Mental Health and Wellbeing Supports
- Victorian Ambulance Clinician Unit (VACU) – former employees and their immediate family members can access up to 6 sessions with a VACU clinician at any time after departing AV. Please contact vacu@ambulance.vic.gov.au for assistance accessing a clinician in the network.
- 1800 MANERS – Peer Support, Chaplaincy and the confidential 24/7 Counselling Line services remain available to former employees and their families, and there is no time limit on this (please note, lifting the time limit on access of the 24/7 Counselling Line is currently an 18 month trial, with cessation date of 31 March 2026).
- Retired and Former Employee (RAFE) Peer Support – An adjunct of AV Peer Support, RAFE can be accessed any time following cessation of employment and is coordinated voluntarily by retired paramedics. RAFE can be contacted by emailing PeerSupport@ambulance.vic.go.au. Please note, RAFE is not for crisis support. If urgent support is required, please call 1800 MANERS to speak with the Peer Responder on duty.
- AV Community Pathways – a set of practical lifestyle habits to help support overall health and wellbeing through social connection, physical health, mental and emotional health, continued growth through learning and helping others.
- National Emergency Worker Support Service (NEWSS):
- 12 free and confidential psychology sessions
- Free mental health checks
- Responder Assist – Phoenix Australia – Clinical sessions with therapists specialising in the emergency services.
- Fortem:
- Emergency Services Foundation:
Planning your Transition and Retirement
Transferable Skills and Career Transition
- FREE Career Management and Planning Services (Fortem)
- FREE Clinical Psychological Services (Fortem)
- Identity and Transition Guide (Fortem)
- Recruitment for mature age professionals (War on Wasted Talent)
- Career Management Services
- Coaching and Career Development (Talent Solutions – Right Management Initiative)
External Organisations
Financial Resources
Please note, Ambulance Victoria and the Wellbeing and Support Services team have no partnership or affiliation with any external organisations, services or supports listed on this page. All resources have been obtained through credible sources of information (see Emergency Service Foundations website), but the onus of responsibility is on the individual to partake in their own due diligence. In particular, AV are legally prevented from referral or endorsement of any financial services.