VMHPAA Meets with Federal Health Officials to Present Petition and Raise Concerns Over Draft National Standards
- Shane Warren
- Jun 30
- 3 min read
MEDIA RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 June 2025
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.
The purpose of this meeting was to raise critical concerns regarding the Draft National Standards for Counsellors and Psychotherapists and to formally submit a petition of over 1,440 signatories, gathered in just 12 days from professionals, community members, and stakeholders across Australia.
“This is not just a question of representation, it is a question of equity, safety, and common sense. Excluding vocationally trained practitioners, particularly in a sector already stretched thin, is not a reform; it’s a risk,” said Mr Warren.
During the meeting, VMHPAA presented a comprehensive position statement addressing the following key agenda items:
Recognition of Vocational Qualifications and VMHPAA
Acknowledging AQF Level 5 and 6 qualifications as legitimate and valuable training pathways.
Recognising vocational practitioners as essential first responders in counselling, especially in rural and remote communities.
Calling for VMHPAA’s formal inclusion in all stakeholder consultations and advisory groups.
Amendments to the Draft Standards
Revising standards to explicitly include vocationally qualified professionals.
Ensuring the standards reflect the full continuum of care, not just degree-based pathways.
Addressing Workforce Shortages and Enabling Tiered Mental Health Care
Reinforcing that vocational counsellors are vital to maintaining service access in underserved areas.
Proposing a tiered model similar to that used in nursing, acknowledging clinical, professional, and vocational scopes of practice.
Scope of Practice Framework
Developing a national scope of practice framework to maintain safety and clarify roles across qualification levels.
Presenting the Petition
The petition highlights broad public and professional support for including vocational practitioners in the Standards.
Supporting Career Development and Pathways
Requesting structured articulation pathways, continued professional development, and career mobility support.
Alignment with Government Policy
Noting the exclusion of vocational practitioners risks contradicting state and territory mental health strategies aimed at:
Expanding service access (NSW’s Towards Zero Suicides Strategy)
Bolstering early intervention (Victoria’s Mental Health & Wellbeing Plan)
Promoting culturally safe and place-based care (QLD’s Every Life Strategy, WA’s Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services Plan)
Empowering regional communities (NT’s Community Mental Health Framework)
Call for a Ministerial Working Group
Advocating for a co-design process with true representation from vocational, community, and education sectors.
Formal Requests
Amend Focus Areas 1.3.1, 1.3.2, and 2.1.7 to permit AQF 5 graduates to practise and supervise.
Commission a Regulatory Impact Statement (RIS) to assess the legal and economic implications.
Delay implementation of exclusionary clauses pending inclusive review.
Conclusion: VMHPAA reaffirmed that vocationally trained mental health practitioners are a cornerstone of community-based care across Australia. Their exclusion under the Draft Standards would be inconsistent with both national goals and state policy ambitions, risking widening workforce shortages and deepening existing health inequities.
“We were heartened by the reception we received from the Department. Officials affirmed that our concerns have been noted and are being taken into consideration. This is an encouraging step forward,” said Mr Warren.
“This petition represents more than 1,400 voices, but the impact reaches far beyond those signatures. We will continue working with decision-makers at every level to ensure that our mental health system remains inclusive, responsive, and community-driven,” said Mr Armstrong.
Media Contact:
Shane Warren, Chair
Philip Armstrong, CEO
VMHPAA
Congratulations Shane and Philip, thank you for going and representing the voiceless who provide so much to our community and the people in need. There are many many practitioners who have been practice for decades and very successful with 'just' a Diploma. The Draft Standards were missing many markers, and was not fair nor equitable. Well done & thank you again