Training and Resources for Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) Providers

As a GP, nurse or other health professional, you can access training to help you deliver the Coordinated Veterans’ Care (CVC) Program. We have partnered with registered training organisations and peak bodies to provide these resources.

CVC Program resources

CVC Provider Notes (PDF 711 KB) - The Notes for CVC Program Providers set out legal requirements for those delivering the CVC Program and all persons delivering the program must familiarise themselves with the Notes. The Notes are amended from time to time, and the latest version is available at this link.

Two versions of the CVC Program information brochure are available to provide GPs and veterans with information about the CVC Program. These versions contain a minor correction on the eligibility of Veteran White Card holders.

• CVC Information Brochure (read version) (PDF 1.3 MB)  is an online read format, suitable for screen readers.  
• CVC Information Brochure (print version) (PDF 1.9 MB) is a ‘print and fold’ format to produce a DL brochure for patients. To print this version of the brochure, ensure you use the embedded print settings and fold the two outer edges into a brochure format.

A Guide for General Practice (PDF 7.59 MB) is available to support General Practices to deliver the CVC Program and assist those considering delivering the CVC Program. The latest version contains a minor correction on the eligibility of Veteran White Card holders. 

Transcript of the CVC overview video (DOCX 19 KB)

Black Dog Institute

The following online training and resources are provided in partnership with the Black Dog Institute, a respected independent medical research institute. Resources and training are free for Australian health professionals. The following links will take you through to the Black Dog Institute website to complete the training. Training is accredited and has CPD points attached.

Webinars

Access webinars about mental health from the Black Dog Institute.

The webinars are free. Each webinar provides one RACGP CPD hour. To access these, login in or sign up to the Health Professional Resource and Education Hub

• Alcohol misuse and mental health
• Military families: the impact of defence force service upon partners and children
• First do no harm – recognising and managing the effects of trauma
• Managing anxiety online
• Non-pharmacological management of chronic pain
• Mental health care in rural Australia
• A chance to dream – non-pharmacological management of insomnia
• Loneliness and its impact on the mental health of the older person
• Men and e-mental health
• Collaboration between health professionals: the key to improving patient outcomes

You can also access a range of Black Dog Institute webinars as short podcasts.

Modules

These online modules are designed to help healthcare practitioners integrate evidence-based digital resources into the care of individuals with mild to moderate mental health conditions.  Each of the six modules provides 1 RACGP CPD hour. To access these, log in or sign up to the Health Professional Resource and Education Hub.

Suicide prevention for veterans: A toolkit for Primary Health Networks

This toolkit equips Primary Health Networks (PHNs) and others with the necessary insights and resources to implement and enhance suicide prevention initiatives for veterans and their families. 

This resource is a functional and informative toolkit, which is the result of collaboration between The Oasis Townsville, The Black Dog Institute, PHNs, and veterans and their families.

The toolkit can be accessed at: Veterans-Toolkit-for-Suicide-Prevention.pdf (blackdoginstitute.org.au)

Diagnosis and treatment of PTSD in emergency service workers

GPs can register for a live, online workshop on diagnosing and treating PTSD in emergency service workers. It covers how to diagnose patients with:

• acute stress disorder
• post-traumatic stress disorder
• other comorbidities.

The workshop uses evidence-based guidelines to help GPs identify treatment pathways, including:

• recommended referrals
• trauma-focused psychological therapy
• psychological first aid.

The training may also be relevant to other health professionals. The duration is 3 hours.

Clinical resources

Health professionals can access a Psychological toolkit of practical resources to help manage mental health conditions.

The Black Dog Institute also produces fact sheets to download, print or share.

Open Arms

Open Arms is Australia’s leading provider of mental health assessment and clinical counselling services for Australian veterans and their families. The free, online training courses and webinars are designed to help clinicians, practice nurses and other clinical practice staff to better support the mental health needs of veterans. Certificates can be used to claim CPD points.

The following training and webinars have been selected to support GPs and other health professionals treating veterans participating in the CVC Program. After clicking on the links below, you will need to log into DVA Train to access them. If you do not have an account, you can register for one.

Online training

• Open Arms practitioner’s guide (1 hour)
• Understanding the military experience (2 hours)
• PTSD psychological interventions program (4–6 hours)
• Case formulation (3 hours)

One-hour webinars

• The military experience and mental health
• Treating PTSD in veterans
• Insomnia and nightmares
• Addiction and avoidance
• Comorbid mental health conditions
• Responding to and treating PTSD

Additional Resources

The following resources may also help you support veterans on the CVC Program.

Phoenix Australia

We have partnered with Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health to deliver the Practitioner Support Service – a multi-disciplinary team of mental health experts who can be consulted on veteran-specific mental health and trauma matters.

Go to Supporting veteran mental health to learn more about:

• how to access the DVA Practitioner Support Service
• supporting and treating veterans.

You can also call the Veteran Mental Health GP Assistance Hotline on 1800 VET 777 (1800 838 777).

ProCare

ProCare, a community based not-for-profit charitable organisation, provides a range of high quality mental health services. They have developed the following recorded webinars for GPs.:

• Addiction and substance use disorder (1 hour)
• Managing schizophrenia and psychotic illness by GPs in primary care (1 hour)
• Anxiety disorders: management in general practice (1 hour)
• Depression and mental health in older people (1 hour)
• Suicidal ideation and prevention (1 hour)