When Mental Health Care Costs Too Much, Parents Pay the Price… But It Doesn’t Have to Be This Way

Written by Sarah Richardson, CEO of someone.health. someone.health is a leading provider of bulk billed psychologists in Australia, providing treatment for stress and anxiety, depression, and many other mental health and neurological conditions including ADHD, autism, OCD, and PTSD.

From sleepless nights to school runs, career management to meal planning, modern parenting can feel like a relentless balancing act. While the national conversation has rightly centred on supporting the mental health of children, too often the wellbeing of the adults who support them—parents, carers, and guardians—is overlooked.

The truth is simple yet powerful: when caregivers are mentally well, their families are more likely to thrive. But in today’s economic and healthcare climate, parents are finding it harder than ever to access the support they need to stay strong, not just for themselves but also for those who rely on them. This is where bulk-billed tele-mental-health services are proving transformative.

A system under strain and the mental health crisis is hitting home

The mental health crisis in Australia is well documented. Over two in five (43%) Australian adults will experience a mental health condition at some point in their lives. Despite this, only one in ten Australians accessed Medicare-subsidised mental health services in 2022–23.

This is not due to a lack of need, but rather a lack of access. Rising out-of-pocket costs and the collapse of bulk billing availability are major contributors. As of January 2025, only 21% of GP clinics across Australia offer bulk billing, down from 43% in 2023. At the same time, Australians are paying an average of $43.38 per GP visit out-of-pocket—up from $40.25 just two years earlier.

This squeeze is happening as the cost-of-living places enormous strain on families. Nearly 60% of Australians report that financial stress is negatively impacting their mental health. For parents, the pressure is twofold: caring for their families while absorbing the emotional, logistical, and financial burden of daily life.

Parents and caregivers shouldn’t be left behind

Childrearing is inherently emotionally laborious. It involves showing up every day with patience, empathy, and energy. But when stress, anxiety, or depression take hold, even the most resilient parents can feel overwhelmed, isolated, and exhausted.

Mental health challenges among adults often remain unspoken. Parents may feel guilty for prioritising their own wellbeing or believe they should simply “push through” for the sake of their families. But the research is clear: untreated mental health issues in parents can increase stress within households, strain relationships, and even affect children’s long-term emotional development.

One overlooked aspect of mental health is the “transition strain” that comes with different parenting stages—whether it’s the newborn phase, returning to work, navigating a diagnosis, or adjusting to adolescence. Each stage presents unique emotional challenges, and having access to ongoing, affordable psychological support is essential to weathering them.

We also know that stress in parents doesn’t occur in isolation—it often intersects with financial hardship, housing insecurity, job instability, and complex relationships. Psychological support isn’t solely about coping strategies; it’s about creating space for perspective, healing, and sustainable decision-making.

Yet, even as these pressures mount, most parents do not access professional support, largely because of cost, stigma, and time barriers, and this needs to change.

The pathway forward is accessible, bulk-billed mental health care for all

As a fully accredited bulk-billed tele-mental-health service, someone.health is closing the accessibility gap by delivering timely, evidence-based care from qualified psychologists, at no cost for eligible Medicare cardholders.

With more than two hundred registered psychologists available online, the platform supports individuals with a wide range of concerns—stress, anxiety, burnout, relationship conflict, grief, trauma, PTSD, OCD, and more.

For parents juggling busy lives, the model offers unmatched flexibility:

No travel required for appointments — they can happen from home, during a lunch break, or after the kids are in bed.
No geographical limitations as services are available anywhere in Australia, including regional and remote communities.
No disruptions to care as sessions can continue during travel, interstate moves, or life changes.
No added cost, eligible individuals can access up to ten Medicare-subsidised sessions per year, fully bulk billed.

Moreover, someone.health ensures continuity by allowing users to collaborate with the same psychologist over multiple sessions—essential for building trust and long-term progress. This approach ensures people from all walks of life—urban, rural, parenting solo or in partnership—have access to tailored psychological care.

Australia needs more attainable and affordable pathways to ensure people get the help they need before reaching crisis point. Parents often put themselves last, but timely psychological support is not a luxury—it’s essential. Bulk-billed telehealth care is one of the most powerful tools we must reduce the national burden of mental health, and help families not just survive, but thrive.

Stronger families start with care for the caregivers

It is time we reframe the way we talk about mental health in families. Supporting children is not just about offering services directly to them—it’s also about investing in the health and resilience of the adults raising them.

A supported parent is more present, more patient, more connected. They are better able to model emotional regulation, nurture secure relationships, and make thoughtful decisions for their family. The ripple effect is profound, and yet so often neglected in public policy and service delivery.

Digital health services remain underutilised, with fewer than one in twenty (4.7%) Australians accessing online mental health support between 2020 and 2022. This is a missed opportunity.

Someone.health’s bulk-billed model offers a national blueprint for what accessible, preventative mental health care can look like in action. It addresses cost, time, and access—three of the biggest barriers keeping Australian parents from the help they need.

If we want healthier children, we must support healthier households. If we want to reduce the long-term cost of mental illness to our communities and healthcare system, we must invest in prevention now. And if we want families to flourish—not just function—we must make mental health care feel reachable, relevant, and real.

So, to the parents, guardians, and caregivers carrying the mental load: this is your reminder that your wellbeing matters too. You do not have to wait for a crisis to seek help, and you don’t have to go it alone.

Final thought: Help is here and it’s more accessible than ever

It is not selfish to seek help—it is a responsible and courageous act that strengthens individuals, families, and communities. In the context of parenting, where the emotional, logistical, and financial pressures are often immense and unrelenting, timely access to psychological care is essential.

Too many parents are silently struggling under the weight of the mental load. They are working, caring, managing households, navigating uncertainty—and doing so while putting their own wellbeing last. This is neither sustainable nor fair.

Bulk-billed, tele-mental-health services offer a timely, accessible, and effective way to support Australian parents. The model removes the barriers of large costs, distance, and time, enabling caregivers to seek professional support without sacrificing other responsibilities.

At someone.health, we believe no one should have to wait until crisis point to receive help. Every parent deserves to feel supported, heard, and equipped with the tools to manage life’s challenges. By embracing digital innovation and committing to equity in mental health care, we have the opportunity to create lasting, generational impact.

Because when we support parents, we strengthen families. And when we strengthen families, we build a more resilient and compassionate Australia.

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