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We understand that disasters have a devastating impact on many lives. You don’t have to go through it alone.
There is support, counselling and advice available for you and your family.
Emergency Recovery Victoria support services
Victorians affected by storms, bushfires or floods, can call our hotline on 1800 560 760.
We can help connect you to the services you need during your recovery.
Financial support
Dispute resolution for the financial services industry.
Services include:
- credit
- finance and loans
- insurance
- banking deposits and payments
- investments and financial advice, and
- superannuation.
Call: 1800 931 678, Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm or visit the Australian Financial Complaints Authority website.
Banks and other financial institutions provide support to customers impacted by disasters by offering a range of adjustments to services, hardship support and in some instances, grants.
Ask your bank what support they have available.
Available for low-income earners or people who have experienced family or domestic violence, or health care card/pension card holders. Clients need to show they can repay the loan.
Available loans:
- Up to $2,000 for essentials like appliances, furniture, car repairs, education fees
- Up to $3000 for housing related expenses like bond or rent
- Up to $3000 for recovery from natural disaster.
Visit the Good Shepherd website for more information.
Offers the following advice services:
- Banking and budgeting
- Loan information
- Investment and planning information
- Super and retirement
- Insurance
- Tools, tips and calculators
Visit the MoneySmart website for more information.
The National Debt Helpline provides:
- financial counselling
- advice on managing debt.
Tools include:
- a budget planner
- sample hardship letters
- step-by-step guides.
Call: 1800 007 007
Visit the National Debt Helpline website.
Free and independent financial information, options, decision-making support, and referral services.
For primary producers and small rural businesses experiencing, or at risk of, financial hardship.
Visit the Agriculture Victoria website for information on Rural Financial Counselling Service and how to access local providers.
Temporary accommodation and housing support
This service is led by Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH).
If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness or family violence, call: 1800 825 955 (free call) or (03) 9536 7777.
Opening hours: 5 pm to 9 am Monday to Friday, and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.
To identify a local housing provider who provides crisis accommodation in your local government area, visit the DFFH website.
Some community organisations provide bond loans through the Housing Establishment Fund (HEF).
This fund is a program that provides financial help to eligible people with a housing-related hardship.
HEF is jointly funded by the Victorian and Australian governments under the National Affordable Housing Agreement.
Find out more on the Housing Victoria website.
RentAssist provide interest-free loans for private rental bonds. To find out about eligibility, how to apply and how to repay the loan, you can:
- call: 1300 475 170
- visit the Housing Victoria website, or
- apply using the online application form.
Specific resources have been provided to support renters in distress due to the impact of the 2022 floods.
They can provide renters with:
- tenancy advocacy
- legal advice, and
- financial counselling.
Agencies providing the Tenancy Stress Victoria Service are:
- West Justice, Western Melbourne – Call: (03) 9749 7720
- Arc Justice, Loddon - Call: 1800 450 909.
Mental health support
Crisis support and suicide prevention
If you or a loved one needs extra support, speak with your local doctor, a mental health professional, counsellor or psychologist. It can also be helpful to talk to someone who is independent but still understanding.
Phone Triple Zero 000 if you or someone you know is in immediate danger.
Provides online, email and phone service to people seeking the advice and assistance of a qualified and suitable APS psychologist in private practice.
Visit the APS website or call 1800 333 497
Beyond Blue has an information line that offers expert information on depression, how to recognise the signs of depression, how to get help, how to help someone else and how to stay well.
Call: 1300 224 636
Confidential drug and alcohol counselling and referral.
Call: 1800 88 236
Youth counselling and mental health services to 12 to 25-year-olds.
Visit the Headspace website
24/7 online and phone counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25.
Call: 1800 55 1800
Lifeline is a 24-hour telephone service that offers confidential support and advice to help you deal with stress and personal challenges
Call: 13 11 14
Text: 0477 13 11 14
For more information, visit the Lifeline website
This is a telephone and online support, information and referral service helping men deal with their relationship problems.
Visit the MensLine Australia website
Call: 1300 789 978
This is a 24-hour telephone service that allows people to discuss any health-related issues with a registered nurse for the cost of a local call.
Call: 1300 606 024
Support for parents and carers available 8am to midnight, 7 days a week including public holidays.
Call: 13 22 89
Free and confidential service that provides support for small business owners and employees through trained wellbeing coaches, financial counsellors and business advisers.
Partners in Wellbeing also assists with access and navigation to:
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs.
Call: 1300 375 330 from 9 am to 10 pm weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on weekends.
Visit the Partners in Wellbeing website
Flying Doctor Wellbeing is a free mental health and wellbeing service for people in rural and remote Victorian communities.
This service enables people to access sessions with a mental health clinician without needing to leave their local community, with appointments available face-to-face and via telehealth and telephone.
Visit the Royal Flying Doctors website for more information.
This response centre provides confidential support and information for women and children living with family violence or for anyone who knows a person living with family violence.
Support is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Visit the Safe Steps website
Call: 1800 015 188
Practical advice and resources are available to help you on the following websites:
Family violence support
Family violence can happen to anyone.
Dial Triple Zero 000 if you are in immediate danger.
For people experiencing or at risk of experiencing sexual assault, domestic or family violence.
Call: 1800 737 732, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For children and young people whose safety is at risk.
Call: 13 12 78 from 5 pm to 9 am, Monday to Friday and 24 hours on weekends and public holidays.
It takes a lot of strength to acknowledge that things may not be right. This service specialises in effective evidence-informed engagement with men. The staff will work to develop safe and effective interventions for men who turn to violence.
Call: 1300 766 491 from 8 am to 9 pm, Monday to Friday and 9 am to 5 pm on weekends.
Access services for adults, children and young people who are experiencing family violence.
Visit the Orange Door website for more information.
For women and children who are victims of family violence.
Call: 1800 015 188, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
For victims of sexual assault.
Call: 1800 806 292, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Consumer and business support
Legal advice and financial counselling for vulnerable people in Australia. Priority given to people facing hardship for various reasons.
Call: 1800 466 477
Visit the Consumer Action Law Centre website for more information.
Free legal information and referrals to Victorians affected by a disaster. Clients can contact their closest community legal centre to get advice from a local lawyer.
Call: 1800 113 43 Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6 pm.
You can also visit the Federation of Community Legal Centres Victoria website for information.
Can provide legal assistance in dealing with insurers following a weather-related emergency. There are detailed factsheets available online and sample letters clients can send to their insurers.
Call: 1300 663 464
Visit the Financial Rights Legal Centre website for more information.
Legal information and support available to all Victorians on a range of matters.
Visit the Legal Aid website for more information.
Partners in Wellbeing is a free and confidential helpline available 7 days a week. Speak to trained financial counsellors, business advisers and wellbeing coaches for confidential one to one support.
Call: 1300 375 330
Visit the Partners in Wellbeing website for more information.
This service visits metropolitan Melbourne and regional Victoria as an 'office on wheels'.
The Small Business Bus comes fully equipped with expert advisers to provide general business assistance as well as financial and wellbeing support from trained experts.
For more information and to book a session on the bus, visit the Business Victoria website.
Disability support
The National Disability Insurance Agency (NDIA) can support National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) participants once people are out of danger. You may be eligible to access the scheme if you are under 65 and live with a permanent disability that affects your ability to take part in everyday activities.
Phone the NDIA Contact Centre on 1800 800 110 for information and advice.
Support for families
It's okay to feel stressed and confused after a disaster. If you feel this way, you should talk to your parents or guardians about it.
Headspace is a national youth mental health program and they have a lot of information on their How to cope with the stress of natural disasters webpage. They provide this advice about dealing with the stress:
- Talk with a trusted adult about getting the right sort of help if it all feels a bit much.
- Do things that make you feel physically and emotionally safe, and be with those who are helpful to your wellbeing.
- Engage in activities that promote a sense of calm and feeling grounded (use of alcohol and other drugs can be counterproductive with this). Look for ways to include some routine and re-engage with pre-exposure activities as much as possible (e.g. playing games or sports, hobbies, etc.).
- Find ways to connect with others, especially those who help you feel OK.
- Explore ways to get involved with repair and recovery of your community, and family and friends. This can help foster a sense of hope, which is important to recovery.
- Be mindful of exposure to traumatic information through stories, traditional news and social media. It can be helpful to take a break from the 24-hour news cycle.
There are people in the community who you can talk to directly:
- Kids Helpline – phone 1800 551 800 – a 24-hour telephone service that provides phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5–25.
Children can feel overwhelmed and devastated when directly affected by emergencies or from the scenes that emerge afterwards. Sometimes, they don’t have ways of understanding what they see and can be particularly vulnerable to feelings of anxiety, stress and sadness.
At the same time, children can also have a natural ability to be resilient and adapt to challenging events.
Here are some signs to look out for:
- a child becoming more clingy towards a parent or carer
- changes to sleeping or eating patterns, or both
- the emergence of new physical complaints – such as stomach ache or headache
- changes in mood – such as being more easily irritable, or shutting down
- changes in a child's behaviour or learning at school
- appearing on edge and frightened – for example, being more easily startled, developing new fears, having nightmares or regression in behaviour.
If you (or one of your child’s carers) notice these or other changes then it is important to ask the child what they are worried about. Talk to them in a way that is open and appropriate to their age. Listen to their questions and fears and show them that you understand.
If you are concerned and need assistance you can get help from:
- your doctor
- a local community health centre
- a psychologist
- Parentline (13 22 89)
- Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).
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