VMHPAA Meets with ACT Health Leaders to Discuss Draft National Standards and Community Impacts
- Shane Warren
- Jul 21
- 2 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
21 July 2025
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.
VMHPAA Chair Shane Warren and CEO Philip Armstrong raised concerns that the Draft Standards, if implemented in their current form, risk undermining ACT’s collaborative and flexible approach to mental health service delivery. Key issues highlighted included:
Workforce disruption: The exclusion of diploma-qualified counsellors could displace experienced practitioners and jeopardise services in schools, NGOs, and community settings.
Policy misalignment: The Draft Standards risk clashing with the ACT’s Mental Health & Suicide Prevention Plan, Bilateral Mental Health Agreement, and ongoing commissioning reforms that prioritise integration, lived-experience roles, and culturally responsive care.
Continuity of care: With new NGO contracts rolling out to 2026–27, any sudden qualification restrictions could interrupt services at a time when demand for mental health support continues to grow.
VMHPAA welcomed the opportunity to engage directly with ACT Health leaders and their commitment to ensuring the ACT Government’s policy priorities are considered in the national conversation.
“We are encouraged by the constructive dialogue with Dr. Miller and Dr. Fitzpatrick,” said Shane Warren, Chair of VMHPAA. “The ACT has led the way in developing a flexible, community-informed mental health system. It is vital that any national standards enhance rather than undermine this progress.”
Philip Armstrong, CEO of VMHPAA, added: “Our members provide critical frontline support across schools, NGOs, disability, aged care, and community services. The ACT’s approach demonstrates how vocationally trained practitioners, alongside psychologists, social workers, and lived-experience roles, create a stronger and more inclusive system. We urge the Commonwealth to ensure national standards reflect this reality.”
VMHPAA will continue to engage with ACT Health, the Commonwealth, and other jurisdictions to advocate for standards that safeguard public safety while preserving workforce diversity and access to timely, affordable mental health care.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Susan Sandy, Secretary
Philip Armstrong, CEO
VMHPAA
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