Backing bold ideas

WorkSafe’s inaugural Return to Work Innovations (RTWI) Grant Round will invest $3.7 million in eight Victorian organisations to trial new approaches that improve recovery and return to work outcomes for people with work‑related mental injuries.

This grant round focused on the theme ‘Early Intervention – mental injury’, recognising that the earlier workers receive the right support, the better their recovery outcomes are likely to be.

Funded projects will test practical, evidence‑informed innovations across four priority areas:

This work matters. Mental injury accounts for a significant share of WorkCover claims in Victoria, and research shows that early, coordinated support can make a critical difference to recovery.

Together, these partnerships support bold ideas that strengthen early intervention practice and help deliver more compassionate, effective recovery pathways for injured workers, particularly those experiencing mental injury.

What our partners are delivering

1. Driving change

   VR therapy to help bus drivers with mental injury get back behind the wheel.

   LC Dyson's Bus Services Pty Ltd

   L.C. Dyson’s Bus Services Pty Ltd is driving innovation in workplace wellbeing through its Pathway to Recovery initiative, which uses virtual reality (VR) therapy to support bus drivers recovering from psychological injuries. With a fleet of more than 650 buses and a workforce of over 1,200 staff, Dysons identified that around 25% of all worker injuries were mental health–related, including anxiety, depression and PTSD.

   In response, the company partnered with XRHealth Australia to develop a VR-based rehabilitation program designed to help affected drivers safely return to work. The therapy involves gradual, modular exposure to realistic driving scenarios, allowing participants to rebuild confidence and resilience in a controlled, supportive environment under the guidance of clinical psychologists. By combining technology with professional care, the program offers a proactive and compassionate approach to recovery, improving return to work outcomes and overall employee wellbeing.

2. Faster mental health support for regional workers

   A pilot to help regional health and social assistance workers access timely mental health support by improving flexible recovery options and training leaders to better recognise and respond to mental injury.

   Lifely (interchange Loddon Mallee region)

   Lifely has identified that workers in the health and social assistance sectors experience disproportionately high rates of mental injury. For many staff in regional Victoria, geographical isolation makes it even harder to access specialist services and peer support. To address this, Lifely is piloting a program that helps workers access timely treatment, flexible work options and more comprehensive support. A key part of the initiative is strengthening the capability of managers, supervisors and leaders. Lifely plans to appoint a project officer to train leaders to recognise early signs of mental injury, understand their legal responsibilities, and provide high‑quality support throughout an employee’s recovery.

3. MindCareNow: A new path to faster, safer psychological injury recovery

   An insurance broker and EAP provider team up to fast‑track mental health support, empower employers, and guide injured workers back to work with confidence.

   Marsh Risk

   Marsh is partnering with an EAP provider to offer a new approach to psychological injury recovery. Injured workers will get immediate access to mental health support, guided by a team of psychologists, social workers and psychotherapists who understand the WorkCover process. This early support aims to reduce the confusion, anxiety and long delays commonly experienced by injured workers navigating the system. Marsh will also train employers and Return to Work coordinators in the practical skills needed to manage psychological claims. The program will focus on three workplaces in community services and manufacturing with high rates of mental injury claims.

4. Frontline Minds: Faster support and smarter recovery for healthcare workers

   An app to fast-track referrals and get injured healthcare workers the support they need, quicker.

   Navigator Group

   Healthcare innovator Navigator Group is partnering with a health provider and claims agent EML to deliver ‘Frontline Minds’, a scalable, evidence-based initiative focused on improving the recovery experience of healthcare workers recovering from psychological injury. The team will deliver a tailored online resource to improve the way managers respond to psychological injury, along with a new model that fast-tracks referral processes so that workers can access treatment sooner.

5. SmartRTW: AI that guides better recovery

   An AI‑powered, co‑designed tool that supports injured workers with personalised mental health recovery and gives employers real‑time guidance for a smarter, more connected return‑to‑work journey.

   Opposite

   SmartRTW is an AI‑powered tool designed for injured workers, managers and HR professionals working in transport, customer service and health. It gives workers with mental injuries personalised coaching, simple self‑checks and interactive scenarios to build their confidence, whilst providing managers and HR with real‑time dashboards, alerts and automated tasks to guide timely support. Co‑designed with workers and employers to ensure it’s practical and accessible,

   SmartRTW tackles common challenges in recovery, such as stigma, poor communication and gaps in knowledge amongst leadership. The tool integrates adaptive personalisation, psychological support and automation into a unified platform.

6. Network of Care: Fast, practical support for injured hospital workers

   Rapid, personalised mental health support that guides injured hospital workers back to work with confidence, and strengthens workplace culture.

   Royal Melbourne Hospital

   Network of Care is a collaborative early intervention program delivered by the Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and Enable Workplace Consulting. It supports RMH employees on WorkCover to recover from mental injuries and return to work with confidence.

   The program aims to improve return to work outcomes through rapid assessment, tailored psychological support, and hands-on guidance for both employees and managers. Through personalised counselling and team-based support, it helps individuals recover at work while strengthening wellbeing and organisational capacity.

7. Rebuild and return: A comprehensive trauma treatment program tailored for paramedics

   An intensive trauma treatment program for ambulance paramedics, integrating EMDR, somatic therapies, and AI‑enhanced virtual reality to facilitate recovery.

   Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health

   This pilot program provides a brief, intensive treatment pathway designed to help Ambulance Victoria workers recover from trauma‑related mental injuries and return to work sooner. First responders are routinely exposed to distressing events and for some, this repeated trauma can lead to persistent symptoms, extended time away from work, and significant personal and financial strain.

   To address these challenges, The Monash Turner Institute is partnering with Ambulance Victoria, claims agent DXC and EMDR Therapy Training Australia to deliver a combined treatment model that integrates evidence‑based trauma therapies such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), somatic techniques and group education, with personalised, AI‑enhanced virtual reality that safely exposes workers to job‑related triggers in a controlled environment. Participants will engage in both individual and group sessions within small cohorts delivered part-time over three weeks, followed by tailored support from injury management advisors to assist with a sustainable return to work.

   The program aims to promote symptom recovery and support a stable return to work within three months, with the potential for broader implementation across the wider health and social assistance sector.

8. The D‑RTW Hub: Guiding police through recovery with clarity and care

   An online tool to empower injured police officers and upskill their managers on best-practice return to work processes.

   Utility Creative

   Police officers face high rates of mental injury due to repeated exposure to traumatic events. Many struggle with conditions like PTSD, anxiety and depression, and often find current return‑to‑work processes stressful, confusing and unsupported. This project proposes a 24/7 digital Return‑to‑Work Hub for Victoria Police, built onto the existing ‘equipt’ wellbeing app. The Hub will give members a simple, private roadmap that explains how to report an injury, what each stage of recovery involves, and what to expect from their managers. It will also act as a reliable source of information for managers. The Hub will help them build mental health literacy, understand common conditions, and learn how to better support their staff. By providing step‑by‑step guidance for both members and leaders, the Hub aims to reduce stigma, ease uncertainty and create a more supportive, coordinated return‑to‑work experience.