Medicare Mental Health Check-In vs Ongoing Psychology Support

Looking for mental health support under Medicare?

Not all mental health care is the same. What works best depends on your needs, your goals, your age or stage of life, and the level of support required.

The Australian Government’s Medicare Mental Health Check-In service offers free, early-intervention support for people experiencing mild or short-term distress. At The Three Seas Psychology, we provide ongoing, face-to-face psychological care for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families who need deeper, more personalised, and relational support.
This page explains the difference, so you can make an informed choice.

What is the Medicare Mental Health Check-In?

The Medicare Mental Health Check-In is a free, early-intervention service designed for people experiencing mild or transient mental health concerns.

It typically includes:

• An initial assessment via the Medicare Mental Health phone service
• Short-term, low-intensity psychological support
• Telehealth-based sessions and/or self-guided digital programs
• A focus on symptom management and early support

The Check-In service is intended to complement existing mental health services, not replace ongoing psychological therapy.

What does The Three Seas Psychology offer?

The Three Seas Psychology provides ongoing psychological therapy delivered by fully qualified, registered psychologists.

Our care is:

• Client-centred, relational, and evidence-informed

• Tailored to complexity, history, and long-term wellbeing

• Delivered primarily face-to-face (with telehealth available where appropriate)

• Focused on meaningful, sustainable change, not quick fixes

We work with children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families across Melbourne who are seeking care that goes beyond standardised or short-term support.

Therapeutic Approaches we Offer

Our psychologists are trained in a range of evidence-based therapies, allowing treatment to be matched to the person rather than forcing a one-size-fits-all approach. These include:

• Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

• Dialectical Behaviour Therapy (DBT)

• EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing)

• Schema Therapy

• Interpersonal Therapy

• Trauma-informed approaches

• Play-based and developmentally informed therapies for children and adolescents

This flexibility allows us to support both presenting symptoms and underlying patterns, particularly in complex or long-standing concerns.