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First Responders Support Hub

Information, Resources and links not only for the Australian Military Veterans and their families but also including Australia's;

Ambulance Service

Fire and Emergency Services

Police

Rescue services

State Emergency Service

Surf life saving

Volunteer Marine Rescue

This page is still in development and updating with new information and links

Due to the nature of first responder work, staff can at times be exposed to potentially traumatic incidents. NSW Ambulance provides a diverse range of staff support services to assist in the natural recovery process.

Image by Chang Duong

Australian First Responder Foundation

Serves volunteer and emergency First Responders and their families through peer support, education, and wellbeing retreats to ensure  mental health and wellbeing.

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Beyond Blue First Responder Program

Beyond Blue established the Police and Emergency Services Program to support the mental health and suicide risk of current and former police and emergency service workers, volunteers, and their families.

Image by Raphael Lovaski

Blackdog Support

Mental health programs, developing new treatments for depression, and world-leading suicide prevention and early intervention strategies.

Image by Max Fleischmann

Blue Hope

Provides support to current and former police officers based in Queensland.

Connects Veterans and First Responders to their communities through physical fitness, social activities, and purposeful volunteering.

Holiday Destination

Defence Holidays NQ

Defence Holidays NQ works with a number of tour and accommodation providers around Australia to provide discounts to the following affiliations: Defence Force Personnel and their families, Former Serving members, Veterans, War Widows, Police & Emergency Services, Correction Officers and Defence Contracted Personnel, Defence Public Servants and International Allies. 

Image by Zac Durant

Due South - TAS

FIRST RESPONDERS, VETERANS ACCOMMODATION AND ADVENTURES ULVERSTONE – TASMANIA

Delivers programs to help in the transition, personal development or wellness initiatives. operating three homes, and an off-grid adventure property, a farm and a community hub. Located in the town of Ulverstone, on the North-West Coast of Tasmania.

Image by Natanael Melchor

Emergency Services Private Health

Emergency Services Health is a not-for-profit private health insurance fund. Private Health for people that work, volunteer, or ex-serving for an Australian emergency service.  Also for close relations.  

Eligible sectors include: Fire Response & Recovery Sector, Ambulance & Medical Response & Recovery Sector, Water Response & Recovery Sector and State Emergency Response & Recovery Sector

ESF is a not for profit organisation which brings together Victoria’s emergency management agencies to protect mental health and wellbeing First Responders.

Image by Anne Nygård

EML Resources

Resources developed in partnership with leading national experts such as the Black Dog Institute and Phoenix Australia: Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health, and state-based emergency service agencies

Image by Scott Rodgerson

Fire and Emergency Services Support Network (FESSN)

provides access to a team of highly qualified Psychologists and Counsellors in addition to Peer Support Officers, available to QFES staff, volunteers with counselling services available to immediate family members

Image by Helena Lopes

First Responders Wellbeing Summit

Providing front line responders, their family and community with strategies to support mental health and wellbeing

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Fortem Australia

Provides specialised wellbeing and mental fitness support to first responder families.

Image by Mauro Lima

Invisible Injuries

PTSD awareness, mental health, wellbeing, suicide prevention for veterans, first responders, their families

Image by Miriam G

Lifeline support

Provides specialised support for the wellbeing and mental state of first responders and their families.

Image by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič

MESHA

delivering high quality research and programs to positively impact the mental health and wellbeing of our current and former military and emergency service personnel and their families.

Image by 🇸🇮 Janko Ferlič

Phoenix Australia

Helping emergency workers recover from trauma and A place of mental health information, resources and training for emergency workers, their families and the professionals who support them.

Image by Joey Csunyo

Police Care Australia Directory

The website provides information to serving and former police along with their families and friends on health and wellbeing, mental health, career transition, and community engagement.

Image by Rosie Steggles

Police Support NSW

PPTSG supports and links traumatised former and serving police – Emergency Service personnel to services

Image by Harry Down

Police Support NT

NTPA provides industrial, welfare and legal support and ensures the protection of members rights

Image by Josh Withers

Police Support QLD

Blue Hope provides support to current and former police officers based in Queensland

Police Veterans Victoria (PVV) is a not-for-profit organisation that supports police veterans and their families

Flinders University has developed PEREI that delivers targeted wellbeing and resilience programs aimed to prevent the onset of mental health conditions linked to trauma exposure and stress at work.  

support South Australia Police officers and their families

Image by Scott Rodgerson

Sirens of Silence

Encompasses all areas of emergency service work from Communications staff of triple zero calls, through to frontline Police, Ambulance and Fire Emergency service volunteers and career staff, current, retired, injured or terminated. 

St John of God mental health services  treat a wide range of mental health illnesses or conditions.  Led by allied health professionals, mental health is focused on rehabilitation services to help with development and a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem

To support the members of the Australian First Responders, Defence Force, Veterans and their families in financial crisis, homeless or at risk of homelessness.

Assistance Dogs for Veterans, First Responders and support for their Families
Young Diggers provides support services and programs to support serving and ex-serving personnel of the Australian Defence Force and First Responders, their dependents and direct family members.

TMS Australia

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a procedure that uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve cells in the brain to improve symptoms of depression. This treatment for depression involves delivering repetitive magnetic pulses, so it's called repetitive TMS or rTMS.

The Good practice framework for mental health and wellbeing in first responder organisations was developed as part of the beyondblue First Responders Program.

Booklet by Lived Experience Australia and Military and Emergency Services Health Australia

Supporting your veteran or emergency services first responder in help-seeking for mental health concerns: a guide for families

Image by Nate Isaac

Thankyou 
Thank a First Responder DAY 7 June 2023

First Responders Day takes place for one day only on the last Thursday in June, this year being 

Visit our other support topics 

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