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The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed correspondence from the Queensland Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, the Hon. Tim Nicholls MP, in response to our concerns regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) expresses deep concern following the announcement that Ramsay Health Care will close 17 of its psychology clinics, leaving thousands of Australians at risk of losing access to crucial mental health services.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has today submitted its final response to the Productivity Commission’s Interim Review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement, calling for bold reform, structural inclusivity, and recognition of the full spectrum of mental health professionals already delivering care across the country.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed recent correspondence from the Northern Territory Minister for Education and Training, acknowledging the validity of VMHPAA’s concerns regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) fully supports the recommendation for a National Bullying Standard for schools - a standardized framework to shift school cultures towards respect, early intervention, and prevention.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed recent correspondence from the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, responding on behalf of Ministers Andrew Giles MP (Skills and Training) and Amanda Rishworth MP (Employment and Workplace Relations) to our concerns regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) today held a productive meeting with Dr. Sarah Miller, Coordinator-General for Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Dr. Sue Fitzpatrick, Chief Allied Health Officer from ACT Health, to discuss the potential impacts of the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

As National Pain Week begins, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) stands in solidarity with the one in five Australians living with chronic pain, an invisible but life-altering condition that impacts not only physical wellbeing but also emotional, social, and psychological health.

A growing chorus of experts, educators, and front-line workers are sounding the alarm: Australia’s children are not okay. A new report featured by 7News reveals that half of young Australians are experiencing psychological distress, marking what may be the most urgent youth mental health crisis in generations.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed the support of Kate Chaney MP, Independent Member for Curtin, following a constructive meeting this week to discuss the proposed Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

The VMHPAA Winter Edition 2025 Newsletter is packed with powerful updates, reflections, and resources for anyone passionate about a fairer, more inclusive mental health system in Australia.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) has welcomed correspondence from ACT Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Education and Early Childhood, Yvette Berry MLA, in response to our concerns regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists.

Today, on International Non-Binary People’s Day, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly celebrates the identities, experiences, and contributions of non-binary people across Australia and around the world.

National Diabetes Week (13–19 July) rightly spotlights prevention - an effort that "matters at every stage of the journey," from reducing Type 2 onset to preventing complications in Type 1, Type 2, and gestational diabetes .

In the July 2025 edition of The Australian Women's Weekly, the article "Nowhere to Turn" lays bare a devastating truth: Australia's mental health system is on the brink. Emergency departments are overwhelmed. Suicide rates are rising. Too many Australians, especially women and young people, have nowhere to turn.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) acknowledges the recent response from the Victorian Department of Education - Sharon Barry, Executive Director for Inclusive Education; regarding our concerns about the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists and their potential impact on counsellors working in schools.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) is pleased to report that our Secretary Ms Susan Sandy VMVMHPAA, met today with Richard Welch MP to discuss the serious impacts of the proposed Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists on private practices and community services.

The Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly acknowledges NAIDOC Week 2025, a powerful moment in the national calendar to honour the history, cultures, and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

This July, the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association Australia (VMHPAA) proudly celebrates Disability Pride Month, a time to recognise the strength, diversity, and dignity of individuals living with disability across Australia and beyond.

Today, Shane Warren (Chair) and Philip Armstrong (CEO) of the Vocational Mental Health Practitioners Association of Australia (VMHPAA) formally met with representatives from the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing - specifically the Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Division of the Primary and Community Care Group.