The Mental Health Impacts of Compensation Claim Assessment Processes

The report fulfils a recommendation of the 2017 Senate inquiry into Suicide by Veterans and Ex-Service Personnel, for an independent study into the mental health impacts on veterans when they navigate the compensation claim assessment processes. It considers the evidence available and discusses leading practice in personal injury claims management.

Inquiries and reviews of the DVA support system have identified that the compensation claims assessment process may contribute to the psychological distress and mental health conditions experienced by some veterans, including self-harm and suicide.

In response to the Senate inquiry into suicide in veterans and ex-service personnel, the DVA commissioned Phoenix Australia to provide a desktop study and literature review examining the mental health impacts of compensation claims assessment processes on veterans and their families. The DVA subsequently commissioned Monash University to undertake this study to review the Phoenix report and to further explore potential for DVA actions that may mitigate potential mental health impacts of its compensation claims processes.

The study involved document review, site visits to DVA offices and a targeted literature search and is presented in three sections.