Bridging the gap: Can single session interventions help enhance mental health treatment delivery for young people in Australia?

There is currently a major discrepancy between need and access to mental health services in Australia and across the world. Self-reports indicate that less than half of young people in Australia who need treatment receive appropriate care for mental health issues (Brennan et al., 2021). Practical barriers to help-seeking exist, including cost, accessibility, and availability of services. Psychological treatments are often expensive, require multiple sessions with a registered mental health professional, based in urban centres and limited in availability, with waitlists for less-expensive services such as headspace or university clinics exceeding multiple months. These barriers remain despite substantial investment in the mental health services by the Australian government. As such, treatment options are needed that are both cost-effective and readily available to consumers at the time they need it.