Frequently asked questions

No, you do not need a referral to access our services.

However, if you are wishing to access Medicare rebates, you will require a written referral addressed to Solasta from your doctor, along with a Mental Health Treatment Plan.

For more information about Medicare rebates and how to access a Mental Health Treatment Plan, visit our Fees & Funding Options webpage.

Depending on your eligibility, there are a number of funding options available to support you to access our services, including NDIS, Medicare and Private Health.

If you are unable to access any of the funding options, you can choose to pay for your services.

Visit our Fees & Funding Options webpage for more information.

Before your first appointment starts, you may be asked to complete a registration and consent form that covers things such as confidentiality, sharing your personal information and other important information.

The first appointment is an opportunity for you and your clinician to get to know each other and discuss the reasons you have decided to start therapy.

Your clinician will try to develop a thorough understanding of your issues or concerns and any relevant history such as your family, social relationships, work history etc.

They will also work with you to develop some goals and a plan for your therapy.

More information about what to expect from your first appointment is available in our Welcome Pack – also available in Easy English format.

Everyone will have a different journey with therapy. The number of appointments will depend on why you are coming in and what you are hoping to get out of your sessions.

Your clinician will be able to give you a clearer idea of how many appointments may suit you once they have developed an understanding of your circumstances.

Therapy appointments are typically 50 – 60 minutes in duration. Shorter appointments are available if required.

The number and length of assessment appointments will vary depending on the assessment type and your needs. Some assessments will take approximately three to four hours and may be spread across two appointments. Other assessments may require additional or longer sessions in order to complete a comprehensive assessment. Short breaks will be given during each assessment appointment if needed as some people may find it tiring. When you book your assessment, you will be provided with more information about the length of your appointment.

Any information that you disclose is confidential and will not be shared with anyone else without your permission. There are two exceptions to this rule – the first is if you are at risk of harm either to yourself or someone else, and the second is in relation to court orders.

For children, where parents are separated, our clinicians will usually try to obtain the consent and involvement of both parents if the child/young person is not mature enough to consent on their own. Unless one parent has not been granted sole responsibility for the child’s health decision by a family court order, the non-accompanying parent may be able to access the records if requested. As such we will request copies of any relevant court orders at the time of referral.

Your clinician will discuss the limits of confidentiality at your first appointment.

More information about how we collect and handle your personal information can be found in our Privacy and Consent Brochure – also available in Easy English format.

Solasta is not a crisis service, however we do understand that during difficult periods you may require a more urgent appointment to support you. We will do our best to accommodate this if possible. Please notify us when you call to make an appointment that you would like to see someone urgently. We will then do our best to book you in at an earlier time to better meet your needs or put you on a cancellation list.

In the case of an emergency where you or someone you are with are at immediate risk, please call 000 or go to your local hospital emergency department. For more information about crisis support, visit our Crisis Support webpage.

Should you need to cancel or rearrange an appointment you have booked with us, please contact our friendly support team, giving at least 24 hours notice.

Visit our Cancellations & Late Arrivals webpage for more information.

The NDIS stands for National Disability Insurance Scheme. Under the NDIS, funding is given directly to the person who needs support instead of to the organisation that provides support. This gives you the power to choose what assistance you require.

There are rules governing who can access the NDIS and what the funding can be spent on.

The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) has been set up by the Australian Government to assess your eligibility.

There are a number of factors that impact whether you’re eligible for the NDIS. First step is to answer these questions and if you answer yes to all or some of these questions – you may be eligible for the NDIS:

• Are you aged between 7 and 65?
• Do you live in Australia and have Australian residency?
• Do you usually need support from a person because of a permanent and significant disability?
• Do you use special equipment because of a permanent and significant disability?
• Do you need some supports now to reduce your future needs?

Find out more information about eligibility on the NDIS website.

Once your eligibility is confirmed, an NDIA Planner will meet with you to discuss your needs and goals, and then develop a plan and funding package with you.

To learn more about our NDIS services, click here.

Therapy services such as Psychology, Counselling and Speech Pathology may be funded by the NDIS if you or your child’s NDIS plan includes funding for ‘Improved Daily Living Skills’ under ‘Capacity Building Supports’. Any services provided also need to be aligned with the NDIS plan goals.

If you wish to use NDIS funding, you need to provide Solasta with either a copy of your current plan or alternatively the plan number, plan dates and plan goals.

Our NDIS services are charged at scheduled rates per the NDIS Price Guide. Our service fees are listed on our Fees & Funding Options page.

If your funding is self-managed, you will need to pay in full for the session. We will provide you with a receipt which you can use to claim reimbursement from the NDIS. If your funding is plan-managed, you will need to provide us with your Plan Manager details before your first appointment so that we can send invoices directly to the organisation for payment.

Click here to learn more about our NDIS services.