To the Honourable President and members of the Senate in Parliament assembled:

The petition of the undersigned shows from 1 January 2013 the Australian Government intends to cut psychological treatment in the ‘Better Access’ scheme, from the current 16 appointments per calendar year to just 10 sessions, with no exceptions. Limiting therapy to 10 appointments is unacceptable. When distressed people experiencing a mental health disorder reach out for help, we need to have a system that gives them a fair chance to recover. We are asking for evidence-based reform, allowing those with a diagnosed mental health condition to access the internationally recognised standard of care.

Your petitioners ask that the Senate to amend the Better Access to Mental Health Care initiative, to provide a minimum of 15 appointments of psychological treatment, with an additional 5 sessions per year for those experiencing chronic or severe levels of distress.

For more information, please visit our website at http://betteraccess.net/