Psychological therapies for underserviced populations program (Lot 3)
Tender Overview
About this tender
Psychological Therapies for Underserviced Populations Program - Lot 3 – Dubbo Regional Western NSW PHN is seeking to commission a psychological therapies service for adults living in Western NSW who experience barriers to accessing evidence-based mental health care and who are not adequately supported through standard Medicare-funded pathways. The service will deliver evidence-based psychological interventions for people with moderate to severe mental health needs, including those within the “missing middle” who require more than low-intensity care but do not consistently engage with or meet thresholds for specialist services. The model is to operate in line with the PHN psychological therapies guidance for underserviced populations and within a stepped-care framework. In Western NSW, access to mental health services is impacted by rural and remote geography, workforce shortages, fragmented referral pathways, and social determinants such as transport barriers, digital exclusion, housing instability, and co-occurring challenges including alcohol and other drug use and justice involvement. People in the region often experience difficulty navigating services, repeated assessments, limited continuity of care, and gaps between clinical and community-based support. These challenges are further amplified for Aboriginal people and communities, highlighting the need for culturally safe, locally responsive and integrated service delivery. Accordingly, Western NSW PHN is seeking a regionally responsive service model that places psychological intervention at its core, supported by additional functions to ensure practical access and system integration. In addition to delivering psychological therapies, the model includes: • a Front Door and navigation function to support no-wrong-door access, intake, triage, active navigation and continuity of care • a flexible multidisciplinary team (MDT) to provide coordinated, complexity-capable responses aligned to local workforce realities • an integration and service mapping function to strengthen referral pathways, improve visibility of services, and support system connectivity across primary care, Local Health Districts and community services • a transition and coordination function to support step-up, step-down, and continuity across care settings
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