Improving the quality of claims advocacy for veterans

From 1 July, new service standards are being introduced for ex-service organisations (ESOs) that receive funding under the Building Excellence in Support and Training (BEST) grants program for the provision of claims advocacy support.

The guidelines for the BEST program have been updated to include the new service standards, and recipients of a BEST grant are required to adhere to the new standards. Advocates who provide services on behalf of ESOs that do not receive a BEST grant are also encouraged to voluntarily adopt the service standards to ensure veterans receive consistent and high quality claims advocacy advice and services.

Making a claim can be complex, and veterans and families face a diverse range of challenging circumstances.

The more advocates that opt in and follow the standards, the greater the benefit will be for the veteran community, as the claims advocacy support being provided will be of a consistently high standard.

A new assurance process will also be introduced to ensure funding under the BEST grants program is being shared equitably, and is going to where it is needed the most. The assurance process will include checking the number of claims where assistance was provided by ESOs.

The BEST grants program aims to support the work of ESOs that play an important role in connecting veterans and families with DVA services and support, providing valuable claims assistance and welfare advocacy services.

For more information on the BEST grants visit the DVA website.