Frequently asked questions

What can I expect at my Navicare appointment?

When you call or come into the Navicare hub, you will first meet your Mental Health Care Navigator. You will be asked a series of questions about yourself and the reasons why you are seeking help. This information includes your age, if you are of Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander descent, if you are employed, why you are seeking help, and any other factors that may be impacting your mental health.

This information helps the Care Navigator work out what services you are eligible for and will be best to support you. This information will be stored in a secure online database and will only be shared with those services that provide you with support.

Some of this basic information will be used to help us understand what services are needed in the community, so that we may improve our service, employ more Care Navigators or establish additional Navicare hubs when and where necessary. The information used by Navicare will not contain any details that could be used to identify you.

Please note that the Care Navigator is not a qualified counsellor. However, you will be provided a private, caring, supportive environment and will be referred to the most appropriate counselling and support services to improve your mental wellbeing.

Will using the Navicare service cost anything?

While the care navigation service and some Telehealth counselling services are provided free of charge, some of the services you may be referred to may have costs associated with them. Some counselling services offer a reduced rate for help-seekers who have a Mental Health Treatment Plan in place from their GP, or for those with specific private health coverage. If the cost of support is an issue for you, please let the Care Navigator know so that they can work to link you to the most appropriate, yet cost-effective, services to meet your needs. Please refer to Where can I get help? for more information about Mental Health Treatment Plans and the cost of services.

Is Telehealth as effective as face-to-face psychology?

Yes, studies have shown that attending psychology services online is just as effective as seeing someone face-to-face. For some people, they even report feeling more comfortable with seeing a psychologist who doesn’t live in their area, so they don’t risk running into them at the shops or feeling like everyone knows their business when walking into the local psychologist’s office. This can create greater feelings of privacy and confidentiality and increase the likelihood of fully engaging with their therapist.

There is also the benefit of not having to travel to and from appointments, and some studies have shown better appointment attendance due to the ease and lower time demands of Telehealth.

You can read more about how to get the best out of your Telehealth counselling sessions here.