Frequently asked questions (FAQs) for anyone interested, or participating, in the Before Blue program.
If you are having technical issues with the Before Blue platform that is not dealt with the FAQs, please email the support team at support.beforeblue@beyondblue.org.au.
You can access the digital booking platform through the Beyond Blue webpage or Before Blue Portal registration.
First check that your email address and password are correct. If still having issues, try resetting your password by clicking "Forgot your password?" on the sign-up page and following the prompts to reset your password. If the error continues, please contact support.beforeblue@beyondblue.org.au for our team to reach to you and assist.
We request your phone number for two key purposes:
Rest assured, your phone number will only be used for these specific purposes and will be kept secure.
All personal health data is stored in Australia by our digital platform provider Meddbase, a market-leading health records software provider. Meddbase is ISO27001 accredited. The platform is monitored 365/24/7 and conducts daily server and database backups and regular penetration tests.
All SMS data (non-health-related) is stored by ISO27001 accredited CM Telecom in the Netherlands (a centralised and trusted vendor for all Meddbase SMS services). The Netherlands is subject to European Union’s enforceable personal data protection regulations equivalent to / stricter than the Australian Privacy Act 1988.
As Before Blue is only available to employees of participating organisations, we require a code to be used to ensure only employees of participating organisations access the service. Additionally, it ensures that the cost of your sessions is covered by your organisation, making the program free for you to access. Lastly, it allows us to provide de-identified, aggregated data back to your organisation, helping them understand the program's overall impact without tracking individual details.
No individual data is shared with your organisation. Only anonymised, aggregated information.
We provide aggregate reports on service engagement and outcomes. We do this to keep your organisation informed about the impact of Before Blue. These reports provide ongoing oversight of key performance indicators including overall participation rates and the effectiveness of the program in supporting your organisation’s mental health. No individual data is shared with your organisation. Only anonymised, aggregated information.
If you would like to see an example of what is shared back to your organisation, please contact support.beforeblue@beyondblue.org.au
To reschedule an appointment, you’ll need to cancel and rebook your appointment. After logging in, find your upcoming appointments on your homepage or under the sessions tab. Click on cancel, select the Cancel and rebook option, and follow the prompts.
To cancel an appointment and not re-book, follow the step above to find the appointment you would like to cancel. Click on cancel session only and follow the prompts.
Before Blue is a free and confidential mental health coaching service developed by Beyond Blue for anyone feeling stressed or overwhelmed about everyday life issues such as work, study, relationships, health or loneliness. The service is delivered through our secured portal, powered by Meddbase, to employees of participating organisations via video call or phone.
Before Blue is delivered by Beyond Blue Coaches who are trained in Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (LiCBT) a structured, evidence-based treatment that allows us to recognise the way we think, act and feel.
Please be aware that Before Blue is not a crisis support service. If you are aware of a team member in an emergency, or at immediate risk of harm to themselves or others please phone Triple Zero (000) and refer to your relevant organisational policy.
Please note: Before Blue is not a crisis support service.
If
you’re in need of immediate mental health support, the Beyond Blue Support
Service is here for you 24/7. Our online tools, web chat, phone (1300 22 4636),
coaches and counsellors can support you however and whenever you need. If you are in an emergency, or at immediate
risk of harm to yourself or others, please contact emergency services on 000.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychological treatment that helps individuals identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviours that contribute to mental health issues. It focuses on developing coping strategies and problem-solving skills.
Low-Intensity CBT refers to a simpler, less resource-intensive version of CBT, often delivered in shorter sessions or through self-help materials, targeting mild to moderate symptoms of anxiety or depression. It's designed to be accessible and easily scalable, making it suitable for wider use.
You may be eligible for Before Blue if you:
Before Blue is not suitable if you are:
Sometimes it’s not evident until the initial assessment has taken place if Before Blue will meet your needs. If Before Blue is not suitable for you, based on your circumstances, symptoms or condition, your coach will refer you to a service better suited to your needs.
You can access the digital booking platform through the Beyond Blue webpage or register here
You are then required to enter your organisations unique code. After this, you will validate your email and enter a few details to set up your account before being able to choose a coach and book in for your initial session.
If you need support accessing the platform, see the portal FAQs or email us at support.beforeblue@beyondblue.org.au.
Yes! You are welcome to participate in Before Blue again if you meet the following criteria:
For re-entry to the service, please email support.beforeblue@beyondblue.org.au
Yes. Before Blue is an evolution of the NewAccess program, which was adapted from the United Kingdom’s National Health Service Talking Therapies for Anxiety and Depression Program. An Australian pilot of NewAccess took place from 2013 to 2016 in three locations (in three states) with a varied client base, to assess the suitability of the program across metro and regional areas of Australia.
Ernst & Young's independent evaluation found the service was appropriate and effective and achieved a recovery rate of 67.5%.
The service continues to deliver recovery rates ranging between 65 and 70 per cent for general population programs. In a workplace trial in 2019 by Comcare (the Commonwealth’s workplace health and safety regulator), an average recovery rate of 78 per cent was reported. This trial supported participants to deal with common issues like work-related stress.
Coaches use the below measures at every session to record and track your progress, and inform decisions and treatment materials throughout your time in the program:
Recording and reviewing the outcome scores and changes over time provides insight into your progress and well-being, assisting in identifying if you are or are not responding to treatment and if you may need alternative support.
Recovery is the term used when a Before Blue participant who was above the clinical threshold for anxiety and/or depression using validated outcome measure tools at the initial assessment has moved below the clinical threshold for these measures at the final session. There is a final review before the participant is guided to conclude treatment.
On average most people find they need about 5 sessions. If 5 or 6 sessions aren't enough, your Before Blue coach can refer you to an additional service.
The service consists of:
This is when you will talk through your current circumstances and your challenges and chooses one or two issues to focus on. You will develop a problem statement with your coach, which summarises the issues you want to work on, how it is currently impacting you and how you can plan to do this.
During the assessment, if it is identified that your needs are more complex and not suitable for this program, your coach will assist you to access a more appropriate service.
Over these sessions you will work with your coach on a program tailored to your individual needs based on your problem statement.
You will be given resources to listen to or watch, or practical activities to complete between sessions which are designed to help you move towards your goals.
If at any point during treatment it is found that you require a different type of support, you will be assisted to access a more appropriate service.
The follow-up sessions ensure you are staying on track and help with any challenges you’ve encountered since the end of the program. During these sessions, you and your coach will focus on relapse-prevention by revisiting the knowledge and skills you acquired during treatment.
Measurement
Your progress is reviewed at each session from the initial assessment through to the final follow-up session at six-months post completion using validated outcome measure tools. This ensures you receive an appropriate level of care. If at any point you are not responding to treatment, you will be supported to access a more appropriate service or will be referred to your GP to determine the next step in your care.
Time Commitment
The total time commitment if you were to attend all sessions including the initial assessment and both follow up sessions is 4.5 hours. This does not include the time dedicated to practical activities between sessions.
Before Blue is a structured program that uses Low-intensity CBT which allows us to recognise the way we think, act and feel. Instead of a counsellor, participants have a coach to help them work through an individual plan that they develop together.
Over six focused sessions and two follow ups, you will work with your coach to develop practical strategies that focus on the key issue identified at your initial assessment. The coach will guide you to practice tools outside of session and discuss your progress in session.
A unique feature of Before Blue is the monitoring of outcome measures (using validated outcome measure tools) at each session. This allows you to see how you’re progressing.
Before Blue coaches are trained in Low-intensity Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, which is a structured, evidence-based treatment that allows you to recognise the way you think, act and feel and change outcomes based on this recognition.
The coaches undertake 12 months of training, starting with a six-week intensive course that then moves to practical learning which involves managing clients and an ongoing curriculum under clinical supervision.
This training was tested in the Beyond Blue 2013-16 pilot and is now used for the Before Blue service. Our coaches are all experienced coaches who have previously held roles in a wide range of work environments including the corporate, government and community service sectors. They understand the challenges of different workplaces and are well-versed in applying the LiCBT framework in both work and home contexts.
Before Blue does not provide relationship counselling, but if you would feel more comfortable having your partner, family member or friend sit in on their appointment with you, you can let your coach know when you attend your assessment.
Appointments are conducted via video or phone on a secure digital platform and are not available face to face. This allows us to service employees across Australia.
One of the great things about Before Blue is that it’s designed to complement existing mental health services rather than compete, and that it helps to ease pressure on higher-intensity clinical services like psychologists. It does this by offering support to people who aren’t currently engaged in mental health supports but who are experiencing common mental health concerns such as stress, overwhelm and low mood as a result of day-to-day challenges.
Before Blue also aims to remove some of the barriers that typically stop people from seeking support. You don’t need a GP referral to access the service and it’s free. Available by video call or phone, the service is easy to access without long delays.
Yes, cultural competency training is included in LiCBT Practitioner Training. Refer to Module 3 ‘Values and Attitudes in Ethical & Professional Practice’ of the Low Intensity CBT Coach Training Curriculum and Course Outline, which includes cultural competency training as a component.
Additionally, all Before blue coaches undertake Beyond Blue-organised Cultural Competency training with regular refreshers.
Although First Nations people have successfully used Before Blue, it has not been specifically tested for this community.
There is evidence in the independent evaluation of NewAccess that LiCBT is a viable option for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, however specific tailoring of workbook materials and coaching environment/mode of delivery should be considered and evaluated.
Your safety is our priority. Before Blue has a comprehensive risk management system in place to ensure your wellbeing throughout the program. This includes:
If at any point it’s determined that Before Blue isn’t the best fit for you—whether due to your circumstances or the severity of your symptoms—we’ll work with you to connect you to a GP or another service that better suits your needs.
No referral is required for Before Blue. We encourage each person to read about Before Blue themselves to see if it is right for them. If you, or someone you know would like further information about Before Blue, visit https://www.beyondblue.org.au/get-support/before-blue/employee.
Alternatively, for further information about the program, you can find out more by one of the following options:
Please note again that Before Blue is not a crisis support service and operates only during the hours of 8am – 8pm (AEST) Monday to Friday.
If you are concerned for the safety of someone you work with, please phone 000 and refer to your relevant company policy.
Your safety is our priority. Before Blue has a comprehensive risk management system in place to ensure your wellbeing throughout the program. This includes:
If at any point it’s determined that Before Blue isn’t the best fit for you—whether due to your circumstances or the severity of your symptoms—we’ll work with you to connect you to a GP or another service that better suits your needs.
No referral is required for Before Blue, however only employees of participating workplaces are eligible to register for the service. We encourage individuals to read about Before Blue themselves to see if it is right for them. If you would like further information about Before Blue, visit Before Blue for Employees.
You can refer a team member to the program directly if they are interested in the program and consent for you to do so. Please email their details to support.beforeblue@beyondblue.org.au or call us on (03) 9810 6100 and we can get in touch with them to discuss getting started.
Please note: Before Blue is not a crisis support service and operates only during the hours of 8am – 8pm (AEST) Monday to Friday. If you are concerned for the safety of someone you work with, please phone 000 and refer to your relevant organisational policy.
As an organisation that supports people from across Australia, Beyond Blue acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country and their continuing connection to land, waters and community. We pay respect to Elders past and present.
First Nations Peoples are advised that this website may include reference to and images of deceased persons.
Beyond Blue is committed to safe inclusive spaces, policies and services for people of LGBTIQ+ communities and their families.
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