Recommendation 14 The committee recommends that the Department of Defence work with ex-service organisations to develop a transition mentoring program, which will connect every veteran with a trained mentor from the ex-service community to assist and guide them through the transition process. Government Response Noted The Government notes that engaging with groups like ex-service organisations can be important during the transitioning process, and Defence recognises this as part of the substantial support it provides to transitioning ADF members. Defence is committed to ensuring that the men and of the ADF, and their families, are provided with exemplary support services throughout their career, particularly at times of separation. Defence provides a comprehensive transition support service to ADF members and the recently released Defence White Paper outlines further initiatives that will enhance and increase this service. The 2016 Defence White Paper notes that Defence will partner with DVA, Australian defence industry, and other ex-service organisations to support those who have been affected by their service to our country to find a new career, ensuring that they are treated with the respect and dignity that their service deserves. Finding a new career will enable our veterans to continue making valuable contributions to their communities once their military service is completed. The Government will make available to all medically separating ADF members an initiative, currently being trialled by Army, which assists them to secure employment in the civilian workforce. The member-centric program will empower members throughout the transition process by facilitating engagement with supporting organisations, developing a flexible pathway that meets with the member’s preferences and integrates with existing transition programs which would be augmented where required. The program aims to prepare members to be competitive in the civilian job market through a suite of preparatory services and ongoing support. In addition, Defence will enhance the existing Career Transition Assistance Scheme to better support members transitioning out of the ADF with less than 12 years service, to find new employment (Defence White Paper). The Government will also work with ex-service organisations, to ensure that our younger veterans are catered for. Working with ex service organisations, the Prime Minister will convene a forum in in November 2016 to promote the unique skills veterans can bring to employers and to find more effective ways for organisations to engage veterans and their families in the modern economy. Noting that transition can be a time of significant adjustment, the Review of Suicide Prevention will include consideration of transition from military to civilian life, and the effectiveness of transition support services and initiatives undertaken by Defence and DVA, in the context of suicide prevention.
vulnerable DVA clients, including exploring how case coordination can link DVA clients who are either homeless or at risk of homelessness into specialised homelessness services. Homelessness is a complex issue that tends to be associated with a range of factors, such as housing crisis, family breakdown, alcohol and/or substance use disorder and mental health issues. the unique and complex circumstances which can lead to homelessness, it is appropriate that specialised homelessness services provide these services to those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including former members of the ADF. These services have trained staff and have met state government requirements to be a registered homelessness provider. It is noted that the States and Territories are funded by the Commonwealth to provide social housing in their respective jurisdictions. Rather than adopting the program proposed in the recommendation, the Government will instead: convene a meeting of State and Territory Ministers with responsibility for veterans’ affairs to address homelessness in the veteran community; require Commonwealth agencies to identify whether its clients are veterans and to make that information available to ex-service and other organisations which provide support for homeless veterans; work with the States and Territories to support a comprehensive nationwide study that brings together work already undertaken to obtain a thorough understanding of the extent of veteran homelessness and what all levels of government can do to address it; and encourage States and Territories to ensure that the provision of social housing for homeless veterans is prioritised, As noted above, the Government will continue to consider how to meet the needs of those clients who have both complex psychosocial needs and mental health issues, including through case coordination and referral to specialised homelessness services and other supports where needed. Our nation owes a great debt to those who have put their lives on the line for us and it is therefore essential that the community supports veterans who find themselves homeless or at risk of homelessness. Minority Recommendations Minority Recommendation 1 That Defence and DVA report annually to the parliament on the ‘state of mental health’ of current and former ADF members including data on the rates of mental ill-health, homelessness, incarceration, suicidality, neurological conditions and any other issues or indicators relevant to instances of mental ill-health amongst defence personnel. Government Response Partly Agreed The Government agrees to an annual Ministerial statement to Parliament on key issues impacting upon the veteran community and the performance of the Department of Veterans’ Affairs. This will be a transparent process which will measure the performance of the Department and increase accountability to the veteran community.