year, driven by cost-of-living pressures and a critical shortage of low-cost treatment options. Subscribe now for. . .
Demand for psychology appointments at one Ballarat service has spiked almost 60 per cent in a year, driven by cost-of-living pressures and a critical shortage of low-cost treatment options. Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue readingAll articles from our website& appThe digital version ofToday'sPaperAll otherin your areaRegional families are increasingly turning to Federation University'sFedCare Psychology Clinicwhere the first session with a provisionally registered psychologist is free and follow-up sessions cost just $5 to $10. In the first six months this year, the clinic has clocked up more than 5000 appointments, treating more than 750 child, adolescent and adult clients. That is the equivalent of about 40 appointments every weekday and is 58 per cent higher than last year. FedCare Psychology Clinic senior clinical lead Jessica Hodgetts and student clinician Daniel Downey. Picture by Kate HealyThey have also seen an increase of almost 36 per cent in client numbers supported. Many Ballarat psychologists are not taking on new patients, mental health support services have long waits for new clients and with the stigma of mental health reducing, more people are reaching out for support. During the first half of the year, 67 provisional psychologists have treated patients at the Mount Helen clinic under supervision of experienced clinical psychologists - the largest cohort of students to work in the clinic. The provisional psychologists are fifth or sixth year students doing placement as part of their master's of professional practice or master's of clinical psychology. FedCare Psychology's senior clinical lead Jessica Hodgetts said there was "huge demand" in people wanting to access high quality, low cost services. "Every appointment represents someone accessing care that might otherwise have missed out," Ms Hodgetts said. A large proportion of those seeking treatment are children and adolescents. "We are very lucky here locally to have some amazing services, but as a whole probably there's a lot less pediatric services regionally, which may be why we have such a great demand for that," Ms Hodgetts said. The clinic is also growing its partnerships with local schools, placing provisional psychologists in 19 local primary and secondary schools to provide treatment and support to students. The most common conditions that clients are reaching out for support in dealing with are anxiety, depression, general life stress, traumatic situations or events, grief and loss. Ms Hodgetts said there were also increasing referrals for children at school with attention and concentration difficulties, anger management, and needing support in regulating emotions. They also provide cognitive and academic assessment for people of all ages, and telehealth consultations for clients in other parts of Victoria and even interstate. FedCare Psychology Clinic student clinician Daniel Downey and senior clinical lead Jessica Hodgetts in one of the consultation rooms. Picture by Kate HealyFor most of the year, waiting times for appointments are minimal but as more people sign up to train as psychologists, more appointments are available. "Psychology is certainly a significant growth area, and we're seeing that across Australia. Demand for people and interest in people studying that field is definitely growing, so we've certainly seen a steady increase in our student numbers and continual growth and I think we're probably going to continue to see that moving forward," Ms Hodgetts said. Federation University student Daniel Downey, who recently completed the first year in the master of psychology (clinical), said stepping into real-world clinical work had been both challenging and deeply rewarding. "The journeys we go on with clients are truly incredible - and to be part of that, even in a training capacity, has been such a meaningful experience," he said. "One of the biggest strengths of the clinic is accessibility - sessions are affordable, and because there are a number of students, we're able to see a large number of clients and reduce wait times. "At the end of treatment, hearing from clients that you've made a genuine, tangible difference in their lives - that's the most rewarding part of all. "More from HealthAs it happensBreaking news alertBe the first to know when news breaks.