SOLDIERS AND SIRENS PROGRAM
383. Hon PETER COLLIER to the minister representing the
Minister for Police:
I refer to the Soldiers and Sirens
program, which has provided support services for police, defence veterans and
other first responders for the past three years, but has not been able to
continue due to a lack of government support.
(1) Will the
minister commit to funding Soldiers and Sirens in order for this essential
service provider to continue to support many Western Australian police,
veterans and other first responders?
(2) If no to (1), why not?
Hon SUE
ELLERY replied:
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following information has been provided to the
representative minister by the Minister for Police.
(1)–(2) The
Western Australia Police Force advises that officers are able to access private
psychological and psychiatric support
services from select preferred providers. Soldiers and Sirens was one preferred
provider among a network of other providers that were able to encompass
the additional capacity to ensure that all officers have access to support as
required.
Members
of WA Police also have access to other mental health services, including 24/7
access to an on-call clinical psychologist and chaplain and in-house and
external psychological services. Regionally, mental health practitioners visit
the districts multiple times a year and officers are provided access to
telehealth services and local mental health services are referred to when
available.
The
McGowan government has also significantly increased the annual Anzac Day Trust
fund to $1.3 million per year. The Anzac Day Trust program provides
funding to organisations that support the welfare of veterans and their
families, with a focus on programs that assist veterans to transition back to
civilian life. Applications for the 2021
Anzac Day Trust grants program are currently open and close on 27 August, 2021.