Addressing Critical Psychology Shortages – Supporting Provisional Psychologists to Practice Extension

Purpose and Program Overview

The Addressing Critical Psychology Shortages: Supporting Provisional Psychologists to Practice extension is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing. The program addresses ongoing bottlenecks in Australia’s psychology training pipeline by increasing the number of internships available under the 5+1 training pathway, which leads to general registration as a psychologist.

The Australian Government has committed a total of $47.6 million over three financial years, from 2026–27 to 2028–29. Funding will support approximately 500 internships per year during this period, helping reduce attrition between students commencing postgraduate psychology studies and those going on to practise.

The program plays a broader role in strengthening Australia’s mental health workforce. By funding organisations with established networks across the psychology graduate and mental health service provider landscape, the grant aims to close the gap between the number of psychology graduates and the availability of supervised placements needed for full registration.

Key Grant Details

• Grant amount: Total pool of $47.6 million; individual grant amounts per applicant are not specified in published materials.
• Application dates: Opening and closing dates are not specified at this stage.
• Eligible entities: Indigenous Corporation, Company, Incorporated Association, Sole Trader, and Partnership.
• Co-contribution: Not specified.
• Location applicability: National program (Commonwealth), with reference to South Australia noted in program tagging.

Priority Sectors

The program is targeted specifically at the mental health sector, with a focus on organisations supporting the psychology workforce pipeline. It is not open to a broad range of unrelated sectors; eligible applicants must operate within, or have direct networks into, mental health service delivery and psychology training.

Funding Scope

• Total pool: $47.6 million over three years (2026–27 to 2028–29).
• Funding structure: A single funding stream directed at increasing internship availability under the 5+1 training pathway; no separate funding categories (such as capital works or feasibility studies) have been specified.
• Scale: Approximately 500 internships funded per year until 2028–29.
• Project timeline: Funding is available across the three nominated financial years; specific project durations for individual grants are not specified.

Eligibility Criteria

• Must be one of the following entity types: Indigenous Corporation, Company, Incorporated Association, Sole Trader, or Partnership.
• Must demonstrate experience operating within the mental health sector.
• Must have established, or demonstrable access to, networks and relationships with psychology graduates.
• Must have demonstrated connections across the mental health service provider landscape to facilitate internship placements.
• Other standard compliance requirements (such as ABN and insurance obligations) are expected but not detailed in the available materials; applicants should confirm current requirements in the official guidelines before applying.

Eligible Activities and Expenses

• Sourcing and engaging provisional psychologists for 5+1 pathway internships.
• Coordinating placements with mental health service providers.
• Supporting internship delivery and supervision arrangements linked to the 5+1 pathway.
• Facilitating connections between psychology graduates and internship host organisations.

Assessment Process

The grant is expected to be competitive, based on the assessment criteria published to date. Key evaluation factors include:

• Demonstrated experience in the mental health sector.
• Established networks with psychology graduates.
• Established relationships with mental health service providers capable of hosting or supporting internships.

Applicants should note that full guideline documentation, including a detailed weighting of assessment criteria, has not yet been published in final form.

Recent Program Updates

This grant is an extension of the Australian Government’s broader Supporting Provisional Psychologists to Practice initiative, which forms part of a wider commitment to expand the psychology workforce. The extension confirms continued Commonwealth investment through to 2028–29, building on earlier internship and supervisor training funding rounds. Applicants should monitor the official grant listing for the release of final guidelines, as documentation was in draft form at the time of writing.

Application Tips

• Confirm the entity type qualifies under the eligible categories before preparing an application.
• Prepare evidence of mental health sector experience and existing networks with psychology graduates and service providers in advance.
• Align the application with the program’s objective of increasing 5+1 internship availability.
• Clearly demonstrate the organisation’s capacity to deliver measurable internship outcomes.
• Monitor the official grant listing regularly, as application dates and finalised guidelines have not yet been published.

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting a grant specialist like Pattens Group for a personalised eligibility assessment and expert assistance in preparing a strong, compliant and competitive application. Contact us today and get connected with Australia’s best grant specialist, boasting over 35 years of experience in the industry and a 100% success rate. For official guidelines, application details, templates, and further information, visit the official website of Addressing Critical Psychology Shortages – Supporting Provisional Psychologists to Practice extension and other associated Australian government websites.