Stay up-to-date with our latest news and events

2021 has been a tough year, from the lingering impacts of the devastating summer 19/20 bushfires to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic. While some of us are celebrating the end of lockdown and warmer weather, the arrival of summer will be less carefree for frontline Emergency Services workers facing disaster season. Read more.

Natural disasters like bushfires, drought, floods and other traumatic events can have lasting impacts upon affected individuals, their loved ones and communities. These events are often overwhelming, and it can be challenging to know where to turn to for trusted information after escaping the immediate threat of the disaster, particularly for those who help others cope, including health practitioners and recovery workers. Read more.

After more than two years of working through the COVID-19 pandemic, many healthcare workers continue to face unprecedented levels of exhaustion, stress and frustration. As well as the sheer volume of work and the relentless demand for services, during the pandemic, our healthcare workers have been confronted with a range of moral stressors that can challenge their personal sense of right and wrong or professional ethics. Read more.

Practitioners supporting Victorian emergency service workers with mental health concerns can join a new Community of Practice. In partnership with the Mental Health Practitioners’ Network (MHPN), Responder Assist is creating a new Community of Practice for practitioners working with emergency services workers across Victoria. Read more.

Emergency services workers may attend car accidents, suicides, bushfires or family violence incidents—they enter a high-risk industry for mental health injury,” says Tim Peck, Senior Specialist Police and Emergency Services at Phoenix Australia. When they join that industry, they need to focus on their own mental health. Read more.

Responder Assist is the Centre of Excellence for emergency worker mental health. Our goal is to improve emergency worker mental health in Victoria. Read more.

In honour of Anzac Day, we interviewed Phoenix Australia Ambassador Sharon Bown, who reflected on the significance of Anzac Day and the importance of Phoenix Australia’s work supporting the mental health of veterans struggling with mental health issues associated with trauma, such as Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Read more.