Part 1A – Clinical Psychologists

Clinical Psychologists

Added to Commission Guideline in February 2025 following CM7765 / MRCC36 2024

Part 1A should be considered in conjunction with Parts 1 and 2 of this Commission Guideline. 

Introduction

From 2025, in addition to a diagnosis from a psychiatrist, there are circumstances in which DVA will accept a diagnosis or reports provided by a treating clinical psychologist for liability claims for certain mental health conditions. 

A diagnosis from a registered clinical psychologist will be able to be accepted for initial liability claims in the following circumstances:

• The condition is an anxiety or depressive disorder; and 

• The clinical psychologist has a current, ongoing treating relationship with the veteran in relation to management of the condition; or

• Clinical psychologist reports are on service medical records or have been obtained as part of the Medical Employment Classification process in Defence; or

• Clinical psychologist reports have been obtained during Defence service or within 1 year of separation from service.

In the first instance, a diagnosis on an Injury and Disease Details Sheet from a treating clinical psychologist and/or existing clinical psychologist reports on the veteran’s service medical files may be reviewed and utilised to help establish the diagnosis. If, following examination of these records, further information is then required a request for a full report may be made to the treating clinical psychologist by the claims assessor.  In particularly complex cases or where there is conflicting evidence, it remains open for delegates to seek the views of a medical adviser or a specialist (psychiatrist) Independent Medical Examiner.

• Treating Clinical Psychologist means a clinical psychologist with an established and ongoing treating relationship with the veteran.  It excludes clinical psychologists who have been seen a single time for the purposes of obtaining a compensation medical report.

• Clinical Psychologist means a person with postgraduate academic qualifications and registration as a clinical psychologist giving them training and capacity to diagnose and assess mental health conditions.  It excludes general psychologists without this additional training, registration and practice endorsement.

Which conditions can be diagnosed by clinical psychologists?

Generally, the conditions which clinical psychologists will diagnose for DVA claims purposes will be those described in the Statements of Principles issued by the Repatriation Medical Authority for Depressive Disorder or the Anxiety Disorder.  These legislative instruments are applied by DVA decision-makers when assessing relevant claims under the Veterans’ Entitlements Act 1986 and the Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004. Other conditions which are not covered by these Statements of Principles, but which are set out within the relevant chapters of DSM-V may also be within scope.  However, these may or may not be more complex conditions requiring additional specialist diagnosis. 

For the purposes of the updated DVA policy, diagnoses from clinical psychologists can be accepted only for depressive and anxiety disorders. Diagnosis for other mental health conditions will require a psychiatrist.

Considerations in providing mental health diagnoses
As noted in Part 1 of Commission Guideline CM7014/MRCC181, in examining veterans who are claiming compensation, clinical psychologists should fully explore the nature of the relevant claimed condition and any other issues that may be relevant.  This will necessarily include whether there is an association between the claimed condition and the veteran’s service. It is expected that practitioners will be sensitive to the wellbeing of claimants, and sympathetic to their service experience.

Diagnoses should be in accordance with DSM-V criteria. 

The information and guidance set out in Part 1 of Commission Guideline CM7014/MRCC181 in relation to the required contents of reports for mental health conditions should also be followed by clinical psychologists in relation to claims for anxiety and depressive disorders where a full report is requested.

In preparing their reports, practitioners should also take into account the Federal Court's Guidelines for Expert Witnesses in Proceedings in the Federal Court of Australia which may be obtained from the referring officer at DVA or from the Federal Court's website.  These guidelines should be considered because practitioners may be called on to provide evidence in a tribunal or court if any part of the decision is appealed.

DVA claims under the Veterans Entitlements Act 1986 and the Military, Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 are assessed according to the Statements of Principles administered by the Repatriation Medical Authority.  These do not have any formal standing in relation to claims under the Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA). As such, they are not used to determined claims under that Act.  Nevertheless, the information in the Statements of Principles can be used for guidance purposes.  These guidelines should also inform psychiatric claims under the DRCA.