APS recommendations reflected in the final report from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide

The final report from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide was recently released, bringing national attention to the mental health crisis impacting current and former Australian Defence Force (ADF) members.  

We are pleased that most of our key recommendations have been reflected in the final Royal Commission report. Overall, the Commissioners’ 122 recommendations emphasise the vital role of psychologists and psychological science, comprehensive and robust data collection, sharing and analysis, and lived experience in transforming mental health outcomes and reducing suicide rates for the defence and veterans’ community. 

The Royal Commission’s findings are both sobering and galvanising, underscoring the urgent need for improved mental health services, suicide prevention strategies and psychological support across the ADF and veteran communities. 

APS advocacy 

• In our two submissions to the Royal Commission, the APS advocated for a range of crucial changes to improve mental health services for veterans, Defence personnel, and their families and kin.  
• Our main submission to the Royal Commission was based on the considered insights and expertise of APS members and included 20 recommendations for reform and action. The second, more recent submission was in response to the proposed new entity to promote the wellbeing of Defence members and veterans.  
• The final report’s recommendations reflect the necessity of adopting a comprehensive approach to mental health care and suicide prevention, early intervention, and response within the ADF, DVA and other support agencies. This includes strengthening of protective factors, reduction of unacceptable behaviour, improvement of culture, mitigation of risks including stigma reduction, and the provision of integrated non-clinical and clinical care focused on prevention through to recovery and postvention.  
• A comprehensive system of care must commence from the point of recruitment and initial training, throughout military service and during separation, transition and beyond for all in the defence and veterans' community, including reserve personnel. 

The report highlighted several key areas more specific to the role of psychologists within the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and veteran communities, including: 

• Underscoring the importance of embedding psychological expertise in recruitment, training, and post-service transition processes for screening and providing early intervention, ensuring recruits, personnel and veterans receive the psychological support needed to thrive both during and after military service. Recommendations also included inquiries into all deaths unless suicide can be excluded. Examination of contributing factors requires psychologists’ subject matter expertise.  
• Psychological workforce shortages, in particular understaffing in the defence psychology workforce, worsened by national psychology shortages. This has led to longer wait times and increased administrative burdens for psychologists, impacting timely care for ADF personnel and veterans. Expanding the workforce and addressing these pressures will be essential. 
• Calls for DVA to enhance military cultural competency training programs for psychologists and allied health professionals, promoting this work through partnerships with professional bodies to better meet the unique needs of defence personnel and veterans throughout their service and beyond. 

Further key recommendations from the report include: 

• Increase the Department of Veterans’ Affairs fee schedule so it is aligned with that of the National Disability Insurance Scheme and/or comparable schemes. 
• Improve mental health screening and response, from initial recruitment and training onwards and use psychological trend data. Embed trauma informed care communication and care delivery, including at the level of the Office of the Inspector General.  
• Enhance holistic support (e.g., health, mental health, education, employment) for veterans transitioning to civilian life—a period of heightened risk for mental health issues and suicidality.  
• Prevent, minimise and treat moral injury. 
• Establish a brain injury program to better understand and respond to the impact of repetitive low level blast exposure on neurocognitive functioning. 
• Determine prevalence and effects of military sexual trauma and improve victim support responses and prevention approaches including mandatory leadership training. 
• Implement a range of strategies to foster a strong culture of respect in the ADF, and hold leaders accountable for achieving culture, including health and wellbeing targets. 
• Improve the support, communication and services (e.g., family support, education, housing) provided to defence and veterans families, and ensure transparent and comprehensive supports for those who have been impacted by the mental ill-health and suicide of a loved one.  
• Align ADF and DVA clinical governance frameworks with those of existing national bodies.  
• Prioritise and fund research into deference veterans’ health and wellbeing with experts overseeing the improvement of research quality, evaluation, translation and sharing. 
• Establish a new national agency to focus on veteran wellbeing and a new statutory entity to oversee system reform across the whole Defence ecosystem.   

Next steps 

The APS is committed first and foremost to improving access to psychological care for the defence and veterans’ community and ensuring that those who have served our nation, and their families and kin, receive the support they deserve. The APS stands ready to collaborate with and support the Australian Government, the ADF, and the DVA, and as they consider the critical systemic reforms handed down by the Royal Commission.  

A collaborative effort 

Thank you to our members who kindly contributed their time, knowledge and evidence-based research to help develop our response to the Royal Commission.  

Further resources 

Read our Response to the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide. 

Read the final report from the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide.