Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling (Open Arms) is a leading provider of mental health and counselling services to Australia’s military community.

Open Arms was founded by Vietnam Veterans, and is now open to all eligible Australian veterans and families.

Open Arms provides free military aware and trauma-informed mental health interventions, relationship counselling, peer support services and group programs for people with Australian Defence Force (ADF) service (current and former serving members) and their immediate families. 

Open Arms has centres in state capitals, territories, and regional centres, and provides access across the country via our outreach counselling program and telehealth. 

Referring clients

Individuals can self-refer or can be referred by third parties such as their GP, mental health professionals, and others. When you refer a veteran or family member to Open Arms it is important you have obtained verbal consent from the person being referred. 

You can refer someone to Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling by:

• Phone - call 1800 011 046 and let us know the client's clinical and contact details.  You will be transferred to a clinician for assessment and to obtain further information. A call back to the client may be arranged, with the possibility to schedule a call for when you are present.
• Self-referral - provide the client with our phone number (1800 011 046) to call us directly
• Email - complete and email the form available here.
• Fax - send a completed referral to 07 3550 9998

Eligibility

Open Arms counselling and support services are available to:

• Current serving Australian Defence Force (ADF) personnel
• ADF Personnel transitioning to civilian life
• Ex-serving personnel
• Partners and children of serving and ex-serving personnel
• Ex-partners who are co-parenting the child of a serving or ex serving personnel
• Reservists with one day continuous full time service or hazardous service.

Where there has been a service related death, parents and siblings are also offered services.

Our Model of Care

Open Arms is a specialist service, focusing on delivery of military aware and trauma-informed care rather than replicating more mainstream services. 

Open Arms operates on the basis of episodes of care. When someone engages with Open Arms for their mental health support needs, the engagement is goal based and outcome focused, with a beginning, middle, and end. This process is outlined in our Model of Care.

Open Arms will refer clients to external support services when they require:

• Specialised Family and Domestic Violence support
• Court ordered counselling
• Interventions for children, although children may receive support as part of a family counselling episode of care
• Homelessness services, but may support through case management and emergency accommodation.
• Compensation related reports

Confidentiality

Open Arms is a mental health service administered by the Department of Veteran’s Affairs (DVA). In usual circumstances, clinical information is not released to other government agencies or external parties without the client's consent. Clinical information stored within Open Arms cannot be accessed by areas of DVA that assess medico-legal claims. Information will only be shared where there is a significant risk of harm to self or others in accordance with relevant laws.

Current serving member information is not shared with the Australian Defence Force (ADF) without client consent or where there is a significant risk of harm to self or others.

Open Arms is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by calling 1800 011 046.

For veterans who wish to remain anonymous, Safe Zone Support is a free, 24 hour counselling line for all current and ex-serving ADF personnel, veterans and their families.