PACFA advocates for investment in counsellors and psychotherapists, not a new undefined workforce.
PACFA has challenged a proposal to create a new "Psychology Assistant" workforce, arguing that governments should invest in the qualified counsellors and psychotherapists already serving Australian communities.
In its submission to the Psychology Board of Australia's psychology training redesign consultation, PACFA warned that under the proposed model, public funding could be directed toward a new and largely undefined role while thousands of trained mental health practitioners remain underutilised.
PACFA supports efforts to strengthen Australia's mental health workforce and welcomes the proposed move to a streamlined five-year psychology training pathway. However, the Federation believes workforce shortages will not be solved by creating a new role when a qualified, regulated and available workforce already exists.
Australia already has an estimated 25,000–45,000 counsellors, with more than 1,500 graduates entering the profession each year. PACFA represents more than 12,000 members, many of whom are ready to meet growing demand for mental health support. Recent surveys indicate that around 60 per cent of counsellors could see a new client within two weeks, while one in four could offer an appointment within 24 hours.
As PACFA CEO Johanna de Wever noted:
"We welcome reform that strengthens the mental health workforce. But the answer to a workforce shortage cannot be to create a brand-new, undefined role and fund it from the public purse, while a trained, regulated and ready workforce sits underused."
PACFA's key concern is the lack of clarity around the proposed Psychology Assistant role. Important questions remain unanswered, including the role's scope of practice, supervision arrangements, accreditation requirements and how it would differ from existing counselling, psychotherapy and psychology professions.
Rather than investing in an unproven workforce model, PACFA is advocating for better utilisation of the qualified workforce already in place and continued progress toward statutory co-regulation of allied health professions, including counselling and psychotherapy.
PACFA has called on the Australian Government and the Psychology Board of Australia to remove the proposed Psychology Assistant role from the current redesign process and instead focus on policies that strengthen recognition, regulation and utilisation of Australia's existing mental health workforce. We encourage other registration bodies and key stakeholders to join us in championing this and advocating for our sector.
PACFA will continue advocating for counsellors and psychotherapists to be recognised as an essential part of Australia's mental health future.