For every 100 people in Australia, the chances are that at least one has experienced a complex mental health condition like Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD).

You may know a person who finds it hard to regulate their emotions, or struggles with their sense of identity, who is defensive, who needs to be loved but can also be emotionally distant, or who can’t tolerate being left alone or excluded. These are common symptoms of BPD and they can be devastating for the individual and for the people who love and care for them.

The most effective and lasting treatment for BPD is at least one year of regular visits with a qualified mental health professional. One year gives the time needed to learn how to self-regulate, learn how to self-validate, to gain insight, and to heal.

But here’s the catch. The Medicare-funded Better Access to Mental Health Professionals initiative can only fund up to 10 visits in a year. This clearly falls short of the long-term treatment needed for a complex disorder like BPD.

We need your help to INCREASE TO 40 the number of funded visits covered by the Medicare Benefits Scheme Better Access initiative.

Please sign this petition to Greg Hunt MP, Federal Minister for Health, requesting an increase in the number of Medicare-funded visits for treating BPD and other complex mental health conditions from 10 to 40.