Our submission to the Mental Health Commission dedicated to veterans and their families
In June 2025 the Mental Health Commission of NSW released a consultation paper to assist in the development of their new Strategy for mental health and wellbeing in NSW.
With 26% of Australian veterans calling NSW home and an estimated 246,000 families of veterans in NSW, and families of veterans more likely to experience ill mental health than the general population, it is important that the Mental Health Commission understands what we currently know about the impacts of Defence service on these groups.
Unique risk factors for veterans
Our submission to the Commission highlights the work of the Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide from 2021-2024 and points to the unique risk factors experienced by the veteran population including:
- Disrupted healthcare journeys.
- The presence and prevalence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) within military populations, and the close linkage between TBI/CTE and suicidal ideation and death by suicide.
- The combination and accumulation of multiple stressors experienced within military communities; and
- The injury burden experienced by our current and former serving Defence force members and their families.
The Submission also highlights what is currently known about the mental health and wellbeing of veteran families pointing to the findings of the 2019 Family Wellbeing Study, which show there are negative impacts of Defence service on the families of veterans. In particular, spouses, children and parents.
Calling for support in the improvement of veteran family wellbeing
Our submission makes the call for a stream of work dedicated to improving the mental health and wellbeing of veteran families in NSW within the new strategy and suggests options to the mental health commission to include – such as:
- Including a role of the NSW Office for Veterans
- Funding the delivery of programs and services through the National Centre for Veterans Health Care which mitigate the unique risk factors associated with poor outcomes for veterans and their families
- Improving military cultural competence of mental health providers within the state
- Screen for adverse childhood experiences and report the findings
- Deliver SafeTALK training within community sector organisations working in NSW; and
- Conduct research into the Defence family population in NSW.
We look forward to hearing what the Commission thinks and working with them to support the families of veterans in NSW.
