Our work with 1800RESPECT to continue to 2027
Today, we share the exciting news that after a successful tender process, DVConnect will continue to create pathways to safety for people experiencing violence and abuse through the national 1800RESPECT service for the next 5 years.
DVConnect has been providing pathways for people in Australia to live free from gender-based violence and fear since 2003 and we are proud of our role with 1800RESPECT as part of our work to date.
Beck O’Connor, CEO at DVConnect said the team is looking forward to writing the next chapter with Telstra Health to offer a service that is more accessible to people through expanded trauma-informed specialist counselling and support.
“As a 1800RESPECT provider since 2017, we understand the importance of making pathways to safety as accessible as possible for people in Australia who are experiencing domestic and family violence”, Beck said.
“We see genuine opportunities to build on solid foundations by combining DVConnect’s expertise in domestic, family, and sexual violence with Telstra Health’s innovative digital health solutions and extensive health sector experience.”
“Listening is a deeply ingrained behaviour at DVConnect and our people are passionate about the work we do. We will help to strengthen 1800RESPECT by continuing to actively collaborate, seeking the learned experiences of organisations, including Aboriginal community controlled organisations working on the frontline of domestic, family and sexual violence, and embedding the voice of those who have experienced violence and abuse, including Indigenous people, people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and the LGBTIQA+ community”.
“There is no excuse for domestic, family violence or sexual assault. It is abuse and is totally unacceptable. Our people stand ready to work with Telstra Health, and continue our frontline work; listening and being agents of empowerment for every person who calls 1800RESPECT, 24 hours a day, every day of the year,” Beck said.
Telstra Health has been selected to deliver 1800RESPECT working with DVConnect and other specialist organisations.
We have a shared commitment to deliver on initiatives to:
- guarantee a dedicated team of specialist practitioners available 24/7 for service users, and
- seamless referrals to culturally appropriate support services, local state-based services, crisis services, and counselling.
Professor Mary Foley AM, Managing Director of Telstra Health, said Telstra Health will work collaboratively with its specialist providers to deliver 1800RESPECT on behalf of the Australian Government.
“We are committed to delivering a high-quality, accessible, inclusive 1800RESPECT service, for all people across Australia who are affected by domestic, family and sexual violence and workplace sexual harassment, in particular those in positions who have previously lacked access to services or those who are at greater risk of violence or harassment, in particular Indigenous peoples and communities.”
“We have engaged DVConnect as a specialist provider and will be working closely with the sector and other specialist organisations to deliver 1800RESPECT, making this critical service as accessible as possible,” Professor Foley said.
“Our priority will be to work with Indigenous organisations and other organisations that support communities who experience barriers in accessing support.”
“We will bring our professional expertise, together with our technology credentials to delivery of the service. We will deliver the service with specialist skills and experience in domestic, family and sexual violence. Our priority will be to ensure that all people who access the service will be supported compassionately, triaged effectively and referred efficiently from their first contact.”
“We recognise the immense responsibility that comes with delivering 1800RESPECT and are committed to its operation in a manner that contributes to eliminating domestic, family and sexual violence and workplace sexual harassment in all settings.”
“Our priority will be to ensure that all people who access the service will be supported compassionately, triaged effectively and referred efficiently from their first contact”.
The DVConnect team will work closely with Telstra Health as they work with the Australian Government to navigate the transition phase to 30 June 2022.
About Telstra Health
Telstra Health is Australia’s largest digital health company responsible for developing software solutions and services to support the health and aged care sectors solve complex problems in the delivery of care, provide advice and operate programs on behalf of government and health and aged care providers.
Some key implementations include supporting the majority of Indigenous Controlled Community Health Services with clinical digital solutions, supporting around 23,000 clinicians each year through desktop and cloud clinical systems, providing electronic medical record and other digital solutions to public and private hospitals, developing the supporting infrastructure for real time prescription monitoring and paperless prescriptions through joint venture partner FRED IT, and the operation of the National Cancer Screening Register on behalf of the Australian Government Department of Health.
Collectively the Telstra Health team has many decades of experience in digital health and in the delivery of health and social services. We are a trusted partner of major health and aged care providers across Australia and internationally.
Telstra Health Pty Ltd is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Telstra Corporation Ltd.
