Fully funded mental health treatment is available to eligible Veteran White Card holders through Non-Liability Health Care (mental health) (NLHC).
Eligible veterans include those who have served at least one day of continuous full-time service in the Australian Defence Force, and reserve members with border protection or disaster relief service or who were involved in a serious service-related training accident. Treatment can be accessed for as long as clinically necessary. This means you do not have to pay for your mental health treatment.
The early treatment of mental health conditions may lead to better health outcomes in the long term. So, when you’re ready, make an appointment with your GP to discuss your mental health and treatment options. You won’t need to prove that your military service caused the condition, and you won’t need to lodge a formal claim to receive funded mental health treatment. Your GP may refer you to a mental health provider, such as a psychologist or psychiatrist.
Although many Veteran White Cards cover mental health treatment already, before seeking treatment you need to check if mental health cover has been added to your individual card. You can request to add it online via MyService or by calling 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372).
Recent data indicates that over a quarter of a million services have been funded by DVA since July 2023 through NLHC (mental health) arrangements. This figure does not include services provided to Veteran Gold Card holders or Veteran White Card holders with other accepted conditions. The data specifically represents individuals receiving DVA-funded treatment under NLHC (mental health) only.
More information about NLHC (mental health) is available on the DVA website.
For further support, contact Open Arms – Veterans and Families Counselling for free and confidential counselling services available 24/7. Call Open Arms on 1800 011 046 or visit www.openarms.gov.au