The Australian Psychological Society (APS) welcomes new funding in the 2026-27 Victorian Budget aimed at strengthening the state's mental health workforce, including targeted support for psychology registrars.
Ahead of next week's Federal Budget, the APS is calling for more investment in the psychology workforce and in the mental health and disability sectors which strengthen the wellbeing of Australians, even amidst the current constrained fiscal environment.
APS CEO Dr Zena Burgess said the investment represents an important step towards improving access to timely, high-quality mental health care for Victorians.
"Building a strong, sustainable mental health workforce is critical to meeting growing community demand," Dr Burgess said.
"Support for psychology registrars in the public sector is particularly important, as it helps ensure the next generation of psychologists are well-trained, supervised, and ready to deliver essential care to their full scope of practice.
"At a time when wellbeing indicators of Australians are at an all-time low, such investment is vital for other parts of the economy and society to continue to function effectively," Dr Burgess said.
The funding will support a program designed to assist psychology registrars as they complete their supervised practice requirements, a key stage in becoming a psychologist with an area of practice endorsement. By investing in this pipeline, the Victorian Government is helping to address workforce shortages and improve service availability, by supporting early career psychologists to enter the public mental health and wellbeing system.
"This initiative directly contributes to the Department of Health's mental health clinical care output by strengthening workforce capacity and capability," Dr Burgess said.
"It will help expand the reach of evidence-based psychological services and help to improve wellbeing outcomes for all Victorians."
The APS also welcomes the Victorian Government's commitment to funding Foundational Supports ($2.4b over five years) including funding for Thriving Kids, particularly the investment in enhancing individualised disability support in schools for students with complex needs. The unique expertise and leadership of psychologists will be critical to ensuring that this initiative is delivered effectively. The APS looks forward to collaborating with the Victorian Government on this initiative.
The APS has consistently advocated for greater investment in workforce development, including structured pathways, supervision support, and incentives to attract and retain psychologists, as well as NDIS supports.
"We look forward to working with the Victorian Government to ensure these initiatives are effectively implemented and deliver meaningful outcomes for both psychologists and the community," Dr Burgess said.
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