1The Psychotherapeutic Professions in Austria

[Training according to the law on psychotherapy. (See attached.ppt file I-1a by A. Pritz)] Legislation in Austria recently has focused on psychotherapy. In a first step, in 1990, the law on psychotherapy has been passed and thus a new profession: ”psychotherapist”. (Psychotherapiegesetz, BGBl. Nr. 361/1990) was created. By including other professions than medical doctors in the group eligible for a professional training as psychotherapists (pedagogues, psychologists, social workers, nurses, theologists and others), a first step was undertaken to open up psychotherapy to a larger public of prospective patients: a change towards a lower threshold for access to psychotherapy was to be expected as a result. In 1992, a second step towards the same direction was undertaken by the authorities: the cost of psychotherapy, provided by a psychotherapist trained under the new law is partly refunded by the health insurance system ( § 131 b ASVG). In 1995, in a third step, psychotherapeutic treatment had to be approved by the medical board of the health insurance organisations prior to its onset, in order to be refunded, ( § 31 Abs 5 Z 10 ASVG). Although this legal change was a potential restriction of the ongoing process opening psychotherapy to a larger population in need, we still believe that a general process can 2be observed in Austria, according to which access to psychotherapy has been broadened sinc