Counselling Funding Still Not Being Measured for Effectivene

Counselling Funding Still Not Being Measured for Effectiveness

Steve Taylor:

I read with interest the news that Australian Health Insurance provider Medibank had secured Counselling service contracts with ACC, and observed the angst of the NZ Counselling spokespeople in response.

Until routine client outcome measurement becomes an established feature in the provision of state-funded Counselling services, it won't matter who is managing the contracts - the result will simply be what it has always been - millions of dollars being spent on a service for which no-one knows that actual efficacy of the service being provided.

The fact that the ACC Counselling service has returned to open-ended sessions (i.e. no limit), flies in the face of 70 years of Counselling Outcome Research, which shows that most clinically significant change occurs within the first 4 - 7 sessions.

It is a positive move that clients can now choose their own service provider, however I'm unsure as to whether the service provider still has to be registered with ACC, which would negate the client choice if service provider ACC registration was still required.

Until ACC formally introduce routine client outcome measurement for Counselling, and start basing their service provider decisions on evidence, not myth and popular opinion, my Auckland-based practice won't be going anywhere near ACC as a service provider.

ENDS

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