Have your say: Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy

28 January 2025

Whether you have or know someone who has served in the Australian Defence Force (ADF), all Australians are encouraged to have their say on the Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy Exposure Draft. The veteran community were consulted in late 2023, and now the Australian public are invited to share their thoughts.

Any and all Australians can participate, including veterans, current serving ADF members, and families plus organisations that have an interest or role in supporting the Defence and veteran community.

Feedback will help inform what is important when it comes to supporting the mental health and wellbeing of our Defence and veteran community.

The Exposure Draft is available to download here.

Feedback may be provided by:

·         answering specific questions in the exposure draft survey 

·         entering or uploading a written submission in the submission portal.

Your feedback will inform the finalisation of the Strategy. Consultation on the Exposure Draft is now open and will close at 5:00 pm Friday 7 March 2025.

The Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy is jointly developed by DVA and Defence to guide how the government provides support to current and former serving ADF members. The strategy is set to be finalised later this year.

For more information visit the Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy webpage.

Information and conversations about mental health and suicide might be distressing to some people.

In the case of an emergency call 000.

If you need support:

·         Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling provides free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF and their families via a 24-hours helpline 1800 011 046

·         All-hours Support Line, a confidential telephone service for ADF members and their families is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week 1800 628 036

·         Defence Member and Family Support Helpline 1800 624 608

·         13YARN  (national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people) 13 92 76

·         Griefline (support for experiencing loss and grief) 1300 845 745

·         QLife (LGBTI peer support and referral for people wanting to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships) 1800 184 527

·         Lifeline Australia (crisis support) 13 11 14

·         Suicide Call Back 1300 659 467

·         Kids Help Line (phone counselling service) 1800 551 800