News 
If you have a work-related mental health injury, it’s important to get treatment early.
The Provisional Payment pilot allows CFA volunteers and other emergency services workers to access payments for mental health support while their Work Cover or CFA Volunteer compensation claim is being determined.
The pilot is available to eligible former and current emergency workers (including employees and volunteers) who have submitted a compensation claim to their agency for a mental health injury. It covers all reasonable medical treatment and services for related mental health injuries over a continuous 13-week period.
This may include visits to your general practitioner (GP), the cost of prescription medication, and visits to mental health professionals such as psychologists or psychiatrists.
If you have recently submitted a claim or are intending to, you should speak to your employer or volunteer agency about whether you are eligible to participate in the pilot.
If your claim is rejected, you will continue to receive payments for up to 13 weeks from the date your claim was submitted.
To find out more information about the pilot, visit https: https://www.vic.gov.au/provisional-payments
Further mental health support services:
Beyond Blue
Depression and anxiety support
1300 224 636
Phoenix Australia
Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health
03 9035 5599
Head to Health
https://headtohealth.gov.au/
Lifeline
13 11 14
VFBV welcomes the extension of the State Government’s Provisional Payment pilot, which has been extended to June 30th 2021.
The pilot program allows CFA volunteers to access reimbursement for medical treatment and services while their compensation claim is being assessed and for a period of upto 13 weeks in the event their claim is rejected. The pilot is being offered to not only CFA members, but Victoria Police, Ambulance Victoria, FRV, ESTA, DELWP and other emergency related public sector volunteers and employees including registered nurses.
Good engagement with VFBV and CFA volunteers was established early in the pilot with former Minister for Workplace Safety, the Hon. Jill Hennessy MP engaging with us early and encouraging our participation on the pilots steering group.
VFBV is represented on the Governments Pilot Steering Committee by CEO Adam Barnett who reports good progress with wide collaboration between the agencies, departments and stakeholders involved.
The intent of the pilot is to transition to permanent and ongoing arrangements with legislative changes currently before Parliament. VFBV is advocating strongly to government and CFA to ensure the same arrangements are mirrored in the CFA Regulations to ensure no gap in coverage for CFA volunteers covered by CFA volunteer compensation.
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 on 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. Any members having difficulty accessing the pilot should make contact with a VFBV State Councillor or Support Officer for priority assistance.
