The Royal Commission recommended the Victorian Government establish a Statewide Trauma Service by the end of 2022. This service will support the best possible mental health and wellbeing outcomes for people of all ages with lived experience of trauma.
The Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service will be located within the new Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental Health and Wellbeing. It will have a range of functions and lead a new response to specialised trauma care in Victoria.
Read more about the new service at Recommendation 23.
Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service Consortium
A consortium of service providers has been announced to design and deliver the Mental Health Statewide Trauma Service. The consortium includes:
- Phoenix Australia (lead consortium agency)
- Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency (VACCA)
- Australian Psychological Society
- Mindful
- Foundation House - the Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture
- Berry Street
- Orygen
- SANE
- Royal Women’s Hospital - Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA House)
- Austin Health - Psychological Trauma Recovery Service, Mental Health Division
- The Bouverie Centre
- The Royal Melbourne Hospital - NorthWestern Mental Health
- Thorne Harbour Health
Each provider brings expertise relevant to trauma informed care and support for Victorians.
The department will work with the consortium to develop the foundations of the service, including a workplan to co-design the research, capability uplift, and service delivery functions of the new service.
Consultation and engagement
The department conducted three co-design workshops in April and May 2022 to develop the specifications of a Call for Funding Submission to appoint a provider to deliver the Statewide Trauma Service.
A range of community and sector stakeholders attended the workshops, including those with lived and living experience of trauma and their families, carers, and supporters.
More than 150 people attended the consultation workshops and the department received 12 written submissions from individuals and organisations.
The engagement activities informed the service principles included in the Call for Funding Submission, partnership requirements, initial service scope and functions, and requirements for co-design.
Call for Funding Submission process
An advertised Call for Funding Submission to appoint a provider consortium closed on Monday 12 September 2022 after being open to market for eight weeks. The closing date was extended by three weeks after sector feedback highlighted the challenges to plan, collaborate and prepare a considered tender due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Further information
To subscribe to regular reform updates, contact the Mental Health and Wellbeing Division at mentalhealth@health.vic.gov.au.
Please note: Through the development of the Statewide Trauma Service, including consultations, drafting of the Call for Submission and communications, the department has chosen to remain consistent with the Royal Commission's final report when referring to the Statewide Trauma Service. The Statewide Trauma Service will be renamed following the formal appointment of a provider consortium. This will avoid any confusion with the Victorian State Trauma System which was established in 2000 and facilitates the management and treatment of major trauma injuries.
Reviewed 18 January 2023