Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2024-2029

Defence and DVA have been working together to develop a new joint Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2024-2029.

The strategy aims to improve the mental health and wellbeing of the Defence and veteran community.

The strategy sets out the joint approach of the Department of Defence (Defence) and Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) over the next five years to promoting and supporting wellbeing, through early intervention and prevention, timely access to care and support, and a positive and connected community, while focussing on suicide prevention, and using data to drive positive outcomes.

The Exposure Draft of the strategy was released on 2 December 2024.

Have your say: upcoming stakeholder consultation

All Australians are encouraged to have their say on the Defence and Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2024-2029 Exposure Draft.

Your feedback will help inform the finalisation of the strategy. You will be able to provide feedback by answering specific questions in the exposure draft survey or uploading a written submission in the submission portal. Consultation opens early 2025 for a 6-week period.

Background

The Australian Government recognises the sacrifices made by current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and families on behalf of the nation, and is committed to ensuring they have access to the right mental health support and services at the right time.

The Veteran Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy and National Action Plan 2020‑2023 and the Defence Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy 2018-2023  (PDF 3.48 MB) expired at the end of 2023. 

Working together to develop the strategy ensures a coordinated approach to supporting the mental health and wellbeing needs of serving members and veterans throughout their lives – during recruitment, service, employment, transition from service, and civilian life.

This approach aligns with the Productivity Commission’s Inquiry Report, A Better Way to Support Veterans that called for a new single mental health Strategy for veterans’ lifetime mental health (Recommendation 17.4).

Developing the strategy

The strategy’s vision is to empower and support the Defence and veteran community for optimal mental health and wellbeing during service or employment, during transition to civilian life and beyond.

The joint approach enables Defence and DVA to fully consider the implications of and alignment with the broader strategic landscape, and the whole-of-government priority to improve mental health outcomes and reduce the risk of suicide for all Australians.

The exposure draft of the strategy is:

• underpinned by action plans to guide the implementation of priorities identified within the strategy to achieve the intended outcomes
• supported by monitoring and evaluation frameworks. This will enable us to measure outcomes to demonstrate whether the strategy is improving mental health and wellbeing and assisting in suicide prevention
• aligned with our joint Defence and Veteran Family Wellbeing Strategy and the Veteran Transition Strategy. Defence and DVA acknowledge the connections among these strategies and maintaining cohesion with these will be a key consideration throughout final drafting and implementation
• based on best practice and responds to emerging priorities during a period of significant reform, with careful consideration of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide Final Report and to the evolving whole-of-government policy architecture
• informed by extensive consultation with the Defence and veteran community. This involved 1,400 stakeholders, including current and former serving veterans, family members, ex-service organisations (ESOs), DVA staff with lived experience, service providers, internal DVA policy and program teams, and mental health experts.  A summary of this consultation is available below.

Stakeholder Engagement: What we heard about veteran mental health and wellbeing. (PDF 969 KB)

Counselling and support

If you need support, please call:

• Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling 1800 011 046
• Safe Zone Support (anonymous counselling) 1800 142 072
• ADF Mental Health All-hours Support Line 1800 628 036
• Defence Family Helpline 1800 624 608
• Lifeline 13 11 14