In June of this year, the State Government launched a pilot to provide emergency workers (volunteers and staff) with access to provisional payments for their mental health injuries.
This pilot is part of the Governments Mental Health initiatives and enables eligible current and former CFA volunteers to access payments for the reasonable cost of medical and like expenses for their CFA related mental health injury covered by the pilot for up to 13 continuous weeks from the date they submit their claim.
This allows CFA volunteers to access reimbursement for medical treatment and services while their claim is being assessed and for an extended period even where their claim is rejected. The pilot is being offered to not only CFA members, but Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, MFB, ESTA, DELWP and other emergency related public sector employees including registered nurses. The pilot is funded by the Emergency Services Workers and Volunteers Mental Health Support Fund, which has been established by the Department of Justice and Community Safety for the purposes of this pilot.
For volunteers, CFA will provide all paperwork and case management, and will reimburse eligible members for treatment costs . CFA will then be reimbursed by the pilot. The pilot will cover expenses such as consultation with your GP, the cost of prescription medication and consultations with a psychologist and/or psychiatrist.
VFBV encourages any member who may be experiencing a mental health injury or trauma such as PTSD, depression or anxiety that has been caused by CFA service to make contact with the CFA wellbeing team (1800 959 232), and consider accessing the provisional payments pilot. A claim form is available from your CFA District Office, and VFBV has requested the forms also be made available online. A copy of the pilot opt-in document is available at the bottom of this page which needs to be returned along with your claim form in order to participate in the pilot.
Any members having difficulty accessing the pilot should make contact with a VFBV State Councillor or Support Officer for assistance.
A Governmental Steering Committee has been established to oversee and guide the pilot in making provisional payments to eligible volunteer emergency workers and it will operate in conjunction with a Steering Committee focused on the scope of paid workforces. The Steering Committee is made up of representatives including AV, CFA, SES, Victoria Police and VFBV. Government agencies represented on the Committee include the Departments of Premier and Cabinet, Justice, Treasury and Health, DELWP, EMV and Worksafe.
VFBV is represented by CEO Adam Barnett who has reported very positive progress. “I commend the Government on this mental health initiative and see this as an extremely important project to improve early intervention for emergency service volunteers and staff alike. This is a very positive step in helping to remove the stigma around seeking assistance for mental health and providing members with compassionate and accessible options for support” he said. The pilot will focus on determining claims as quickly as possible, recognising the importance of early intervention.
A copy of the Provisional Payments Pilot Fact Sheet is available for download at the bottom of this page along with a copy of the schedule of fees information detailing what is available to members for reimbursement.
Further information can be found on the Provisional Payments website at www.vic.gov.au/provisional-payments
If any CFA members or their families require assistance please contact the CFA Wellbeing Support Line on 1800 959 232 which is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
