Prevention Bill 2020 and the Defence and Veteran Suicide Prevention (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2020 On 3 September 2020 the Senate referred to the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Legislation Committee the provisions of the National Commissioner for Defence and...
Suicide
Free Suicide Prevention Training for The Veteran Community
SUPPORT for veteran health and wellbeing has been strengthened with the introduction of a free online suicide prevention training program, delivered in partnership with Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling and the Returned and Services League of Australia....
Introduction of online suicide prevention training
Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (Open Arms) continues to provide 24-hour free and confidential counselling, support and suicide prevention training in the pandemic environment. As a part of Open Arms partnership with RSL to deliver mental health...
Understanding and Preventing Veteran Suicide
ALL governments are committed to ensuring we are doing all we can to prevent suicide among our serving and ex-serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel following the recent Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting. Minister for Veterans’ Affairs and...
Open Arms community and peer program expands nationally
SUPPORT for veterans and their families who may be struggling with mental health conditions or at risk of suicide, will be enhanced through the Community and Peer Program which is currently being rolled out across Australia. The program, run by Open Arms – Veterans...
Opinion – Veterans have poorer mental health than Australians overall. We could be serving them better
Veterans are at higher risk of mental illness than the rest of the Australian population. Many of them are seeking help, but the way care is provided to this group must consider their unique needs. Opinion by Nicole Sadler, University of Melbourne A career in the...
Mental Health Australia – News
CEO's Update The Productivity Commission Inquiry into Mental Health will hand down its Final Report on 23 May 2020, and at this draft stage the message we are hearing from both the PC, and Government, is that we - the sector - can still help shape and influence the...
ABC News – Veterans put ‘through a lot of hoops’ in bid to claim compensation, minister says
The Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) has been "too adversarial" when it comes to handling the compensation claims of former defence personnel, Minister for Veterans and Defence Personnel Darren Chester says. Key points: Veterans' Affairs Minister Darren Chester...
ABC TV 7.30 Report – Duty of Care
Calls for royal commission over the rate of veteran suicides There are growing calls for a royal commission into the rate of suicide among military veterans. An official estimate is there have been more than 370 suicides involving current or former defence personnel...