Support for children of Vietnam veterans
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What is the Vietnam Veterans' Sons & Daughters Support Program?
The Vietnam Veterans' Sons & Daughters Support Program (VVSDSP) assists eligible children of Vietnam veterans who have one of the following conditions:
- spina bifida manifesta
- cleft lip
- cleft palate
- adrenal gland cancer
- acute myeloid leukaemia.
The VVSDSP provides financial assistance with out-of-pocket expenses for medical treatment for these conditions.
Back to topWho is eligible?
You are eligible if you:
- are an Australian citizen residing in Australia, and
- are the birth child of an Australian Vietnam veteran, and
- were conceived after the commencement of your veteran parent’s first or only tour of service in Vietnam, and
- are medically certified as having at least one of the following:
- spina bifida manifesta
- cleft lip
- cleft palate
- adrenal gland cancer, or
- acute myeloid leukaemia.
There is no age limit for assistance under this program.
Back to topWhat assistance is available?
For sons and daughters of Australian Vietnam veterans accepted into the program, VVSDSP will pay a range of medical costs related to treatment of the condition for which you are accepted. Costs may be paid in relation to:
- medical and dental assistance
- public or private hospital costs
- aids and appliances
- allied health care
- home care
- home modification
- pharmaceutical costs
- physical rehabilitation
- in-home and institutional respite care
- travel and accommodation.
More detail about costs payable for each of these services can be found in the VVSDSP Information Brochure.
You should contact the VVSDSP on 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) for specific rules relating to each of these services. To have costs paid, you many need prior authorisation from the VVSDSP before you use the service.
Back to topHow do I access assistance?
You need to register with the VVSDSP. To do this, contact the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) for a registration form by phoning 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372) or completing the registration form available online at:
The completed registration form must be sent with the following documents:
- a letter from an appropriate medical practitioner confirming that you are eligible (see Who is eligible?)
- details of your veteran parent's service, including their dates of service in Vietnam and their service number or DVA file number (if known)
- a certified copy of the full extract of your birth certificate.
If you are unable to provide this information yourself, your parent (if you are under 18), guardian or power of attorney can do so on your behalf.
Once DVA has verified the details on the registration form, you will be registered on the program. DVA will send you confirmation of registration and further information on how to claim.
Please post the registration form and other required documents to:
The Program Manager
Vietnam Veterans' Sons and Daughters Support Program (VVSDSP)
Department of Veterans' Affairs
GPO Box 9998
Brisbane QLD 4001
Alternatively these can be emailed to VVSDSP [at] dva.gov.au (VVSDSP[at]dva[dot]gov[dot]au).
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