Disaster risk is increasing and affecting more communities. Disasters can impact people’s mental health and wellbeing. The National Disaster Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework guides how governments and recovery partners provide support for mental health and wellbeing before, during and after a disaster. 

State and territory governments can also ask for support to provide mental health and wellbeing services, through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. 

Mental health support for emergency services workers

Emergency services workers help communities impacted by disasters. 

The Australian Government has committed $3.6 million to the Mental Health Support for Emergency Services Workers grant program.

The program will fund mental health services for:

• current or former, and
• paid or voluntary

emergency services workers and their families.

The funding will:

• include $3 million to be provided to a single organisation through a competitive grant process
• ensure emergency services workers can access mental health support from 1 January 2026 until 31 December 2026.

Grant Opportunity Guidelines are now available on Grant Connect. Applications will be open from Wednesday 10 September to Tuesday 23 September 2025. 

In the 2025-26 Budget, the Australian Government provided $3.2 million to extend mental health support for emergency services workers while the details of the competitive program were determined. This brings total Australian Government funding to: 

• $16.6 million for Fortem Australia. They will continue to deliver support for first responders and their families until 31 December 2025;
• $9.5 million for the Black Dog Institute. They will continue to deliver the National Emergency Worker Support Service until 31 December 2025; and
• $3.4 million for the Australian Psychological Society. They will deliver the Disaster Response Network until 31 January 2026.

Other available supports

You can find information, support and helplines for mental health on the Department of Health and Aged Care website.  

Help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, anywhere in Australia. Call: 

• Lifeline – 13 11 14 
• Kids Helpline – 1800 55 1800 
• Mental Health Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team in your state/territory 
• Beyond Blue – 1300 224 636 

Reference documents

• National Disaster Mental Health and Wellbeing Framework (PDF 2.06MB) 
• Informing the Framework - Supporting Evidence (PDF 600KB)
• Our Stories - Beyond the Disaster Research Report (PDF 509KB) 
• Priorities in Action - Examples from Experience (PDF 997KB)