Is your loved one a frontline worker? Your role in supporting their mental health may be more crucial than you think. Hear from Cliff & Tanya Overton as they reflect on the impact of being involved in the Black Saturday fires.
We offer a wide range of resources to help emergency workers to manage their mental health. Search our site for self-care resources, agency-specific contacts, training opportunities, and more.
Responder Assist’s mission is to improve mental health outcomes for emergency services workers.
Responder Assist’s clinical intake team connects emergency workers directly to supporting clinicians based on an individual assessment of their needs.
Responder Assists network of clinicians are specialised in working working with emergency services personnel and have undertaken specialist training in emergency worker mental health.
Responder Assist offers training to all mental health practitioners that work (or want to work) with emergency services personnel in Victoria. Our goal is to uplift the capability of clinicians across the sector, and provide our emergency workers with the best chance of recovery.
Training offered by Responder Assist incorporates their research on the latest available evidence-based treatments.
Responder Assist’s research team conducts ongoing research into the latest evidence-based treatments that are specific to emergency workers.
Emergency workers that access the Responder Assist clinical service can be assured of receiving treatment that is based on the most up to date research and clinical knowledge.
Police Veterans Victoria Inc. is a not-for-profit organisation that supports Victoria Police Veterans and their families. They are the only organisation with a dedicated focus on improving mental health amongst Victoria Police Veterans and their families.
Veteran Peer Support Officers (VPSO’s) are police veterans who are trained to provide confidential support and referral services to those that may be experiencing mental health issues including PTSD, depression, anxiety, social isolation, alcohol and substance abuse.
Our VPSOs are not counsellors and do not make psychological assessments but they do have access to various resources including psychologists, chaplaincy and other support services.
We recognise that family members can also be impacted, and our service is extended to them.
Go to Police Veterans Website
SES Victoria is the control agency for flood, storm, tsunami earthquake and landslide in Victoria. SES Victoria has a coordination role in facilitating the development of emergency plans for these hazards at state and regional tiers, by managing responses to these emergencies and helping communities to prepare through effective planning.
SES Victoria provides emergency assistance to thousands of Victorians every year. In 2019-2020 SES Victoria responded to 33,742 emergency incidents across the state, contributing a total of 382,141 hours helping Victorians in need.
SES Victoria’s people – volunteer and staff– are highly skilled, well equipped, and trained comprehensively in a wide range of emergency environments. Today, they comprise more than 5,000 volunteers and 200 employees, all crucial to the success of SES Victoria and their vision to make the community safer, together.
Their volunteers are the backbone of SES Victoria, serving the Victorian community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for more than 40 years. 95% of SES Victoria’s people are volunteers.
Login to the SES HubPolice Veterans Victoria Inc. is a not-for-profit organisation that supports Victoria Police Veterans and their families. They are the only organisation with a dedicated focus on improving mental health amongst Victoria Police Veterans and their families.
Veteran Peer Support Officers (VPSO’s) are police veterans who are trained to provide confidential support and referral services to those that may be experiencing mental health issues including PTSD, depression, anxiety, social isolation, alcohol and substance abuse.
Our VPSOs are not counsellors and do not make psychological assessments but they do have access to various resources including psychologists, chaplaincy and other support services.
We recognise that family members can also be impacted, and our service is extended to them.
Go to Police Veterans Website
SES Victoria is the control agency for flood, storm, tsunami earthquake and landslide in Victoria. SES Victoria has a coordination role in facilitating the development of emergency plans for these hazards at state and regional tiers, by managing responses to these emergencies and helping communities to prepare through effective planning.
SES Victoria provides emergency assistance to thousands of Victorians every year. In 2019-2020 SES Victoria responded to 33,742 emergency incidents across the state, contributing a total of 382,141 hours helping Victorians in need.
SES Victoria’s people – volunteer and staff– are highly skilled, well equipped, and trained comprehensively in a wide range of emergency environments. Today, they comprise more than 5,000 volunteers and 200 employees, all crucial to the success of SES Victoria and their vision to make the community safer, together.
Their volunteers are the backbone of SES Victoria, serving the Victorian community 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year for more than 40 years. 95% of SES Victoria’s people are volunteers.
Login to the SES HubRecognise that you have been through an extremely stressful event and that you will have an emotional reaction to it. Give yourself permission to feel rotten, but also remember your strengths – even though it’s tough, you can deal with it.
Look after your physical health by getting plenty of rest (even if you can’t sleep), regular exercise, and by eating regular, well-balanced meals. Physical and mental health are closely linked, so taking care of one will help the other.
Cut back on stimulants such as tea, coffee, chocolate, soft drink, and cigarettes. Your body is already ‘hyped up’ enough, and these substances will only add to this. Try to avoid using drugs or alcohol to cope, as they can lead to more problems in the long term.
Make time for relaxation – whether it’s listening to music, taking a bath – whatever works for you. It might be helpful to learn a relaxation technique like meditation, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or breathing exercises.
Talk about your feelings to other people who will understand, if you feel able to do so. Talking things through is part of the natural healing process and will help you to accept what has happened. As you start to feel better, you may even wish to provide support to others who have been through similar situations.
Spend time with people you care about, even if you don’t want to talk about your experience. Sometimes you will want to be alone, and that’s OK too, but try not to become too isolated.Try not to bottle up your feelings or block them out. Recurring thoughts, dreams, and flashbacks are unpleasant, but they will decrease with time. Consider writing about your feelings if you feel unable to talk to others about them.
Avoid making major life decisions like moving house or changing jobs in the days and weeks after the traumatic event. On the other hand, make as many smaller, daily decisions as possible, such as what you will eat or what film you’d like to see. This can help you to feel more in control of your life.
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Responder Assist is a government funded service that aims to improve the lives of emergency services workers through tailored mental health supports.
We run a clinical intake and advice service that is open to all Victorian emergency services workers, including those that have retired from service. We also offer training and support to mental health practitioners who treat emergency services personnel. These offerings are underpinned by our research arm which runs ongoing clinical trials to develop evidence-based mental health interventions that are specific to emergency workers.
Responder Assist’s intake service is independent and confidential.
Our service is devoted to the mental health of emergency workers with specially trained clinicians with deep experience in treating emergency workers.
Responder Assist’s research pillar is engaged in investigation of the latest interventions and clinical trials so that you can feel confident in knowing that you will be receiving the best possible care and evidence-based treatments.
Confidential 24/7
counselling and referrals
