Younger Veterans – Contemporary Needs Forum
Meeting 1
Wednesday 16 April 2014
Background
The National Consultation Framework (the Framework) is a comprehensive consultative structure,
designed to facilitate communication between the veteran and ex-service community and the
Repatriation and Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Commissions and the Department of
Veterans’ Affairs. The aim of the Framework is to establish more formal channels for consultation
that better suit today’s ex-service and defence communities.
A review of the Framework commenced in early 2013 as part of DVA’s Strategic Plan 2010-2015,
with the aim of examining the effectiveness and relevance of the Framework within the
contemporary ex-service community landscape and departmental environment. The Review
Steering Committee (the Committee) comprised of:
 Major General Mark Kelly AO DSC - Repatriation Commissioner (Chair)
 Ms Carmel McGregor PSM - Deputy Secretary, Defence People, Department of Defence; and
 Major General David Chalmers AO CSC - First Assistant Secretary, Client & Commemorations
Division, Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
The Committee consulted extensively with existing membership of the Framework fora; the
Australian ex-service community; Australian Government departments and other key stakeholders
in the Australian community. Following the consultation period, the made the recommendation
DVA amalgamate the existing Emerging Issues Forum, Operational Working Party and National
Mental Health Forum into the Younger Veterans - Contemporary Needs Forum (YVF).
Meeting 1 Summary
The Forum convened in Canberra on Wednesday 16 April 2014 for its inaugural meeting.
The Forum will assist in identifying issues and provide recommendations for improvements in DVA’s
operational policy for veterans and their families.
The YVF discussed:
 Choice and Maintainability in Veterans Services (CMVS) Online Services;
 key focus areas for the Department in communicating and engaging with Younger Veterans;
 the status of the Review of Veterans’ Advocacy Training and the Rehabilitation Review
Project;
 the Service Delivery Reform programme and DVA’s new strategic plan, DVA Towards 2020;
 DVA Mental and Social Health policy priorities and programs; and
 member submissions received on homelessness in the younger veteran community,
psychosocial rehabilitation and emerging and alternative treatments for mental health.
Choice and Maintainability in Veterans Services (CMVS) Online Services
CMVS Program Manager Tony Pianca and his team led the Forum through a presentation and real
time demonstration of current CMVS services. The presentation provided members with an
overview of how CMVS is providing online services now and into the near and long term future to
support veterans and their families’ interaction with the department more efficiently and
proactively.
Communicating with Younger Veterans
The Forum was provided with an update on the department’s commitment to improving
communication with younger veterans. Areas identified for focus include:
 relevant and cohesive social media an communications channels for younger veterans and
serving members;
 communicating with families of younger veterans including young children; and
 strengthening partnerships and communication channels through existing and emerging exservice organisations, defence associations and family networks of serving and ex-serving
personnel.
DVA Mental and Social Health policy priorities and programs
An overview of Mental and Social Health policy priorities, developed in collaboration with Defence
Joint Health Command, was provided to members. The Forum heard there will be an increased
focus on resources for research into transitioning personnel and on developing social
connectedness strategies. Members acknowledged that there was still work to be done to
destigmatise mental health within the veteran and general communities.
Members were also reminded that veterans can access counselling at anytime during the claim
period, regardless of the outcome of the claim. Veterans do not have to wait until the conclusion of
the claims process to access appropriate mental health treatment.
Member submissions covering a range of matters were also discussed. These included:
 learning lessons from the Vietnam veterans era;
 homelessness and partial homelessness in the younger veteran community;
 childcare at VVCS;
 how to achieve the best psychosocial rehabilitation outcomes for clients;
 the potential for utilising emerging and alternative treatments for mental health; and
 access to services for referral of clients in crisis.
The Forum will meet a further two times in 2014, in July and again in October.