For people in need, it is important to know support is available. There is a range of support services which offer personal, emotional, psychological and financial help to those affected.
| Information assistance |
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| Australian Government |
www.disasterassist.gov.au/index.htm |
| Victorian Bushfire Reconstruction and Recovery Authority |
www.wewillrebuild.vic.gov.au |
| Victorian Bushfire and Storm Information Line |
Call 1800 240 667 or visit http://www.dhs.vic.gov.au/em/bushfire-recovery (for a wide range of bushfire information). |
| Queensland Department of Communities |
Call 1800 173 349 or click here (information for QLD residents affected by the floods). Fact sheets on coping in times of crisis or disaster are available from the Queensland Health website on http://www.health.qld.gov.au/floods/stress_well.asp |
| New South Wales Disaster Recovery Centre telephone service |
Call 1800 018 444 (assistance for NSW residents affected by the floods)
A fact sheet on Disaster Recovery is available here. |
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| For psychological assistance: |
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| Mensline Australia |
1300 789 978 |
| Lifeline |
13 11 14 |
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| Other numbers to call for support: |
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| beyondblue information line |
1300 224 636 |
| The Australian Psychological Society (to find a psychologist) |
1800 333 497 |
| Centrelink |
13 61 50 |
| Kids Help Line |
1800 551 800 |
| Relationships Australia |
1300 364 277 |
| SANE Helpline (office hours) |
1800 187 263 |
| Trans-Help Foundation (for truck drivers and their families) |
1300 787 996 |
Nurse-On-Call 24 hour Bushfire Health and Counselling Line
(to speak to a qualified nurse or be put through to a counsellor) |
1300 60 60 24 |
| Parentline |
13 22 89 |
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| Information for Parents and Teachers |
| Click here for information for parents and teachers. |
| The Rural Health Education Foundation has a free DVD titled Recovery from Trauma: What Works which has been funded by and developed with the Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health. This DVD will assist 'consumers' in understanding the process of recovery from trauma including what they can expect from and ask of their referred mental health practitioner. To order the DVD follow this link to the Foundation's website. |
Department of Education and Early Childhood have developed fact sheets for Parents, Families and Carers to download go to http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/bushfires/parents.htm and for school staff working with students to download go to
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/about/bushfires/schools.htm at the end of the Information for Parents and Teachers section. |
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| Infiormation for young people |
Australian National Youth Mental Health Foundation - Headspace
http://www.headspace.org.au/home/information/mental-health/anxiety/bushfire-information-and-support/ |
Reach Out! is a web-based service that inspires young people to help themselves through tough times.
To download their fact sheet "Coping with a stressful event" go to http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=3224 |
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| Information for Health Professionals |
| The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health has developed a brochure to assist practitioners in providing best practice clinical care for people with Acute Stress Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Go to http://www.acpmh.unimelb.edu.au/resources/resources-guidelines.html#1 to download. A free hard copy can be ordered here. |
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| More information |
The Australian Centre for Posttraumatic Mental Health has released a fact sheet for those affected by the fires. Go to www.acpmh.unimelb.edu.au and click "Coping with the Victorian Bushfire" to download.
The ACPMH also have a fact sheet on "Trauma and children" to download. |
| Further information on grief coping with loss after a fire and information on how to help children who have witnessed a traumatic event is available from Lifeline by clicking here or by visiting the website www.lifeline.org.au. |
| The Australian National University Australian Child and Adolescent Trauma, Loss and Grief Network. Click here. |
| Children Youth and Women's Health Service: information on the impact of bushfires on children. Click here. |
| For details of the Australian Government Recovery Assistance Package for individuals, families and communities affected by the January/February 2009 Victorian bushfires click here. |
| The Australian Psychological Society has compiled comprehensive information for the general public to help cope with impact bushfires may have on mental health. To access these resources click here. |
| The Australian Centre for Grief and Bereavement has a dedicated website with resources and audio recordings. Click here. |
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