Major Proposed Changes to Psychology Education and Training 

Today, the Psychology Board has released a major consultation proposing a complete redesign of psychology education and training. The reforms are significant, but please keep in mind this is the first round of public consultation with nothing finalised and no implementation timeframes included.

The scale of change is significant, and the Psychology Board has rightly framed this as a once-in-a-generation reform of the profession.

One Shorter, Faster Degree for General Registration

The headline proposal is a move to a single, streamlined pathway: a 5-year degree leading directly to general registration. This would include more practical skills training far earlier.

This would mean:

• No more +1 internship
• No more provisional registration (for domestic graduates)
• No more National Psychology Exam for domestic pathways
• Introduction of student registration instead
• Practical placements embedded into University courses

Moving to a single pathway and a single qualification opens the door to something the profession has long needed: more consistent and equitable training costs.

A single model creates the opportunity to align training under the same higher funding band, reducing financial barriers, inequities between pathways, and reliance on limited postgraduate places.

This has the potential to be a significant step forward for access and workforce supply, but there are missing details on what this will look like in reality, and AAPi will be analysing this proposal carefully.

Endorsement 

The proposal separates the education and training pathways for general registration from endorsement and introduces a new model where endorsement becomes a standalone 2-year part-time Masters, completed while working in a relevant role. The registrar program would be removed and replaced with work-integrated training. 

A key shift is that employer demand would help determine the need for advanced qualifications, signalling a move toward a more workforce-driven model of endorsement.

The Psychology Board has stated that all generally registered psychologists would be eligible to pursue endorsement through this new system. This will be a shorter and likely cheaper option than the current pathway to endorsement. Again, the full details are not included, and future reforms to endorsement have been flagged by the Psychology Board. 

Psychology Assistants

The consultation also proposes a potential psychology assistant pathway, with an exit point after three years of study. The Psychology Assistant pathway and role will require further investigation and scoping. The Board has acknowledged that the role, demand, and structure remain unclear.

Key Questions and Considerations

While there are elements of the proposed model that may improve consistency and access, there are also a number of important questions and potential risks that require careful consideration.

AQF level and professional recognition

AAPi is concerned that the proposed 5-year pathway for general registration is currently called a Bachelor’s Degree and has been allocated an Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) Level 8 qualification, whereas the current MPP (the 5+1 pathway) is an AQF Level 9. 

AQF classification and qualification levels have real-world implications for how professions are recognised, including remuneration and industrial awards. The Fair Work Commission has recently recognised psychology as an AQF Level 9 profession, and we do not want to see psychologists with general registration take a backwards step in how their qualifications are valued.

AAPi raised this concern with the Psychology Board prior to the public release of these documents and will continue to seek clarity on how this risk will be addressed.

Removal of provisional registration

Provisional psychologists are currently a critical part of the workforce, contributing meaningfully to service delivery across many settings. While we acknowledge and do not want to minimise the challenges with the current internship model, the proposed removal of provisional registration raises important questions, including:

• What impact will this have on workforce capacity?
• How will services currently delivered by provisional psychologists be maintained?
• What transitional impacts might this have, particularly in already under-serviced areas?

There are also practical implications. For example, some funding schemes (such as the NDIS) currently allow services to be delivered by provisional psychologists but do not fund students on placement. This creates a potential gap that has not yet been addressed.

Placement capacity and accreditation

The proposed model relies heavily on embedded placements within university training. However:

• Will placement sites need to be formally accredited?
• Will smaller organisations or private practices be able to meet these requirements?

There is a risk that increased regulatory or administrative burden could reduce the number of available placement sites, particularly in smaller or rural settings, or in areas such as the NDIS which allows provisional registration, at a time when we need to expand, not contract, training opportunities.

Endorsement pathway clarity

The proposed endorsement model raises several unanswered questions:

• How does a psychologist secure employment in a “suitable role” for endorsement before undertaking the formal education required for that area of practice?
• What does it mean in practice for “employers and industry” to drive advanced qualifications?
• Will there still be flexibility for psychologists who wish to complete formal education first and then undertake supervised practice?

These details are critical to understanding how accessible and workable the new endorsement pathway will be in reality.

The two-tier system remains unaddressed

The most significant structural issue facing the profession - the two-tier system - has not been directly addressed in this consultation.

Without reform in this area, it is unclear what will materially change in terms of:

• Recognition of general registration
• Access to funding and roles
• Rebuilding and sustaining vital (and currently declining) areas of practice

Any changes to education and endorsement pathways must be considered in the context of this broader structural issue.

The consultation is also missing the implementation plan and timeframe. Without this information, it is difficult to fully understand the proposed reforms.

AAPi is asking members to engage in critical thinking about these and other areas regarding the proposed changes. We will be working hard to engage with members, stakeholders such as employers and universities, and the Psychology Board to achieve the most favourable outcome.

Psychology Board consultation opportunities

We encourage all members to carefully review the consultation information. Consultation is open until 10 June 2026. The Psychology Board will then review feedback and refine the model.

The Consultation Paper provides in-depth information on the project and the proposed model, while the Consultation Guide offers a general overview and key information.

• Consultation paper
• Consultation Guide
• Attachment A – Public consultation submission template

This page includes a short video that walks through the proposed changes. 

Detailed feedback to the Psychology Board is being accepted using the feedback submission template in Attachment A; submit the form by email to psychconsultation@ahpra.gov.au.

There is also a Psychology Board consultation survey. 

The Psychology Board is also embarking on a ‘Listening Tour’, which will include webinars and in-person forums in all states and territories. You can register for this at the bottom of the consultation page here.

This is a significant reform agenda, and the details and implications matter. AAPi will continue to be actively engaged in the consultation, working with members to understand impacts, and advocating to ensure reforms improve access, strengthen the workforce, and support the full scope and value of psychologists. We will be directly consulting with members so we can represent your views and address any concerns.

A major national study has been released by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. Please note that this study only relates to psychologists working in health, it does not tell the full story of our diverse profession including disability, education, organisational psychology or the justice system to name just a few areas. 

The Psychology Supply and Demand Study (April 2026) shows:

• A current shortfall of psychologists, growing to over 7,000 by 2038
• When unmet demand is included, in just the health sector, the 2025 shortage was estimated to be over 10,000 psychologists with this predicted to rise to a shortage of over 24,000 psychologists in 2038
• This represents a 57.3% undersupply based on health sector now, worsening to 96.6% by 2038 

While demand for psychological care continues to grow and this study is presents a vital evidence base for future actions, advocacy and reform, we are also hearing a very different and difficult reality from members:

• Clients are reducing frequency or cancelling appointments due to cost-of-living pressures
• Increased cancellations linked to the fuel situation and rising travel costs
• Ongoing impacts of NDIS pricing and travel changes on service viability
• Practices under pressure from inadequate rebates and stagnant fee structures

Many psychologists are trying to balance the increasing need with declining affordability and sustainability for both clients and practices.

This is not just a workforce issue. It is a system under strain from multiple directions at once.

The two-tier system is part of the problem.

At a time when Australia is facing a workforce shortfall of this scale, the two-tier system is making things worse by limiting affordable access for clients, reducing the viability of bulk billing, undervaluing a large portion of the workforce, and creating bottlenecks in an already constrained system.

Put simply, we cannot afford a system that artificially restricts access when demand is rising, and the workforce is already insufficient.

AAPi is advocating for practical, immediate reforms that reflect the reality on the ground:

Improving access and affordability

• A single, increased Medicare rebate for all psychologists
• Expanding Better Access sessions based on clinical need
• Access to psychologists for NDIS participants
• Bulk Billing incentives

Supporting viability and workforce capacity now

• Including provisional psychologists in Medicare
• Reducing administrative burden and red tape

Strengthening the future workforce

• More Commonwealth Supported Places
• Paid placements to address placement poverty
• Funded graduate and internship pathways
• Faster, fairer training pathways
• Targeted rural and regional incentives

In response to this report, AAPi has issued a national media statement calling for urgent action, integrated these findings into our advocacy, continued direct engagement with government and key stakeholders, and strengthened our case for ending the two-tier system.

We know many of you are navigating a very challenging environment, supporting clients through increasing complexity, while also managing cancellations, financial pressures, and system constraints.

AAPi is working at both the system level, advocating for reform, and the individual level, supporting members through these day-to-day challenges.

Many of you will have seen recent media coverage suggesting the Government is considering changes to the NDIS that could impact people with psychosocial disability.

The reporting indicates that the NDIS’s mental health spend, estimated at around $6 billion and supporting approximately 65,000 participants, may be a focus of upcoming reforms.

We are deeply concerned about the tone of the public conversation, and we have issued our first of many media statements about this.

Once again, we are seeing narratives emerge that question who is “disabled enough” to access support. First, it was Autistic children, now it is people with psychosocial disabilities.

These same debates do not occur in the same way for people with physical disabilities or medical illnesses. We do not see public discourse questioning whether someone is “disabled enough” to receive cancer treatment, or suggesting we should ration chemotherapy to balance the budget.

Many of us have spent decades working to reduce stigma in mental health and disability. Seeing this debate relitigated in the media is understandably frustrating, and for some, deeply distressing.

Psychosocial disability is a legitimate and recognised disability. It reflects the very real, often fluctuating, and sometimes severe impacts of mental health conditions on a person’s functioning and ability to participate in everyday life.

With the right supports, people can stabilise, recover, and engage meaningfully in their communities. Without those supports, we know what happens: increased hospitalisations, crisis presentations, disengagement, and long-term disadvantage.

What we are also hearing directly from participants and their families is deeply concerning. This public narrative is having real impacts. People are reporting increased fear, uncertainty, and a renewed sense of shame about their condition and their need for support.

This is the consequence of myopic and ill-informed public debate.

There is also an increasingly concerning narrative that NDIS spending in this space is somehow excessive or misplaced. From what we are hearing from members across the country, that does not reflect the reality of practice.

These supports are not “nice to have”, they are often the difference between someone coping and someone in crisis.

We also want to say this clearly: moving people from one system to another is not reform or cost saving.

Shifting people with psychosocial disability out of the NDIS, without a fully funded and accessible alternative, does not reduce cost, it simply redistributes it. And too often, that cost shows up in acute systems, emergency departments, and in the lives of people who fall through the gaps.

You may also have seen commentary about the NDIS eroding “social capital”. From our perspective, what is far more damaging is myopic and uninformed reporting that undermines public understanding and fuels stigma toward people who are already vulnerable.

And we know many of you are already navigating:

• increased financial pressures on clients
• cancellations and reduced engagement due to cost of living
• reduced funded supports already being experienced by NDIS participants
• ongoing uncertainty across the NDIS and broader mental health system

We see this. And we are advocating directly on it.

AAPi is actively engaged through the NDIS National Mental Health Sector Reference Group and broader advocacy channels to:

• push back on narratives that stigmatise psychosocial disability
• ensure any reforms are evidence-based and clinically informed
• advocate for appropriate, accessible alternatives where change is proposed
• highlight the real-world impacts on psychologists and the people you support

We are also challenging skewed media reporting and speaking with journalists.

As always, our work happens at both levels, advocating for systemic change while staying closely connected to what you are experiencing day-to-day in practice.

We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.

Early bird registrations are now open for the AAPi National Conference 2026, offering a great opportunity to secure your place at a reduced rate.

The conference program is currently under development, with a strong line-up of speakers and sessions being curated to reflect the key issues and emerging directions shaping the psychology profession.

There is still time to contribute to the program, with Speaker Expressions of Interest closing soon. If you have insights, innovations, or experience to share, we encourage you to submit an EOI for consideration.

⏰ Speaker EOIs close at 5pm AEST, 16 April 2026

Secure your place early and take advantage of early bird rates

Psychology Workforce Shortage Highlighted in National Study

AAPi President Sahra O'Doherty spoke with radio 6PR following the release of the Federal Government’s Psychology Workforce Supply and Demand study, raising concerns about a significant and growing shortage of psychologists across Australia. Current data suggests a shortfall of nearly 900 psychologists, projected to rise to around 7,000 by 2038, leaving many Australians without access to essential mental health services. Sahra emphasised the need for increased university and postgraduate training places, as well as expanded paid placement opportunities for psychology students, particularly in rural and regional areas. The interview also explored workforce distribution and the role of psychologists across different sectors.

Finding “Glimmers” in Tough Times

AAPi Director Rachel Samson’s advice was recently featured in an article syndicated across 11 publications, exploring how to find moments of joy during complex or challenging times. She urges we be “intentional about and committed to finding sunshine”, highlighting the brain’s natural tendency to focus on threat, and encourages intentionally shifting attention toward small, meaningful positives, “glimmers”, through simple practices like reflecting on daily positives, building micro-moments of enjoyment, and noticing everyday acts of human connection.

The NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission has released a series of short educational videos to support providers in understanding their obligations under the NDIS Code of Conduct, including one explaining individual rights. Providers are required to respect participants’ choice and control, support informed decision-making, and ensure staff comply with the Code, including enabling participants to raise concerns or make complaints about their supports. Accessing the video series can help providers better understand and meet these responsibilities, ensuring the rights of people with disability are upheld.

From 1 July 2026, the Victorian Victims of Crime Financial Assistance Scheme (FAS) will expand interim counselling support, increasing the number of available sessions from five to ten while applicants await a final decision. This change will be applied automatically to all applications from that date, with no action required for existing applicants. Those whose interim assistance was processed prior to 1 July will continue under the current five-session allocation; however, individuals who have already used their initial sessions and are still awaiting an outcome may request an additional five sessions by contacting the FAS.

Read the full update here.

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released its Health Provider Compliance Priorities for 2026, outlining key areas of focus to protect the integrity and sustainability of Medicare.

AAPi has worked with the Department for written guidance on the areas relevant to psychology. These include:

• Telehealth 
• Care and management plans
• Claiming MBS services while overseas
• Preventing fraud
• Access to affordable healthcare
• Safeguarding high-quality and medically necessary services

Explore these priorities in more detail here.

Join national leaders and clinicians for a practical and informative session that will give allied health professionals a clear understanding of how to access and use My Health Record (MHR) via conformant software and the National Provider Portal and the benefits doing so can provide.

MHR is becoming an increasingly important tool for delivering coordinated, high‑quality care – especially within chronic condition management programs and multidisciplinary teams. Understanding how to use MHR efficiently can help you access and contribute to richer clinical information, streamline communication, and demonstrate the value allied health professionals provide to consumer outcomes.

Participants will learn:

• Why using MHR to source and share information is likely safer and more secure than current methods
• What information MHR contains and how it can inform clinical practice
• The steps required to enable use of MHR in practice
• How to identify the available options for connecting to MHR and where to access detailed implementation guidance
• How the Sharing by Default initiative is enhancing the value of MHR and may mandate your use of the system.

Participants will have the opportunity to ask questions before and during the webinar, relevant to their practice setting and registration status.

Date: Wednesday 6 May 2026

Time: 5–6pm AEST

Location: Online via Microsoft Teams

Free registration

This session is relevant for allied health professionals, private practice owners and practice managers seeking clarity on secure digital connection requirements.

Register here.

Inquiry into Racism, Hate and Violence: Submissions Open

The Joint Standing Committee on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs has launched an inquiry into racism, hate and violence directed at Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, following a referral from Minister for Indigenous Australians, Senator the Hon Malarndirri McCarthy. Submissions are open until 1 May 2026, with individuals invited to contribute in a range of formats, including written submissions, video, audio, photos or artwork. Contributions should address the Terms of Reference, and options are available to support confidentiality and protect identities where needed.

New Youth Poll Highlights Mental Health Concerns and Rise of AI Support

A new NSW Office for Youth poll report, released ahead of Youth Week (16–26 April), reveals mental health remains the top concern for young people, alongside cost of living and housing pressures. Notably, 29% of respondents reported using artificial intelligence as a mental health support tool, with 27% turning to AI for conversation or personal advice. While most young people report overall life satisfaction, the findings highlight ongoing impacts from social media and bullying. The results underscore the importance of continued investment in youth mental health services and broader supports, with the NSW Government pointing to housing, rental reform and a $3.1 billion mental health investment as key priorities.

$13.9M Boost for 13YARN Expands Culturally Safe Crisis Support

The Federal Government has announced a $13.9 million investment in 13YARN to expand access to culturally safe crisis support for First Nations people. The funding will strengthen the 24/7 phone service, introduce a new text-based support option, and help meet growing demand, particularly improving access for young people and those who prefer not to use voice services.

Suicide and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Children and Adolescents, Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline

This Australian-first, evidence-based clinical practice guideline provides guidance on the identification, assessment, and management of suicide and non-suicidal self-injury in children and adolescents aged 0–19. It supports professionals across health, education, and community settings to deliver safe, timely, and developmentally appropriate care, informed by evidence, clinical expertise, and lived experience. Developed in collaboration with clinicians, researchers, young people, and carers, the guideline reflects a national commitment to improving outcomes and was produced through the Melbourne Children’s Campus Mental Health Strategy.

Culture Care Connect Evaluations Released

The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing has released the final independent evaluation of Culture Care Connect, a suicide prevention and aftercare program for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities developed by the National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation in partnership with the Department. Alongside the main report, a second evaluation examining the program’s capacity to meet current and future mental health and suicide prevention needs has also been published, offering valuable insights into the effectiveness and sustainability of culturally led approaches to care.