15 July 2024
The monthly National Standards meetings have continued with the most recent round of meetings in July. Johanna also continues to have regular meetings with representatives of the Department across a range of key projects and priorities.
"These monthly meetings represent crucial steps forward in achieving national standards for counsellors and psychotherapists," said Ms. de Wever. "PACFA is committed to working collaboratively with the Department of Health to ensure these standards are comprehensive, effective, and reflect the high level of professionalism within our profession."
Advocating for counsellors and psychotherapists
The establishment of National Standards, which address the entry-level requirements for Registered Counsellors, is long overdue and will be critical in rebuilding sector confidence. This is essential to ensuring that counsellors, psychotherapists, and Indigenous Healing Practitioners can play their key role in the broader mental health workforce and provide important support for the community. PACFA is utilising the National Standards project to advocate for its registrants and to ensure that counsellors and psychotherapists are registered comparable to other Allied Health Professionals – not as a less trained or less valuable workforce.
PACFA was the only counselling organisation that supported the proposal for National Standards when the Select Committee’s recommendations were announced in November 2021. PACFA is optimistic about the outcome of these monthly meetings and looks forward to continued collaboration with the Department of Health in developing a framework that benefits counsellors, psychotherapists, and the public they serve.
Public consultation on the National Standards was open until 5 July 2024 and has now closed. More than 16 PACFA members met with the consulting firm during this period. PACFA looks forward to the draft National Standards which are scheduled for release in October 2024.
For more information
Do you have questions regarding the National Standards project? Please click here to view our FAQs on the National Standards for counsellors and psychotherapists.
PACFA will provide further information as it is received to members via our website’s Latest News section, as well as our monthly eNewsletter and social media channels.
Read PACFA’s article welcoming the National Standards project, and a press release made at the time of the Federal Government’s announcement.