The longer term provision of assistance and access to services that allows individuals, families and communities to achieve an effective level of functioning after an emergency event. This includes safety, security, shelter, health and psychosocial wellbeing and re-establishment of those elements of society necessary for well-being.
Table 36: Agency roles mapped to the VPF, by critical tasks within the Social Recovery core capability
Critical Task 20.1: Assess and provide for medium to long term psychosocial needs.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
ARC |
Equip individuals, families and communities with resources and link them with appropriate services to support their long-term recovery and wellbeing. Advocate for community needs through the provision of recovery planning and policy advice |
20.4 |
||
BRV |
Co-ordinate the delivery of case support services, as required for people affected by the Bushfires |
15.3 |
||
CityLink |
CityLink’s role in recovery is to facilitate steps to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of all customers and company personnel involved in the emergency |
15.2, 15.3 |
||
DET |
DET is lead agency for the recovery activity of helping students and school staff of government schools to overcome the immediate impact of an emergency by providing specialist support services including providing psychological first aid and psychoeducation |
3.1, 15.2, 15.3 |
||
DHHS |
DHHS is responsible for the recovery functional area co-ordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance and health and medical assistance |
20.2, 20.3, 20.4 |
||
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of co-ordinating the provision of psychological first aid to affected people to overcome the immediate impact, feel safe, connected to others, able to help themselves and able to access physical, emotional and social support |
||||
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of co-ordinating the provision of counselling and targeted psychosocial support |
||||
EastLink |
Facilitate steps to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of all company personnel involved in the emergency |
15.2, 15.3 |
||
Lendlease (Peninsula Link) |
Facilitate steps to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of all company personnel involved in the emergency |
15.2, 15.3 |
||
VCC EM |
VCC EM supports DHHS to deliver the relief and recovery activity of providing DHHS and activating agency a regular report on community wellbeing, needs and issues |
20.5 |
||
VCC EM supports DHHS to deliver the relief and recovery activity of providing psychosocial support including psychological first aid, emotional and spiritual care and personal support in relief and recovery centres and through community outreach, direct visits, community meetings and gatherings |
3.2, 15.3, 20.6 |
|||
Critical Task 20.2: Provide housing / accommodation options.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
BRV |
Arrange temporary accommodation for people displaced by the Bushfires |
15.1 |
||
DHHS |
DHHS is responsible for the recovery functional area co-ordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance and health and medical assistance |
20.1, 20.3, 20.4 |
||
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of supporting securing interim accommodation, when requested by councils and other referring agencies, for individuals, families and households whose primary residence is destroyed or damaged |
||||
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of advising on accommodation standards for interim accommodation of displaced people, when requested by councils |
||||
Municipal Councils |
Municipal councils co-ordinate the housing of displaced and lost/stray companion animals, with support from VFF, Australian Veterinary Association and RSPCA |
|||
Salvation Army |
Make available any Salvation Army service that may be available during an emergency to assist persons affected (e.g. personal support, emergency accommodation, transport) |
10.2, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 20.7 |
||
Critical Task 20.3: Assess and provide financial re-establishment assistance.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
ARC |
ARC supports DPC in its role to organise public appeals when requested, through collecting monetary donations for state-wide public appeals |
3.2 |
||
Australian Government Department of Home Affairs |
Through various funding programs, the Commonwealth provides financial assistance to state and territory governments, individuals and organisations in preparing for, and recovering from, bushfires |
15.4 |
||
EMA administers the DRFA on behalf of the Australian Government. Under this program, the Australian Government provides financial assistance to the state and territory governments to help them with the costs associated with certain disaster relief and recovery assistance measures |
15.4 |
|||
EMA also administers the Australian Government’s disaster recovery payments, including the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and the Disaster Recovery Allowance |
15.4 |
|||
BRV |
Co-ordinate state and regional recovery, including State and Commonwealth funding for Bushfire recovery |
15.4 |
||
Administer recovery grants in co-ordination with Commonwealth, State and local government department and agencies |
15.4 |
|||
DHHS |
DHHS is responsible for the recovery functional area co-ordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance and health and medical assistance |
20.1, 20.2, 20.4 |
||
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of administering income-tested re-establishment payments through the Personal Hardship Assistance Program, to help eligible households re-establish as quickly as possible |
||||
EMV |
Implementing available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist primary producers’ recovery subject to activation by the state and Australian governments; a low-interest concessional loan scheme to primary producers; and recovery grants for primary producers, subject to approval by the Australian Government |
17.2 |
||
EMV supports DHHS in its delivery of income-tested re-establishment payments through activation of the DHHS Personal Hardship Assistance Program, to help eligible households re-establish as quickly as possible |
3.2 |
|||
RAC |
The RAC supports EMV in its responsibility of implementing available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist disaster affected farmers, small business owners and non‑profit organisations |
15.4, 17.1 |
||
Services Australia |
Co-ordination of the agency’s response to emergencies through disaster payments such as Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment, Australian Victim of Terrorism Overseas Payment, Disaster Recovery Allowance and ex gratia assistance |
15.4 |
||
The agency’s priority in a disaster event is continuity of Australian Government payments and services for existing customers |
||||
The agency’s priority in a disaster event is provision of information and advice about Australian Government emergency payments and services for affected Australians |
15.4, 20.5 |
|||
Critical Task 20.4: Co-ordinate and adapt health programs to ensure continuity and availability of advice / activities.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
ARC |
Equip individuals, families and communities with resources and link them with appropriate services to support their long-term recovery and wellbeing. Advocate for community needs through the provision of recovery planning and policy advice |
20.1 |
||
DHHS |
DHHS is responsible for the recovery functional area co-ordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance and health and medical assistance |
20.1, 20.2, 20.3 |
||
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of advising on wellbeing in recovery through ‘whole-of-health’ advice, information and assistance to community |
||||
Foodbank Victoria |
Co-ordination, supply and distribution of the Breakfast in Schools Program for participating schools as required, including the continuation of the program during school restrictions |
3.2, 10.2, 15.2, 15.5 |
||
Critical Task 20.5: Assess community service needs, including socio-economic disadvantage.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
ARC |
ARC supports municipal councils through advice, guidance and connections to individuals and organisations that can provide additional support to affected persons |
3.2 |
||
BRV |
Co-ordinate state and regional recovery, including engage with communities, local governments, State Government departments and agencies, the Commonwealth Government and non-government organisations to ensure appropriate bushfire recovery supports are in place and are well integrated to meet community needs |
3.2, 20.6 |
||
DHHS |
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of co-ordinating the provision of personal support through information, practical assistance, assessment of immediate needs and referral to other support agencies and services in relief and recovery centres |
|||
Foodbank Victoria |
Foodbank Victoria is the co-lead agency with the Salvation Army to provide essential material aid (non-food items) to emergency affected persons specifically key personal care items including toilet paper, soap, sanitary supplies |
10.2, 15.2 |
||
Municipal Councils |
Municipal councils are responsible for the co-ordination of local level relief and recovery activities, and are lead agency for providing and managing community development services and activities (not all councils will undertake this activity) |
|||
Services Australia |
The agency’s priority in a disaster event is provision of information and advice about Australian Government emergency payments and services for affected Australians |
15.4, 20.3 |
||
VCC EM |
VCC EM supports DHHS to deliver the relief and recovery activity of providing DHHS and activating agency a regular report on community wellbeing, needs and issues |
20.1 |
||
Critical Task 20.6: Work with communities to transition recovery services and programs to mainstream community delivery / services.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
BRV |
Co-ordinate state and regional recovery, including engage with communities, local governments, State Government departments and agencies, the Commonwealth Government and non-government organisations to ensure appropriate bushfire recovery supports are in place and are well integrated to meet community needs |
3.2, 20.5 |
||
Establish and operate community recovery hubs, linking locals to practical recovery supports |
3.3 |
|||
CFA |
CFA supports the Controller by providing assistance and advice to individuals, families and communities who have been affected by fire or other incidents (as described) |
|||
DHHS |
DHHS is state lead agency for the recovery activity of co-ordinating plans when requested, to assist households to prepare for the transition to permanent housing |
|||
DJPR |
DJPR supports local community events by providing seed funding for events that aid recovery through restoring social networks and functioning |
|||
EastLink |
To participate on a Community Recovery Committee, if required |
19.8 |
||
FRV |
FRV support the controller by providing post incident assistance and advice to persons impacted by fire and other emergencies |
4.5 |
||
Salvation Army |
Provide support to community safety activities |
3.2 |
||
Services Australia |
Services Australia may also provide the service of having staff available with specialist skills (for example social workers, community engagement officers, indigenous service officers) to work with disaster affected individuals and communities in relation to Services Australia payments and services |
3.2, 6.1, 14.4, 15.4, 15.5 |
||
VICSES |
VICSES supports the Controller by providing assistance and advice to individuals, families and communities who have been affected by flood, storm, tsunami, earthquake of landslide |
|||
VCC EM |
VCC EM supports DHHS to deliver the relief and recovery activity of providing psychosocial support including psychological first aid, emotional and spiritual care and personal support in relief and recovery centres and through community outreach, direct visits, community meetings and gatherings |
3.2, 15.3, 20.1 |
||
Critical Task 20.7: Provide bereavement support for communities.
Agency | Activity | Additional alignment to critical tasks | ||
DHHS |
DHHS supports the Coroners Court of Victoria to facilitate support and counselling for bereaved families through its relationships with grief and bereavement support agencies |
|||
Salvation Army |
Make available any Salvation Army service that may be available during an emergency to assist persons affected (e.g. personal support, emergency accommodation, transport) |
10.2, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 20.2 |
||