Veteran support

Victoria Police has a range of wellbeing support services and programs available to current and veteran Victoria Police employees.

Everyone struggles from time to time. Receiving support from a trained professional can help to resolve issues that you may find yourself faced with in everyday life.

Police Veterans Victoria

Police Veterans Victoria (PVV) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports police veterans and their families. We are the only organisation with a dedicated focus on improving mental health amongst Victoria Police veterans and their families. Our Veteran Peer Support Officers (VPSOs) are police veterans who are trained to provide confidential support and referral services to those that may be experiencing mental health issues including:

post traumatic stress
depression
anxiety
social isolation
alcohol and substance abuse.

VPSOs are not counsellors and do not make psychological assessments. They do have access to various resources including:

psychologists
chaplaincy, and
other support services.

We recognise that family members can also be impacted, and our service is extended to them.

PVV also provides a range of social connections, as well as news items, exclusive benefits and merchandise. There is no cost to join PVV.

For more information, visit the Police Veterans Victoria website.

Employee Assistance Program

Victoria Police continues to focus on improving employee wellbeing services. Changes to Victoria Police’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) have made it easier for current and former employees, as well as their families, to access counselling services.

Victoria Police’s Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is an independent and confidential counselling service available to Victoria Police employees (current and former) and their immediate families. Our EAP is provided by LifeWorks and Acacia Connection.

Some of the matters our EAP can provide support on include:

achieving work life balance
managing relationships
managing parenting
improving communication
conflict resolution.

EAP services and treatment options include:

face-to-face
phone
e-treatment.

Contact

LifeWorks: 1800 273 865
Acacia Connection: 1300 364 273

Bluespace

Bluespace(opens in a new window) provides current and former employees and their families with direct access to information on mental health and wellbeing issues, and services. This includes immediate access to relevant information anytime, anywhere including access to a range of internal and external support services to Victoria Police. The website aims to:

increase the recognition of early warning signs
provide accurate information about mental health issues
support resilience, recovery and wellbeing
provide useful ways to engage with and support those who may be suffering from mental illness.

Background

Bluespace(opens in a new window) was developed in response to the results of the 2017 Victoria Police Mental Health & Wellbeing Study – involving 5,800 participants along with extensive consultation with more than 4,000 current and former employees and their family members who provided further insight into the content and method of delivery.

The results from the study showed that:

approximately 32 per cent of Victoria Police employees have experienced a diagnosed mental health condition
approximately 90 per cent have experienced burnout from their work to some degree
61 per cent of employees prefer managing their problems themselves than seeking help from a health professional.

Bluespace(opens in a new window) has been reviewed and endorsed by Beyond Blue(opens in a new window).

Contact

For further information or to provide feedback on Bluespace please contact the Victoria Police Mental Health Program Office:

Email: mental-health-program-office@police.vic.gov.au

Wellbeing services

Victoria Police’s internal wellbeing services provides tailored confidential wellbeing information, support, advice and referral services for current and veteran Victoria Police employees and their immediate families. Services include support for:

critical Incident
crisis
trauma
mental health.

You can speak directly with a dedicated welfare officer or clinician who will assist you in finding the services and support you need.

Contact

Phone: 1300 090 995

Provisional payments

The Workplace Injury Rehabilitation and Compensation Amendment (Provisional Payments) Act 2021 (Provisional Payments Act) came into effect on 1 July 2021.

The new legislation enables Victoria Police employees to access payments for reasonable medical treatment and services for work-related mental injuries, while their compensation claim is being determined. Payment for this support is called provisional payments.

If an employee's claim is rejected, access to payments for reasonable medical treatment and services (provisional payments) will continue for up to 13 weeks.

If an employee’s claim is accepted, access to payments for reasonable medical treatment and services will be covered under Victorian workers’ compensation legislation.

Provisional payments aim to:
- provide access to mental injury support
- reduce the time an injured employee with a mental injury cannot perform their work duties
- improve return to work outcomes.
Any eligible Victoria Police employee who submits a workers’ compensation claim for mental injury will be entitled to provisional payments, unless:
- there is clear evidence the claimant is not a Victorian worker (all claims are assumed to be valid unless there is evidence to the contrary)
- the claim is a duplicate of an existing claim.
Please note, this will be determined by the authorised agent.
The new provisional payments law includes requirements for employers and agents to act faster if an employee submits a mental injury claim.
Key changes for mental injury claims include:
- Victoria Police must provide early notification of mental injury claims to their agent.
- The Worker's Injury Claim Form Part A must be forwarded to the agent within three business days of receiving the claim.
- The agent will determine if the worker is entitled to provisional payments within two business days of receiving the Worker’s Injury Claim Form Part A from Victoria Police.
- The Victoria Police WorkCover Unit must complete and forward the Worker’s Injury Claim Form Part B to the agent within 10 calendar days.
- The WorkSafe agent will determine what are reasonable costs under provisional payments
- Payments will only be made on expenses that are considered reasonable and related to the claimed injury
- The definition of reasonable takes into consideration the workers individual circumstances, approved treatment practices and the recommendations of the worker’s treating health practitioner.
- Examples of compensation provided under this provision include the cost of medication, consultations with general practitioners (GPs), psychologists and psychiatrists and the cost of travelling to treatment and services.
- WorkSafe has business rules and a schedule of fees that apply to the making of payments in relation to costs to support an injured worker to return to work. WorkSafe adopts the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) items, explanations, definitions, rules and conditions for services provided by medical practitioners.
Please note, payment of the reasonable costs of treatment does not mean payment of the full costs. There may be a 'gap' between what the provider charges and what is payable under WorkSafe's schedule of fees. Expenses like travel may need pre-approval.
If you are entitled to provisional payments, please forward invoices or reimbursement requests to VicProvisionalPayments@gbtpa.com.au.
For further information about provisional payments, you can visit the WorkSafe Victoria website.
Victoria Police has a range of wellbeing support services available to current and veteran employees.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Funded and independent professional counselling and support for current and veteran employees and their immediate families. No referral required.
- LifeWorks: 1800 273 865
- Acacia Connection: 1300 364 273
Bluespace
External website providing access to information about mental health and wellbeing and the services that are available.
- Website: bluespacewellbeing.com.au
OneLink
Current employees who have been impacted by workplace harm can be linked with the supports they need.
- Phone: 1800 598 846
Victoria Police Wellbeing Services
Tailored physical and emotional wellbeing information, support, advice and referral services for current and veteran employees and their immediate families.
- Phone: 1300 090 995