DISTRIBUTION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE NEW BEREAVEMENT ASSISTANCE PACKAGE Planning Ahead - a guide to putting your affairs in order.

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this Departmental Instruction is to provide information about the new bereavement assistance package, its distribution and maintenance.

BACKGROUND

2.The revision, expansion and re-naming of the bereavement assistance package, previously known as Advice from Veterans' Affairs, was an initiative of the 1995/96 Budget.

3.The new package, named Planning Ahead - a guide to putting your affairs in order, has a focus on planning financial and legal affairs. Its aim is to make the bereavement period less stressful for family and friends and to provide information to assist the bereaved. Topics covered include wills, power of attorney, financial planning, Veterans' Affairs entitlements, funerals, housing options and ex-service and community organisations that are able to assist.

4.Nationally, the new package will consist of a 36 page A4 booklet, a checklist for notification, the VAFIS brochure (CORP 10 -previously number 51), the new Ex-service and Community Organisations brochure (CORP 11), two Personal Information Sheets (D8729) and the form, Medical Details of Veteran (D8730). It will also include state specific contact lists added at the point of distribution. Branch Offices may add any other state specific information provided the inclusion of the material is approved at the appropriate level.

PUBLICITY

5.There will be a number of methods used to publicise the new package. These will include:

a national media launch in Sydney on 14 May 1996;
the availability of a poster for VAN and VVCS offices and ex-service organisations;
the promotion of the package through the On Air with Veterans' Affairs radio program;
an article in the Vetaffairs newspaper;
the issue of the package to all ex-service organisation state offices; and
the inclusion of a brochure in the June quarterly advices.

DISTRIBUTION

6.Distribution to areas outside Veterans' Affairs should be delayed until the launch date, 14 May 1996.

7.The package will be delivered to Branch Office Stationery Stores areas by the mailing house, Jinjing Holdings, during the week beginning 29 April 1996. The numbers delivered will be:

State	Number
NSW	23,000
VIC	20,000
QLD	15,000
SA	10,000
WA	7,000
TAS	4,000

8.Also delivered to Stationery Stores at this time, from National Office, will be the new ex-service organisation contact lists.

9.The state specific ex-service organisation contact list plus the Veterans' Affairs contact list relevant to each state (CORP 1-6 -previously numbered 41-46) are to be added at the point of distribution to the client. Adequate stock of these contact lists will need to be delivered, with the package, to the areas listed below.

10.The package will need to be delivered by Stationery Stores, in volumes previously determined by each Branch Office Stationery Stores area, to the appropriate areas by 14 May 1996. These areas include:

VAN offices;
VVCS offices;
Bereavement Units;
VAFIS officers; and
Community Advisers.
It will also need to be sent to the Deputy Commissioner and Directors of Benefits, Health and Corporate Services in each state.

11.In addition to the delivery points at 10, a supply of the package will need to be delivered, by Stationery Stores in each state, as set out in the following table. This will allow the distribution of the package to the state offices of ex-service organisations immediately following the launch date.

State	Name	Location	Number Required
NSW	Sue Cooney	Bereavement Unit. 7th Floor.	100
VIC	Darlene McDonald	Client Liaison. 11th Floor.	100
QLD	Sharon Sinclair	Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner. 8th Floor.	80
SA	Bill Jensen	Manager Client Services Ground Floor Blackburn House	70
WA	Pauline Weeding	Administrative Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner 12th Floor	70
TAS	Graeme Peck	Manager, Records Management. 1st Floor, Montpelier Building.	70

12.Ex-service organisations will be advised, in a letter accompanying the delivery of the package samples, that supply of the new package is available through their nearest VAN office.

OLD STOCK

13.All old stock, in folders titled Advice from Veterans' Affairs, books titled Planning ahead and help - BEREAVEMENT, form D8729 (May 90) and form D8730 (May 90) are to be recycled or destroyed upon receipt of the new package.

CONTENT MAINTENANCE

14.The updating of the national portion of the package and reprinting of stock when required will be the responsibility of the Communication Operations and Review Section, Income Support Branch at National Office. This area will continue to be responsible for the updating and re-printing of the state Veterans' Affairs contact lists (CORP 1-6 -previously numbers 41 - 46).

15.Branch Offices will be responsible for the updating and re-printing of the ex-service organisation contact list relevant to their state. A disk containing the current list is available from the National Office staff member listed as the contact officer for this instruction.

CONTACT OFFICERS

16.The contact officers for the distribution and launch of the new bereavement assistance package are:

a.Margaret Crombie b. Paul McBow

Assistant Director Director

(06) 289 6187 (06) 289 6429

C-C-COR-6 C-C-DIR-COR

17.The contact officer for the content maintenance is:

Lisa Ross

Project Officer

(06) 289 6404

C-C-COR-2

MURRAY HARRISON

BRANCH HEAD

INCOME SUPPORT