Social Recovery core capability

About the Social Recovery core capability

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.

Critical Task Table 20: Agency roles mapped to the Victorian Preparedness Framework, 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 community members with resources and link them to appropriate services to support long-term recovery and wellbeing. Advocate for community needs through the provision of recovery planning and policy advice	20.4
CityLink	Facilitate steps to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of all customers and company personnel involved in the emergency	15.2, 15.3
DET	Lead agency to help 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
DFFH	Recovery Coordinating Agency (RecCA) responsible for the recovery functional area coordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance	20.2, 20.3
	Lead agency responsible to:
	coordinate 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 coordinate the provision of mental health services and information and targeted psychosocial support
Eastlink and Lendlease	Facilitate steps to ensure the physical and mental wellbeing of all company personnel involved in emergencies	15.2, 15.3
ESV	Gas - Provide safety and technical advice to energy control agency in order to support overall strategies and decision making for recovering from gas emergency events (including safe restoration of gas supply and safety of any relief program for temporary gas supply to community)	19.1, 19.7
ESV	Electricity - Provide safety and technical advice to energy control agency in order to support overall strategies and decision making for recovering from electricity emergency events and bushfire (including the safe restoration of electricity supply and safety of any relief program for temporary electricity supply to community)	19.1, 19.7
VCC-EM	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to:
	DFFH to provide 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
	provide DFFH and activating agencies regular reports on community wellbeing, needs and issues	20.5

Critical Task 20.2: Provide housing / accommodation options.

Agency	Activity	Additional alignment to critical tasks
DFFH	Recovery Coordinating Agency (RecCA) responsible for the recovery functional area coordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance	20.1, 20.3
DFFH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to support securing interim accommodation, when requested by councils and other referring agencies, for individuals, families and households whose primary residence is destroyed or damaged
DH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to provide advice on accommodation standards for interim accommodation of displaced people, when requested by councils
Municipal councils	Relief Lead Agency (RelLA) to coordinate the housing of displaced and lost/stray companion animals, with support from the Victorian Farmers Federation, Australian Veterinary Association and RSPCA
Salvation Army	As appropriate, make available any Salvation Army service 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	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to support DJCS to organise public appeals when requested, through collecting monetary donations for state-led public appeals	3.2
Australian Government Department of Home Affairs	The Commonwealth provide financial assistance to state and territory governments, individuals and organisations to prepare for, and recover from, bushfires	15.4
	EMA administer the DRFA on behalf of the Australian Government, which provides financial assistance to the state and territory governments to assist with the costs of certain disaster relief and recovery assistance measures	15.4
	EMA administer the Australian Government’s disaster recovery payments, including the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment and the Disaster Recovery Allowance	15.4
DFFH	Recovery Coordinating Agency (RecCA) responsible for the recovery functional area coordination of housing and accommodation, psychosocial support, individual and household assistance	20.1, 20.2
DFFH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to administer income-tested re-establishment payments through the Personal Hardship Assistance Program, to help eligible households re-establish as quickly as possible
DPC	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to EMV to implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist small businesses and primary producers’ recovery by providing advice to the Victorian Premier to request the activation of DRFA Category B, as required
	Implement financial assistance under the DRFA by providing advice to the Victorian Premier to request the Prime Minister activate DRFA Category C and D as required
	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to EMV to implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist voluntary non-profit groups, communities and economies
EMV	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist primary producers’ recovery subject to activation by the state and Commonwealth governments; a low-interest concessional loan scheme to primary producers; and recovery grants for primary producers, subject to approval by the Commonwealth Government	17.2
EMV	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to support DFFH to deliver income-tested re-establishment payments through activation of the DFFH Personal Hardship Assistance Program, to help eligible households re-establish as quickly as possible	3.2
ERV	Coordinate state and regional recovery, including State and Commonwealth funding for recovery, as required	15.4
ERV	Support design and/or administer recovery grants in coordination with Commonwealth, State and local government department and agencies as required	15.4
RAC	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to EMV to implement available financial assistance under the DRFA to assist: voluntary non-profit groups, communities and economies small business owners primary producers’ recovery	15.4, 17.1
Services Australia	Coordinate 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
	Disaster event priorities include:
	continuity of Australian Government payments and services for existing customers
	provision of information and advice about Australian Government emergency payments and services for affected Australians	15.4, 20.5

Critical Task 20.4: Coordinate and adapt health programs to ensure continuity and availability of advice / activities.

Agency	Activity	Additional alignment to critical tasks
ARC	Equip community members with resources and link them to appropriate services to support long-term recovery and wellbeing. Advocate for community needs through the provision of recovery planning and policy advice	20.1
DH	Recovery Coordinating Agency (RecCA) responsible for the recovery functional area coordination of health and medical assistance
Foodbank	Coordinate, supply and distribute the Breakfast in Schools Program for participating schools as required	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	Support Municipal councils through advice, guidance and connections to individuals and organisations that can provide additional support to affected persons	3.2
DFFH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to coordinate the provision of personal support through information, practical assistance, assessment of immediate needs and referral to other support agencies and services in recovery centres
DH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to provide advice on wellbeing in recovery through ‘whole-of-health’ advice, information and assistance to community
ERV	Coordinate 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 recovery supports are in place and are well integrated to meet community needs	3.2, 20.6
Foodbank	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	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) to provide and manage community recovery services and activities (not all councils will undertake this activity)
Services Australia	Disaster event priorities include provision of information and advice about Australian Government emergency payments and services for affected Australians	15.4, 20.3
VCC-EM	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to provide DFFH and activating agencies regular reports 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
CFA	Support the Controller by providing assistance and advice to individuals, families and communities affected by fire or other incidents (as described)
DFFH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to coordinate plans when requested, to assist households to prepare for the transition to permanent housing
Eastlink and Lendlease	Participate on a Community Recovery Committee, if required	19.8
ERV	Coordinate 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 recovery supports are in place and are well integrated to meet community needs	3.2, 20.5
ERV	Support the establishment and operation of community recovery hubs, linking locals to practical recovery supports as required	3.3
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	Provide the following services have 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
VCC-EM	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) to DFFH to provide 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
VICSES	Support the Controller by providing assistance and advice to individuals, families and communities who have been affected by flood, storm, tsunami, earthquake of landslide

Critical Task 20.7: Provide bereavement support for communities.

Agency	Activity	Additional alignment to critical tasks
DH	Recovery Lead Agency (RecLA) responsible to provide mental health services and information
DH	Recovery Support Agency (RecSA) for Coroners Court of Victoria to promote mental health information and services available to support bereaved families
Salvation Army	As appropriate, make available any Salvation Army service during an emergency to assist persons affected (e.g. personal support, emergency accommodation, transport)	10.2, 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 20.2