The Australian Government launched a new fully digital mental health service, Medicare Mental Health Check In, on 1 January 2026. Medicare Mental Health Check In will transform access to free low-intensity mental health support in Australia by helping people access the right level of care at the right time and before problems escalate.
The service is an ongoing offering, with the Australian Government providing $588.5 million over eight years from 2024-25 and $113.4 million per year ongoing to implement this key step in the stepped-care continuum.
Medicare Mental Health Check In service offering
Medicare Mental Health Check In is providing early support for those experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, mild mental health challenges or transient distress. It is free to access for people living in Australia aged 16 years and over and available without a referral or diagnosis. The service is being delivered in partnership with St Vincent’s Health Australia.
Medicare Mental Health Check In will provide help-seekers access to evidence-based Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LiCBT). People work through LiCBT tools and resources either with the support of a trained practitioner via phone or video over a number of sessions, or self-guided (without the support of a practitioner). The service helps people build practical skills to manage and improve their mental health before challenges get worse.
Medicare Mental Health Check In is being rolled out in stages to balance clinical safety with timely delivery, ensuring the service is trusted from the start. A website with evidence-based materials is now available for people looking for mental health resources and support. People can also register their interest for upcoming services. From 30 March 2026, free LiCBT will come online, where people will be able to access services via phone or video with the support of a trained practitioner. From 30 May 2026, free self-guided tools will be available for those willing and able to engage with self-guided support.
Additional functionality will be rolled out over time to enhance help-seeker experience and service quality, with the service expected to reach maturity by 2029. This includes additional channels for service delivery (e.g. mobile app, SMS, online chat), trial modules, streamlined intake processes and the deployment of a peer and trainee workforce.
To support the safe and effective delivery of LiCBT, the initial practitioner workforce will include people with qualifications and experience working in mental health-related roles or those working regularly with people experiencing mental health challenges. This includes psychologists, counsellors and mental health nurses. Over time, a broader workforce will be developed and deployed with accredited training, to support the sustainable growth of the low-intensity workforce. Medicare Mental Health Check In will be independently evaluated to understand how well the service is being implemented and the impact it is having on help-seekers’ mental health outcomes and on the broader mental health system.
The case for change
Around 8.2 million Australians are estimated to be at risk of, or experiencing, mild mental illness. For this group, early intervention aims to respond at the first signs of distress, helping people build the skills and confidence to manage symptoms before they escalate. These supports strengthen individual capacity and reduce the likelihood of conditions progressing to more complex or acute stages.
Gaps in early intervention and low intensity mental health services have increasingly pushed people in Australia toward higher acuity care, making the system less accessible and more costly. As a result, many people end up seeking help from services designed for those with diagnosed clinical disorders. Australia’s Productivity Commission estimated that around half a million Australians who would benefit from low-intensity support are not receiving any care, while a further two million are receiving medication or intensive therapies that exceed what their needs require.
Medicare Mental Health Check In will improve early intervention by ensuring people are referred to services that align with their mental health challenges and needs. This will help prevent mild or transient issues from escalating while ensuring that moderate and high-intensity services are available for those who require more support. Together, this new service supports a fairer and more sustainable mental health system.
The establishment of a service like Medicare Mental Health Check In has been recommended in several key reports including the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry into Mental Health and the independent evaluation of the Better Access to Psychiatrists, Psychologists and General Practitioners through the Medicare Benefits Schedule initiative (Better Access).
The Mental Health Reform Advisory Committee (MHRAC) established by the Australian Government in the second half of 2023 also supported the greater use of lower-intensity digital services and models of care to support people at risk of experiencing mild mental health challenges or transient distress.
Service design of Medicare Mental Health Check In
The Australian Government undertook a comprehensive design and stakeholder engagement process to establish Medicare Mental Health Check In.
The Department of Health, Disability and Ageing (the Department) undertook targeted consultation from October to December 2024 to inform the design and implementation of the service. This included over 180 stakeholders from more than 90 organisations including service providers, representatives of people with mental health consumer experience and priority populations, clinicians and state and territory governments. The Department also consulted extensively with international counterparts, with some of these engagements facilitated by eMHIC.
The Department released a public consultation paper seeking feedback on design of the service prior to its finalisation, with 117 responses received from a range of service providers, peak bodies and advocacy groups.
The Department also convened an Expert Advisory Group to provide strategic guidance and advice on the design and implementation of an evidence-based digital early intervention mental health service. The group included experts in digital health service delivery, ICT, researchers, workforce, mental health and evaluation.
Medicare Mental Health Check In was informed by the low-intensity service model of the United Kingdom’s (UK) NHS Talking Therapies program which uses proven LiCBT tools and has been recognised globally for its clinical effectiveness and strong evidence base. This includes the recommended international evidence-based clinical guidelines, such as the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care (NICE) guidelines, which sets national standards for high-quality health and care interventions.
LiCBT has been shown to consistently deliver positive outcomes for people with mild anxiety and depression, as demonstrated through national implementation in the UK and other countries (e.g. Canada, USA, Denmark and New Zealand).
Lessons learnt in designing Medicare Mental Health Check In
1. Balance speed with clinical safety
The staged rollout supported Medicare Mental Health Check In to launch quickly while maintaining strong clinical safeguards. This approach ensured that digital systems, workforce capability and referral pathways could mature progressively as demand increased.
2. Adapt global best practice to the Australian context
Engagement with international counterparts in the UK, Denmark and New Zealand offered valuable insights into evidence-based models of low-intensity digital care. Rather than replicating these models, we tailored proven approaches to the Australian policy, funding and service environment to meets the needs of people living in Australia.
3. Design around the help-seeker experience
Targeted and public consultations reinforced the need for a service that is simple, accessible and responsive. These insights directly shaped service features and access pathways, including multiple channels such as web-based tools, phone and video support, and planned enhancements like SMS and online chat.
4. Clinical safety should drive digital design
Stakeholders consistently agreed that Medicare Mental Health Check In is, first and foremost, a clinical service. The digital platform was therefore built to enable not dictate clinical delivery, ensuring technology enhances best practice care without compromising safety, professional judgement or therapeutic integrity.
5. Engage lived experience and priority populations
Working with consumers and priority populations played a critical role in shaping Medicare Mental Health Check In, including the development of clinical resources and public-facing content. This has helped ensure the service is inclusive, culturally responsive and accessible for people who may face barriers to digital mental health support. Ongoing co-design will remain core to the service as it evolves.
6. Embed data collection mechanisms from the outset
Extensive consultation with the team behind the UK’s NHS Talking Therapies program highlighted that embedding strong data-collection processes from the outset was critical to driving improved clinical outcomes and enabling continuous service refinement. Drawing on these lessons, significant work has been undertaken to ensure that rigorous data collection, monitoring, and evaluation mechanisms are integrated into the Medicare Mental Health Check In from the beginning. This will support best-practice delivery and position the service for effective, sustainable scale-up in the Australian context.
Future Plans for 2026 and Beyond
Medicare Mental Health Check In is expected to continue maturing through to 2029, with the capacity to support more than 150,000 people per year once fully implemented.
The Australian Government is committed to continuing to improve Medicare Mental Health Check In over time through incorporating new service enhancements and innovations. The service will continue to be adjusted and evolve over time based on continuous monitoring, evaluation findings, stakeholder and help-seeker feedback, and up-to-date evidence and best practice.
Medicare Mental Health Check In is a significant reform in Australia’s approach to early mental health intervention and will support a more accessible, equitable, and efficient mental health system in Australia. The service will ensure people in Australia receive the right mental health support, at the right time.
You can learn more about Medicare Mental Health Check In and its available services here: www.medicarementalhealthcheckin.gov.au.
