In order to access our service, GFA requires the completion of a Gidget Foundation Australia online GP Referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan.
If you are a GP referring a patient to our service for the first time under Better Access, please complete the online GP Initial Referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan.
If you are a GP providing a re-referral for additional sessions, subsequent to those within your initial referral under their existing Mental Health Treatment Plan, please complete the online GP Re-Referral Form.
If you are a Third-Party Referrer providing a request for your client to access our services, please complete the online Collaborative Care Request*.

_{*This referral is not sufficient for clients to receive our Better Access service; a GP referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan will still be required.}

GFA services are provided to people throughout the perinatal period: from conception up until their baby is 12 months old. GFA offers support to those experiencing or at risk of developing perinatal depression, anxiety or perinatal related stress disorders. Support is also provided to those people and their partners who have experienced birth trauma or pregnancy related loss, including stillbirth, miscarriage or termination. The entire Gidget team provides care that is safe, effective and evidence informed within the parameters of the resources available to us. As a result, we are unable to accept referrals for people in crisis including those with:

• Current or enduring psychotic illness;
• Current serious suicidal, homicidal or infanticidal ideation;
• Current serious substance abuse that requires medical intervention;
• Current child protection and/or family violence or issues requiring Department of Communities and Justice involvement.

If we receive a referral that includes any of the above, Gidget Foundation Australia will notify the person’s GP so they can refer to a more suitable service.

The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is a commonly used screening questionnaire in the perinatal period with a standard scoring guide.
GFA supports those experiencing mild to moderate perinatal depression and anxiety. If your patient answers 1 or more on Q10 relating to self-harm and this is current or they have an EDPS score of higher than 14, we ask for careful consideration as to whether they require a more acute service. We encourage you to contact our Program Clinician on 1300 851 758 to discuss the individual needs of your patient and their suitability for our service. The Depression, Anxiety and Stress scale 21 items (DASS 21) is a set of three self-report scales designed to measure the emotional states of depression, anxiety and stress. A scoring guide is also available.
GFA supports those experiencing mild to moderate perinatal depression and anxiety. If your patient’s score on the DASS 21 is ‘severe’ (as defined in the scoring guide), we ask for careful consideration as to whether they should be referred to a more acute service. We encourage you to contact our Program Clinician on 1300 851 758 to discuss the individual needs of your patient and their suitability for our service.

Once you have completed the online GP Initial Referral and Mental Health Treatment Plan, we will contact your patient requesting the completion of some paperwork for our intake team. Once reviewed, we will contact your patient to confirm whether they are suitable for our service and next steps. In instances, where the patient's chosen GFA location has a waitlist, alternative options will be discussed, where possible.

When there is availability with a Clinician, at the preferred location, the next client on the waitlist will be contacted and we will proceed to book them into the GFA Clinician diary for psychological counselling.

The National Perinatal Mental Health Guidelines were reviewed and updated in 2023. The scope of the National Guideline includes the assessment of the high prevalence disorders and the treatment and management of these, together with severe mental illnesses in primary care settings. New additions to the 2023 Guideline include screening and psychosocial assessment for fathers and non-birthing partners and the management of psychological birth trauma.

Disorders covered in the Guideline include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Bipolar Disorder
• Puerperal Psychosis
• Schizophrenia (new)
• Borderline Personality Disorder (new)