Health professionals

The facts 

• One in 10 Australian women and one in 20 men experience antenatal depression
• Up to one in five women and one in 10 men experience perinatal anxiety or depression

Last year, St John of God Raphael Services provided 24,000 individual treatment sessions to 2,354 parents throughout Australia.

St John of God Raphael Services provides low-cost or no out-of-pocket specialised, community-based mental health treatment and support for parents (mums, dads, families) during the perinatal period, up to the child’s fourth birthday.

Treatment and services available

• Individual counselling – one-on-one meetings with a clinician from our multi-disciplinary team for specialised perinatal mental health counselling and therapy. 
• Group therapy – an opportunity to connect with other parents who are experiencing similar feelings and challenges.
• Psychiatrist support – specialised treatment for people with existing mental health conditions throughout pregnancy and early parenthood.
• Support for people going through prenatal testing or pregnancy loss.
• Telehealth services available (client suitability determined by clinician). 

How do I refer?

Patients need a referral and Mental Health Care Plan for focussed psychological strategies (item numbers 2700, 2701, 2715 or 2717).

Referral can be made via:

• Electronic referral - guides and templates to add this service to Medical Director, Best Practice or ZedMed and Information on making a referral via ReferralNet
• Manually - download a referral form and Mental Health Care Plan. Completed forms can be faxed to 1800 433 992 or emailed to your local state or service:

• Western Australia: [email protected]
• New South Wales: [email protected]
• Ballarat (Vic): [email protected]
• Bendigo (Vic): [email protected]
• Berwick (Vic): [email protected]
• Geelong (Vic): [email protected]

Questions?

Phone 1800 292 292 or see locations for individual location information. 

Clinical guidelines

The document Mental Health Care in the Perinatal Period - Australian Clinical Practice Guideline was released by the Centre for Perinatal Excellence in 2017 and revised in 2023 and covers screening and psychosocial assessment, as well as treatment advice for women with depressive and anxiety disorders, severe mental illnesses (schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and postpartum psychosis) and borderline personality disorder.

Our GP Hub

St John of God Health Care works closely with general practitioners to help you provide your patients the best healthcare possible. Our GP Hub has all the information you need to partner with St John of God Health Care, including education and CPD opportunities, medical news, and medical contacts.