Cover for mental health care
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When our clients have a mental health condition, we may cover the cost of their care.
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Check whether we will cover costs
We may cover a client's treatment costs for any mental health condition, such as:
- post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- depressive disorder
- anxiety disorder
- alcohol use disorder
- substance use disorder
- phobias
- adjustment disorders
- bipolar disorder
To qualify for care, they must be a past or present member of the Australian Defence Force who has:
- given continuous full-time service (CFTS)
- done CFTS for at least 1 day
Reserve members may qualify for care if, on their service days, they:
- helped with disaster relief
- worked on border protection
- saw a training accident in which someone was seriously injured or died
- were hurt in a serious training accident
- did service classed as CFTS
What clients may need to show us
When a client applies for care, they may need to:
- show us proof of their identity
- describe their service
- tell us if they were hurt in, or saw a serious accident
They can apply by filling in 1 of the following:
- a paper form
- an online form through myservice
A client does not have to:
- prove that military service caused their mental health condition
- send us a diagnosis
This is because we cover mental health conditions under our Non-Liability Health Care program.
Back to topIf we decide to cover a client
If we agree to cover a client, we will give them a Veteran White Card that says they can receive treatment from a mental health professional.
If they already have a Veteran White Card, we will add mental health treatment to it.
They can then seek treatment for their mental health condition anywhere in Australia, but not overseas.
Back to topContact us
Call: 1800 VETERAN (1800 838 372)
Email: nlhc [at] dva.gov.au
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