Federal police officers aren't always given mental health checks when they move into new roles with higher mental health risks, a new report has found.
The force also lacks clear arrangements to ensure key mental health risks are given the funding and resources they need.
The auditor-general has investigated prevention, detection and responses to mental health injuries at the Australian Federal Police in a report published on Wednesday.
The AFP screens the physical and psychological health of prospective employees before they join the force.
But those checks are not always done when staff move internally into specialist roles with higher mental health risks.
"Therefore the AFP is not provided with the assurance that all employees in these roles have been assessed as suitable for high risk roles," the auditor-general found.
The AFP has measures in place to prevent psychological injury, but these are not fully effective, and the force relies on self-reporting, supervisor observation and assessments and debriefs to identify staff at risk.
"There are limitations that reduce the effectiveness of these mechanisms," the auditor-general said, citing cultural barriers, limited training and support, and inconsistent handling of assessments.
The audit found mental health support services offered by the AFP are "not fully effective" and there are no frameworks in place to evaluate the programs.
It also found weaknesses within the AFP's rehabilitation and return-to-work arrangements for employees suffering from psychological injury sustained at work.
The AFP was told to implement mandatory mental health training for all employees, teaching them how to identify and respond to psychological injury.
It was also told to encourage staff to seek help after critical incidents or prolonged exposure to high-risk roles.
The auditor-general urged the agency to ensure employees undertake psychological checks before starting in specialist roles, and timely debriefs are offered to all those who require them.
The AFP was also told to consolidate its employee health records, and compare the data on workplace incident reporting, Comcare claims, unscheduled leave, exposure to explicit material and information on dead personnel.
The AFP accepted all recommendations, vowing to incorporate them in a health and wellbeing strategy, which will be finished within two months.
"The health and wellbeing of our people is our highest priority, and the AFP is taking careful steps to ensure we get our health support systems right, across the entire organisation," the AFP said in a statement.
