You may be eligible if:

• You were injured (physically or psychologically) due to a violent crime
• You reported the crime to police (unless there are special circumstances)
• The incident occurred in Victoria

You do not need to wait for the offender to be charged or convicted.

There are specific timeframes for applying, but some flexibility may apply based on your situation.

FAS supports different types of victims:

• Primary victims: People directly injured, children who witnessed the crime, or individuals injured trying to intervene
• Secondary victims: People who witnessed the crime or parents of affected children
• Related victims: Close family, partners, or dependants of someone who died due to a violent crime

Depending on your circumstances, FAS may cover:

• Counselling sessions with a psychologist, registered counsellor or accredited mental health social worker
• Medical expenses
• Loss of income (up to $20,000 for primary victims)
• Safety measures, such as relocation costs, home security, or mobile phones
• Other expenses to support your recovery

We offer a safe and compassionate space to support your recovery journey. Mind Up provides:

• Counselling support for those with interim funding, while your FAS application is being processed
• Ongoing counselling funded through an awarded FAS claim
• Counselling reports to support funding variations (where required and authorised)

All FAS counselling services are billed at $215 per 50-minute session and are typically provided via telehealth (with in-person options available in some cases). The cost is billed directly to FAS, and no out-of-pocket costs are incurred by the client.

To access counselling under FAS, we’ll need a copy of your:

• Interim Notice (for up to 5 immediate sessions), or
• Final Award Notice (for approved ongoing counselling sessions)

You or your legal representative (e.g. solicitor) can email this documentation to our team when making a booking.

If you’re not sure where to start, we can help guide you through the steps and connect you to support services such as the Victims Assistance Program if needed.

If you’ve already been approved for counselling through FAS (or previously through VOCAT), you may be able to request additional sessions or a variation of your award. In some cases, a counselling report will be required to support this request — we can assist you with this process once authorised by FAS.

You can access the FAS Portal or call the FAS helpline at 1800 161 136 for assistance. If you’re working with a solicitor, they can also help with applications and variation requests.

If you’ve received your FAS documents and are ready to begin counselling, get in touch with our team today. We’re here to walk alongside you.

Contact Us:
(03) 9327 2769
reception@mindup.com.au