Parliament House Canberra ACT 2602
Telephone 02 6277 7820 Facsimile 02 6273 4140
The Hon Alan Griffin MP
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs
The Hon Warren Snowdon MP
Minister for Defence Science and
Personnel
VA089
Wednesday, 10 September 2008
SUPPORT FOR ADF MEMBERS GOES NATIONAL
A pilot program supporting ADF members leaving the forces will be rolled out across Australia the
Minister for Veterans’ Affairs, Alan Griffin, and the Minister for Defence Science and Personnel, Warren
Snowdon, said today.
Mr Griffin said the Stepping Out program had received a 95 per cent approval rating from the ADF
members and their partners who participated in the Townsville based trial, and was worthy of expansion
Australia wide.
“Life in the services is unique. It is important that when our service people move to civilian life that they,
and their partners, are equipped with the support and skills to make that transition as simple as possible.
Stepping Out has been shown to do that,” he said.
The Stepping Out Program was developed in consultation with the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic
Mental Health and equips Australian Defence Force personnel with the skills to make the transition from
military to civilian life.
Mr Snowdon said that Stepping Out program was an important part of the Government’s mental health
‘lifecycle’; integrating mental health care across recruitment, service and transition or discharge and
rehabilitation.
“The Government is committed to supporting ADF members through all the stages of their careers,
including their transition to civilian life. I encourage all ADF members planning to leave the services to
participate in the program,” he said.
The program is a two day voluntary program delivered by the VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families
Counselling Service and is available free to ADF personnel in the process of leaving the military or who
have left in the past 12 months.
The Stepping Out Program is being delivered in Adelaide, Brisbane and Townsville and is due to start in
Darwin in mid-September. The rollout will be completed by the end of 2008.
VVCS staff are professionally qualified psychologists and social workers experienced in working with
veterans, peacekeepers and their families.
Media inquiries:
Laura Ryan (Alan Griffin)
02 6277 7820 or 0437 863 109
Kate Sieper (Warren Snowdon)
02 6277 7620 or 0488 484 689
The VVCS – Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service can be contacted 24 hours a day, seven days a
week on 1800 011 046.
To receive the Minister’s media releases automatically by email subscribe at minister.dva.gov.au/subscribe.htm
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