Dear Members,

I received an update from the Department of Health today (18 March 2024) advising that they have appointed a third party contractor to assist with the research and analysis, facilitate sector consultation and develop a draft set of National Standards.

The Department of Health expect the contractor to engage with us towards the end of March 2024 following their initial meeting on 22 March 2024.

The contractor has extensive experience in delivering projects for government, particularly with a focus on research and stakeholder consultation. They have previously worked on projects to develop clinical guidelines, professional competency standards and scopes of practice, and the team includes technical advisors with experience in standards development and mental health.

ACA is looking forward to making a valued contribution representing the counselling and psychotherapy profession in Australia.

Kind regards

Jodie McKenzie

CEO, Australian Counselling Association