The Salvation Army Australia is an international Christian movement, united by faith and giving hope where it’s needed most.
Across Australia – in cities, country towns and rural communities – our work touches every demographic and age group. We’re involved in national issues, while also bringing hope to people who may be experiencing hardship or injustice.
Since our foundations in nineteenth century London, we express our faith in charitable work to provide both the spiritual and the social support. We believe that with one hand we reach out to God and with the other we reach out to the world.
As both a church and charity, we can preach and speak about justice, compassion, and other issues that support the welfare of others and see them as a whole person – body, mind and spirit.
The Salvation Army and The Australian Psychological Society’s (SA Branch) launched 'SalvoPsych’, a project to help marginalised and disadvantaged people receive psychological assessment and intervention, as well as counselling and other support, in addition to that already offered by the Salvos.
If you would like to be referred to a SalvoPsych Psychologist, just contact your Salvation Army liaison person who will help support you through the process.
They will arrange for you to visit a GP who will make a physical and mental health assessment and decide whether a referral to a psychologist may be beneficial for you. The GP will decide if you would be best suited for a one-to-one consultation or group therapy.
Fees and Payment
Under the SalvoPsych agreement between the Salvation Army and the Australian Psychological Society (SA Branch), clients and their families are entitled to the best professional psychological service either free or bulk billed under Medicare.
Services Offered To: Adults Couples Teens Children
Payment: Sliding Scale Pro-bono
Were You Able To Make an Appointment?
One quick last question. Who was seeking counseling today?
Do you know the reason they are not accepting clients?
A community counseling agency is a group therapy practice that offers affordable mental health services. Most are independent non-profit agencies, state agencies, or publicly-funded agencies. A few may restrict who is eligible for services, so it is a good idea to check when you call.
Community counseling agencies are generally more affordable than other therapy providers, but how much more affordable they are will depend on whether you qualify for a discount or sliding scale fee (or if they accept your insurance). Many, but not all, have a policy that they won't turn away anyone due to inability to pay. You should ask about their fees when you first call.
Expect to talk to kind people who want to help you find the care you need. Most community agencies strive to connect you with a live person within 24 hours, if not immediately. If you're asked to hold or leave a message, don't give up; just leave a message and wait. You should hear back pretty quickly.
Most agencies try to set up an initial assessment appointment within a week (some do within 24 hours), though the waitlist to start therapy is usually longer—about a few weeks on average. If you're not eligible or if the agency is not right for you, it's usually still worth it to call or drop in, because staff are knowledgeable about local options and can often refer you to one.
