Frequently Asked Questions

• You can forward book up to 3 months ahead for a support and planning session. If there are non available in the forward booking period, there will be more available on the 1st of every month.
• This will be booked in with one of our Senior Psychologists - Lisa Archer or Toby Mizzi.
• The CS Team will send you out some forms (Service Agreement & Client Information) to complete in preparation for the session to help with planning and recommendations. These forms must be completed before the session.
• The session may be in clinic or online.
• Support planning sessions are 50 minutes in person, followed by 17 minutes to prepare the recommendations report.

Support planning sessions are at a cost of $237.85, pre payment is required to book. Funding or rebates may be available to subsidise the cost.

The clinician will provide you with a written summary with recommendations for next steps, with consideration to a number of factors:

• presenting needs - general or specific
• goals for working with Strong Minds and or externally
• context (e.g. time of year)

The recommendations could include one, some or all of the following:

• Short Term (6 session) intervention block (fortnightly sessions working on a particular goal or
  set of goals)
  • 1:1 sessions
  • parent / carer sessions
• Single session intervention (to target strategies for a specific concern, goal or skill)
• Group intervention (to address goals in a small group format)
• Assessment
• Positive behaviour support plan
• Cancellation list (sessions that are not locked in, but may be after another block, or while
  waiting for a block of intervention)
• Long Term intervention
• Referral to another service (either alongside Strong Minds or instead of)

The recommendations are there for you to consider and decide if you would like to book in with our team.

• Details will be included such as the order of when it is suggested our services may be beneficial (e.g. a group intervention in Term 1 because there is a group targeted to your goals then, followed by a Short Term intervention block if this is still needed).
• If you would like to take up the recommendations, you can then speak with our CS team and booking/s will be made accordingly.
• Some service options recommended may not have immediate availability that suits both the clients needs and schedule or Strong Minds availability.
• For any service recommendations that do not have availability, you will be offered to go on a targeted waiting list for that particular service or services.

Depending on your progress towards achieving set goals, one of the following can occur:

• Move on to the next recommendation on the Recommendations Report.
• Discuss current needs and plans with the clinician working with you (e.g. return to wait list for long-term support, cancellation list for additional sessions, group intervention, assessment).
• Take a break from psychology intervention to implement the strategies developed to continue towards your previous or new goals, or to focus on another form of intervention (e.g. Occupational Therapy, Speech Pathology).

Modify the appointment time and or day to another available spot within one week of the previous
appointment.

• Modify your appointment as booked to an online session instead.
• Modify your appointment to a Non Face to Face session. This will allow your clinician to provide you with the session plan, and relevant resources associated.
• Cancel this appointment and reduce the package of sessions to 5.

If your clinician has taken Personal Leave then the CS team will contact you to find the next opportunity to re book your planned session. If the next option is well into the future, you can be placed on the clinician’s cancellation list to be offered spots that become available.

If at the time of contact to Strong Minds there are no suitable immediate booking options for Intervention you will be required to attend a Support Planning Session in order for us to best assist with your needs, and target appropriate supports that we can provide.

If you are calling or on a waiting list for an Assessment, Positive Behaviour Support Plan or Group Program, you do not need to attend a Support Planning meeting first.

• Both Assessment and Behaviour Support Plans are structured with their own Initial Interview process.
• If you have asked to be enrolled in a future or current group intervention program, you do not need to attend a Support Planning meeting first.
• If you are unsure as to what service you require or type of assessment you require, it is recommended to book a support and planning session to discuss with a senior clinician.