New central support service for veterans

A new service which connects former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members and their families to the right health, wellbeing and community supports has arrived on the Central Coast.

Veterans Connect can link veterans, their families and carers to a wide range of supports from veterans’ peer groups to clinical services. It works as a central contact point, so returned service personnel are well supported in civilian life.

More than 3,000 former defence personnel call the Central Coast home.

The new Veterans Connect program will be delivered by not-for-profit organisation Social Futures and supported by the Hunter New England and Central Coast Primary Health

Network.

Social Futures CEO Tony Davies said Veterans Connect can put veterans and their families in touch with an array of supports like health and specialist clinical services and link them to a diversity of social support organisations, such as community groups, veterans’ associations and other wellbeing supports including gyms and physiotherapists.

“I realise the health, mental health and support needs of veterans are diverse and varied,” Davies said.

“The goal of Veterans Connect is to help veterans, their families and carers navigate all these services and overcome any barriers to accessing care.

“Veterans Connect can be their single point of contact.”

Davies said former ADF personnel had a range of

1800 891 691 4324 7699

131-133 Donnison Street Gosford brazelmoorelawyers.com.au experiences, including warfare, peacekeeping and peacemaking deployments, as well as disaster response and border protection.

“Younger veterans may have been on multiple deployments and are now looking for new careers, reconnecting with family and friends, and processing their time with the ADF, while older veterans may be facing issues like ageing and ill health,” he said.

“Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder is common among