Funding arrangements for veteran support providers

From 1 July, the Albanese Government’s $78 million Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency will begin operations.

The Agency delivers on recommendation 87 of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide, calling for a specific body within the Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) to address system challenges to the wellbeing of veterans and their families.

The Agency’s establishment also addresses three more recommendations:

• Recommendation 80 – DVA to take responsibility for supporting members to transition out of the ADF
• Recommendation 81 – developing a DVA-funded program to support ADF members’ wellbeing during transition to civilian life
• Recommendation 86 – ongoing funding to support the operations of Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs.

As part of standing up the Agency, the Government is transitioning funding for a broad range of existing wellbeing support for veterans and families into the new agency.

That includes funding for organisations like Invictus Australia, Bravery Trust and Kookaburra Kids.

In order to ensure continuity of the support for the veteran community these organisations provide, the Government will be providing further funding to:

• Invictus Australia 
• Bravery Trust and
• Kookaburra Kids

These arrangements will enable the Veteran and Family Wellbeing Agency to ramp up operations while ensuring these organisations continue to provide support to the veteran community.

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling provides 24/7 free confidential crisis support for current and ex-serving ADF personnel and their families on 1800 011 046 or the Open Arms website. Safe Zone Support provides anonymous counselling on 1800 142 072. Defence All-Hours Support Line provides support for ADF personnel on 1800 628 036 or the Defence Health Portal. Defence Member and Family Helpline provides support for Defence families on 1800 624 608