Australia’s Veteran Support System at a Glance

Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel make a pledge to serve and defend our nation, and protect the values we hold dear – freedom, democracy, equality, respect and a fair go. Pulling on an Australian service uniform is an act of bravery and self-sacrifice. It carries considerable personal risks and burdens, which families also share. 

It is the duty of all Australians to repay our veterans’ commitments in kind. The Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA) was established to fulfil the nation’s duty to support our serving and ex-serving ADF members and their families. 

DVA is a global leader in the provision of services and supports to ADF veterans and veteran families.

Who we support

The 2021 Census found more than half a million Australians (581,139) have served, or were currently serving, in the ADF. Of these, 84,865 were current serving or reserve ADF members and 496,276 were former serving members.

DVA provides services available to all current and former ADF serving personnel and families.

Australia dedicates $12.8 billion annually through DVA to provide support to veterans and families.

DVA works with other Commonwealth agencies, states and territories, private and not-for-profit organisations, ex-service organisations (ESOs), and others to deliver a range of supports, covering:

• Compensation and income support
• physical and mental health services including counselling through Open Arms
• in-home services and community care
• rehabilitation
• employment programs
• transition and community connection
• education and other programs – including crisis support – for families
• commemorations and honouring service

Financial support

DVA provides programs to support veterans and families during their ADF service and in civilian life. 

In 2023–24, DVA provided $8.3 billion in supports, including:

• Permanent Impairment payments
• Incapacity Payments
• Disability Compensation payments
• Service Pension/Income Support Supplement 
• War Widow(er)’s Pension/Wholly Dependent Partner payments/Eligible Young Person payments/Other Dependant payments
• Education support for children of veterans
• Home Equity Access Schemes
• Veteran Home Loans
• Rent Assistance 

Compensation and Rehabilitation Claims 

In 2023–24 DVA supported more than 159,000 veterans and families through compensation. 

Some benefits which provide financial assistance are designed to compensate veterans for an impairment of physical injury suffered during the course of their service.

Physical Health

DVA funds access to services for physical health, and whole-of-person rehabilitation assistance. Veteran White Card holders can access funding for services for conditions related to ADF service. Gold Card holders can access funding for services for all conditions, regardless of whether they are service related.

In 2023–24, DVA dedicated $4.2 billion to support veteran health and wellbeing through several supports and services, including:

• Veteran Cards – 103,000 Gold Cards; 188,000 White Cards
• General practitioner and medical specialist services 
• Allied Health Services – Upon GP referral DVA may fund the following services for eligible conditions, including:
  • chiropractic services
  • dietician support
  • mental health services
  • occupational therapy
  • orthotic, podiatry and osteopathic services
  • physiotherapy
  • speech pathology
• Pharmaceuticals
• Rehabilitation Aids and Appliances
• Hearing Support
• Dental
• Community Nursing
• In-home supports
• Travel for medical treatment
• Non-Liability Healthcare for cancer and tuberculosis for those with eligible service
• Provisional Access to Medical Treatment Program
• Veterans’ Health Checks
• Rehabilitation Appliances Program
• Hearing Support for Veterans
• Dental
• Travel for medical treatment
• Hospital services 
• Help in the home for assistance with domestic care, home and garden maintenance, personal and respite care

Mental Wellbeing

Any ADF member who has served a single day of continuous full-time service is eligible for free mental health support. Reservists who have rendered border protection or disaster relief service, or been involved in or witnessed a serious training accident, and their immediate families, are also eligible. Services available include treatment from general practitioners, psychiatrist, psychologist or clinical psychologists, amongst a range of other mental health services. 

Partners and children of veterans with Gold Cards are also able to access a range of treatments under DVA arrangements, including mental health support.

In 2023-24 DVA provided nearly $137 million to support mental health and wellbeing including:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology and clinical psychology
• Non-liability Health Care
• Trauma Recovery Programs
• Psychiatric Assistance Dogs
• Open Arms – Veteran & Family Counselling

Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling – 1800 011 046

Open Arms is a nationally accredited mental health service that provides 24-hour free and confidential mental health support, as well as scheduled counselling for serving members, veterans and families. Open Arms delivers support which is military aware and trauma-informed. 

Open Arms services include: 

• counselling for individuals, couples and families 
• case management for veterans with more complex needs 
• group programs to develop skills and enhance support 
• lived experience peer support 
• after-hours counselling 
• mental health literacy information, education and self-help resources 

Other mental health supports

• Non-liability Health Care
• Trauma Recovery Programs
• Psychiatric Assistance Dogs

Transitioning from military to civilian life

Leaving the ADF is not just about leaving a job, it is leaving a way of life. Moving to a civilian life can involve building new or stronger connections in a local community, and a renewed sense of purpose and direction through employment, volunteering or other actives. DVA has a number of services to assist with this life change.

• Veteran Support Officers
• Open Arms support for transitioning members, including the Stepping Out program
• Case management support for medically or administratively separating veterans who may require more support
• Annual health check for the first five years after transfer or separation from the ADF

DVA also works with Defence to ensure processes are in place to support ADF members as they separate from or transfer within the ADF:

• White card on Transition – Veteran White Cards issued to ADF members who are separating or transferring to enable access to free mental health treatment for life
• Rehabilitation – Warm handover from Defence rehabilitation to DVA rehabilitation for medically separating veterans
• Defence Priority Claims – centralised processing of priority claims including medical separations

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs

Veterans’ and Families’ Hubs provide a central access point to local veteran and family services, such as wellbeing support, physical and mental health services, advocacy, employment and housing advice, and social connection. Hubs either directly provide or facilitate access to these services in partnership with ex-service organisations, community and other organisations, and state and territory governments.

Support for families

Just as veterans made sacrifices for our nation, so too do their families.

DVA recognises that the experiences of miliary services is shared by the families of ADF members. Veteran families are diverse; they walk in two worlds, navigating the military and civilian world and DVA supports them to navigate both effectively. 

Support for partners

• Defence, Veterans’ and Families Acute Support Package
• Open Arms
• War widow’s and widower’s pension/Wholly Dependant Partner payments
• Gold Card
• Respite care
• Funeral support

Support for children

• Education and training schemes (for children of severely disabled or deceased veterans)
• Compensation
• Gold Card
• Open Arms 

Recognition

In 2023-24 the Australian Government dedicated $41million to commemorate our nation’s war service. 

An important part of DVA’s role is to acknowledge and commemorate all those who have served Australia and its allies in wars, conflicts and peace operations through promoting recognition of their service, the preservation of Australia’s wartime heritage and official commemorations.

DVA honours the service of Australian men and women on national days of significance and recognises that appropriate recognition of service and sacrifice contributes to veteran wellbeing.

DVA also provides information and support for researchers, teachers and students wanting to know more about Australia’s military history, and administers commemorative grants programs that provide assistance to ex-service organisations and community groups to share the message of remembrance.

The Office of Australian War Graves maintains Australia’s official commemoration program which recognises all those service personnel who have served our country in war and peace operations and died as a result of this service. This is achieved through the perpetual care and maintenance of our war cemeteries, individual graves, plagues and memorials that commemorate veterans who died as a result of their war or operational service. Australia recognises and honours nearly 350,000 eligible veterans in Australia’s official commemoration program.

Accessing Services and Supports

Veterans and families can access physical and mental health and wellbeing supports through their GP, with over 99% of services provided with DVA's only involvement being to pay the bill.

In instances where a veteran’s needs are more complex, DVA can provide additional support to health care providers. In 2023–24 19,714 request for prior approval for such cases were received and 85.65% were approved.

For anyone struggling to navigate supports and services, or who are presenting as at-risk, DVA provides case management support. In 2023–24 case managers supported 7586 clients, and on average 115 clients are supported each week by community-based case managers through the Wellbeing and Support Program (WASP).

DVA provides services through 19 dedicated Veteran Access Network offices and 318 Services Australia service centres.

DVA information and support is available on four Services Australia Mobile Services Centres (MSC) to support veterans and families living in rural and remote locations.

Ex-Service Organisations

An ex-service organisation (ESO) is an independent organisation that works to support current and former ADF members and families. ESOs can provide a large range of supports and are a critical part of providing a stable support system for veterans and families.

Some of the support ESOs provide include:

• help accessing payments and other benefits by advocating for you 
• visitation services at home, hospital or an aged care home
• help seeking financial support, employment or vocational studies
• a variety of social activities to help you make friendships and to improve general health and wellbeing.

There are a range of grants available to ESOs designed to assist them in their work to support veterans.