Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA) benefits and services overview 108-03050000

DVA is the Australian Government department that provides support, services and information for the following members of the veteran community:

• Veterans, their dependants, family members and carers
• Serving and former serving ADF members
• War widow/ers
• Australian British Nuclear Tests participants
• Members of the Australian Federal Police, and
• Students, teachers and historians

The support, services and information DVA provide also includes:

• Financial support
• Health care
• Rehabilitation
• Mental health care
• Help returning to civilian life
• Commemoration and Recognition
• Home care assistance
• Help with housing
• Historical information

Most of the payments administered by DVA are not paid under Social Security legislation. Information on DVA legislation can be found on the DVA website, this includes:

• Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986 (VEA)
• Military Rehabilitation and Compensation Act 2004 (MRCA)
• Safety, Rehabilitation and Compensation (Defence-related Claims) Act 1988 (DRCA)

There are a number of other passages of legislation that outline DVA entitlements. Further information on legislation administered by DVA can be found by visiting Department of Veterans' Affairs (dva.gov.au).

A DVA client is a person who receives a payment or service from DVA. Not all people who approach Services Australia to discuss DVA payments or services will be a current DVA client. For example, a person may have recently discharged from the armed forces and is looking for information on how to claim a payment from DVA. A person who approaches may also be a caregiver providing support to a veteran.

Services Australia and DVA both provide payments and services to a wide range of people and their families. In some cases, a person may be receiving a payment or service from both agencies at the same time. For example, when a person receives an income support payment from DVA and Family Assistance payments from Services Australia they are referred to as mutual customers. Both Services Australia and DVA hold a mutual interest in a mutual customers outcomes.

Information on payments and services paid to mutual customers is transferred between Services Australia and DVA. The information transfer is either automatically, via a designated data exchange or, manually through a specialised clearance process. Mutual customers may also provide payment information themselves, as part of their notification obligations, to advise of any changes to their circumstances.

To support the delivery of services between the 2 agencies, a number of roles are undertaken by Services Australia. These roles include providing support to a mutual customer contacting Services Australia via the telephony network or, when they attend a Services Australia service centre. The agency is also responsible for ensuring mutual customers receive the correct payment entitlement.

A mutual customer contacts the Services Australia telephony network - When contact is made with the telephony network, Service Officers are expected to attempt to resolve the enquiry where they are able. This may include confirming DVA payment information already recorded on the Services Australia customer record.

A member of the veteran community attends a Services Australia service centre - Services Australia provides a range of face-to-face services on behalf of DVA in all Services Australia service centres and Mobile Service Centres (MSCs), called the Standardised Service Offer. In addition, the Veterans' Information Service (VIS) also operates from 22 regional Services Australia service centres and is a service provided by ‘VIS Officers’ (Services Australia staff, trained by DVA). The services under the VIS include those of the Standardised Service Offer as well as additional items designed to complement the DVA Veterans Access Network (VAN).

Ensuring Services Australia payment accuracy - As DVA payments can affect entitlement to payments administered by the agency, the agency records the details of DVA payments on our records. Given the nature and complexities of DVA payments, it may be necessary to handoff an enquiry to another appropriately skilled staff member or area. Services Australia’s specialised DVA Clearance Team undertake all DVA payment coding.

A mutual customer may move between the 2 agencies, due to gaining or losing eligibility to particular payments and services. There may also be a direct transfer from one payment to another, often with overlapping payment dates. To support accurate payment outcomes and to minimise disruptions, a specialised clearance process exists between Services Australia and DVA to confirm:

• start date of payments
• rate of payments
• overpayment due to overlapping payments
• debt amounts including adjustments, any amounts recovered from arrears if applicable, as well as any subsequent outstanding debt amounts

DVA clients and members of the veteran community may benefit from additional support or services available through DVA, Services Australia or third party organisations, including:

• Open Arms - Veterans & Families Counselling who offer mental health support for Navy, Army and Air Force personnel, veterans & their families
• Services Australia Social Workers can provide immediate support to DVA clients if there is an imminent risk of suicide or self-harm
• Financial Information Service (FIS) about financial information
• Beyond Blue
• Lifeline
• 1800RESPECT