On this page
- 24/7 crisis lines
- Aboriginal community
- Advocacy
- Alcohol and other drugs
- Carers and families
- Children and young people
- Childhood trauma
- Eating disorders
- General mental health services
- Men
- LGBTIQ community
- Multicultural community
- Older people
- Perinatal and parenting
- Rural community
- Suicide
- Veterans
- Women
24/7 crisis lines
You can call these crisis lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Emergency 000
If you or someone you are with is in immediate danger, please call 000 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
Beyond Blue
The new Beyond Blue Corona Virus mental well-being support service is up and running. This is part of the Commonwealth’s $74 million mental health package.
Beyond Blue has begun providing 24/7 mental health support, both online and by phone, delivered by mental health professionals (in conjunction with Medibank). It is providing information and advice around coping with COVID-19, isolation and connection, workplace and financial hardship, and how best to support the mental health of others.
Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service
Talk to a trained mental health professional any time of the day or night. Calls are confidential. They will listen, provide information and advice and point you in the right direction to seek further support.
Beyond Blue
1300 22 46 36
Lifeline
24-hour crisis support telephone service. Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Lifeline
131 114
Kids Helpline
A telephone counselling support line for children and young people ages 5 to 25 and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Kids Helpline
1800 551 800
NSW Mental Health Line
A mental health professional will answer your call about mental health concerns for you or someone you are concerned about, including children, teens, adults and older people.
Mental Health Line
1800 011 511
Suicide Call Back Service
National services that provides free 24/7 phone, video and online professional counselling to people who are affected by suicide.
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Aboriginal community
National Indigenous Critical Response Service
National Indigenous Critical Response Service provides emotional and practical support to bereaved families and individuals impacted by suicide or other traumatic loss. Our advocates are experienced in listening and providing culturally responsive support. They can liaise with local communities and services to identify who is best placed to provide the help families need. The Critical Response Support Advocates are not counsellors and do not provide counselling or other clinical support. Thirrili is a non-profit organisation supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities.
Thirrili
1800 805 801
Open 24/7
Advocacy
See Mental health organisations and advocacy groups.
Alcohol and other drugs
Alcohol and Other Drugs Information Service (ADIS)
ADIS provides 24 hour 7 day a week telephone counselling, support, referrals and information for those affected by alcohol or other drugs. ADIS counsellors are trained to work with people who are concerned about their own alcohol and drug use, as well as callers who are concerned about their family or friends.
Sydney metropolitan: (02) 9361 8000
Regional and rural NSW: 1800 422 599
Open 24/7
Counselling Online
Online text-based counselling for people concerned about their own drinking or drug use. The service is also available to concerned family members, relatives and friends.
Counselling Online
Open 24/7
Opioid Treatment Line
This telephone helpline provides opiate pharmacotherapy information (including methadone and buprenorphine), referrals, advice and a forum for pharmacotherapy concerns.
Opioid Treatment Line
1800 642 428
Open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 5.00pm
Your Room
The Your Room website is a great resource for information about alcohol and other drugs, including:
Carers and families
See also Family and carer mental health support services and programs.
Carers Australia
Short-term counselling and emotional and psychological support services for carers and their families.
Carers Australia
1800 242 636
Carers Connection Line
If you are a family member, friend, or carer of someone with a mental illness, call the Carers Connection Line if you would like to receive information, referrals and support.
Mental Health Carers NSW
1300 554 660
(02) 9332 0700
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Carers NSW
Provides information, education and support for carers, including carer support groups.
Carers NSW
1800 242 636
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Children of Parents with a Mental Illness (COPMI)
The COPMI (Children of Parents with a Mental Illness) national initiative develops information for parents, their family and friends in support of these kids and young people. This information complements online training courses developed by COPMI for professionals to support families either individually or through community services and programs.
Children of Parents with a Mental Illness
Young Carers Helpline
Gives young people tips on how to look after themselves and the person you are caring for.
Young Carers Network
1800 242 636
Children and young people
Bite Back
Promotes wellbeing and resilience in young people 12-18 years old through psycho-education, positive psychology and related approaches.
Bite Back
The BRAVE program
Online program to help children aged 8 to 12 and teenagers aged 13 to 17 with anxiety, based on cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
BRAVE-Online
CanTeen
Online, email and phone counselling and forums for people aged 12-24 years living with the impact of cancer.
CanTeen
1800 888 236
connectEDSpace
A website provided by Relationships Australia Victoria with tip sheets, news and useful links to help young people manage problems and issues such as bullying, relationships, stress and mental health, and conflict with parents.
connectEDSpace
eheadspace
A free service that supports young people aged between 12 and 25 and their families going through a tough time.
eheadspace
1800 650 890
Open 9am - 1am
Kids Helpline
A free, private and confidential telephone and online counselling services for people aged 5 to 25. Helpful information on their website for children and young people, parents and carers, schools and teachers.
Kids Helpline
1800 551 800
Open 24/7pen 24/7
Kids Helpline Online Chat
Open 8am to 12am, 7 days a week
myCompass
Are you feeling the pressures of study, finding a job or starting a career? myCompass can help. It has an interactive self-help service that aims to promote resilience and wellbeing for people experiencing mild to moderate stress, anxiety and/or depression.
myCompass
ReachOut
Provides practical tools and support to help young people aged 14–25 years get through everything from everyday issues to tough times. Includes information on mental health, peer support forums, and apps. ReachOut Next Step service for 18-25 years recommends support options. ReachOut Parents provides information and support to “help parents help teens”.
ReachOut
Smiling Mind
Online and app based program to improve wellbeing of young people through mindfulness meditation. Provides age-specific content for 7-11, 12-15, and 16-22 years old.
Smiling Mind
Youth Beyond Blue
Information, online and phone counselling for young people 12 to 25 years old, who can contact trained mental health professionals 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
Youth Beyond Blue
1300 22 4636
Open 24/7
Chat online
Open 3pm - 12am
See also:
Childhood trauma
Blue Knot Helpline
The helpline has trained, experienced and trauma-informed counsellors, male and female, support adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse, their partners, family and friends, health professionals and anyone in the workplace working with people who have experienced childhood trauma and abuse.
Website: Bue Knot Foundation
Email: helpline@blueknot.org.au
Phone: 1300 657 380
Open Monday to Sunday, 9am - 5pm
Eating disorders
Butterfly Foundation
Online and phone counselling, information, and online support groups for people concerned about eating disorders, disordered eating, body image problems.
Butterfly Foundation
1800 334 673
Chat online
Open 8am to midnight
Email support
support@thebutterflyfoundation.org.au
Open 8am to midnight
General mental health services
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue provides information and support to help everyone in Australia achieve their best possible mental health, whatever their age and wherever they live.
Beyond Blue
Beyond Blue - email
Beyond Blue chat online
Open 3pm to midnight, 7 days a week
1300 22 4636
Open 24/7
Black Dog Institute
The Black Dog Institute website contains information and resources for mood disorders, including depression and bipolar disorder.
Black Dog Institute
Head to Health
A digital mental health gateway funded by the Australian Government, containing a range of trusted mental health services and resources. Head to health was co-designed between the Australian Government Department of Health, people and families with a lived experience of mental health issues, as well as mental health organisations, service providers, health professionals, and the Australian public.
Head to Health
Lifeline
24-hour crisis support telephone service. Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services. Call Lifeline about suicidal thoughts or attempts, personal crisis, anxiety, depression, loneliness, abuse and trauma, stress or to get information for friends and family. A range of services are provided through Lifeline centres including:
- face to face counselling
- gambling counselling
- youth services
- migrant support services
- rural outreach
- counselling services for children, aged care visitation
- indigenous support services.
Lifeline - Get help
131 114
Open 24/7
Lifeline Crisis Support online chat
Open 7pm - midnight, 7 days a week
Mental Health Online
The website has Information, an online psychological assessment and online self-guided treatment programs for anxiety, panic, OCD, PTSD, and depression for people 18 years old and older. The site also offers a free 12-week online program with free access to eTherapists.
Mental Health Online
MindSpot
MindSpot is a free service for Australian adults who are experiencing difficulties with anxiety, stress, depression and low mood. They provide an online assessment and treatment course, or also help you find local services.
Mindspot
contact@mindspot.org.au
1800 61 44 34
Open Monday to Friday 8 am to 8pm, Saturday 8am to 6pm.
myCompass
An interactive self-help service for young adults, adults and seniors that aims to promote resilience and wellbeing for people experiencing mild to moderate stress, anxiety and/or depression.
myCompass
SANE Australia
Talk to a mental health professional for information, guidance and referrals to manage your mental health concerns. The SANE helpline and online chat is open weekdays from 10am to 10pm.
Sane - Get help
helpline@sane.org
1800 187 263
Open weekdays 10am - 10pm
WayAhead Mental Health Association NSW
Provides information and support to mental health consumers, their families and carers, and to the general public. Their phones are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. The WayAhead Free Online Directory can also help you find accommodation, community organisations, emergency services, government assistance, information and support services and treatments in your local area.
WayAhead
Level 5, 80 William St, Woolloomooloo, NSW 2011
info@wayahead.org.au
(02) 9339 6000
WayAhead Mental Health Information Service 1300 794 991
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
WayAhead Anxiety Disorders Information Service 1300 794 992
Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Men
MensLine Australia
To access MensLine Australia online counselling, you will need to be:
- a man with a relationship issue or a woman who is concerned about and seeking help for a man
- for online chat you must be 15 years or over
- for video chat you must be 18 years or over.
MensLine Australia
1300 78 99 78
Men's Referral Service
Provides telephone counselling, information and referrals for men who have anger, relationship or parenting issues. The service also providers help to women (or other family members) who are experiencing violence or controlling behaviour by men.
Men's Referral Service
1300 766 491
LGBTIQ community
ACON
Provides information on health issues affecting lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) people and offers a range of services including in the area of mental health and ageing.
ACON - mental health
Qlife
QLife phone and web chat are open from 3pm until midnight every day. QLife provides anonymous and free LGBTI peer support and referral for people want to talk about sexuality, identity, gender, bodies, feelings or relationships.
QLife
1800 184 527
Open 3pm to midnight
Multicultural community
NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS)
STARTTS' services are free for people of any age who have survived torture or trauma or both and are refugees, asylum seekers, from refugee-like backgrounds.
STARTTS
02 9646 6800
Transcultural Mental Health Centre
The Transcultural Mental Health Centre (TMHC) works with health professionals and communities across New South Wales to support positive mental health for people from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.
Transcultural Mental Health Centre
Older people
Dementia Support Helpline
Provides support for the carers of people with dementia who have behavioural and psychological changes.
Dementia Support Australia
1800 699 799
Elder Abuse Helpline
If you witness, suspect or experience abuse, call the NSW Elder Abuse helpline. The website provides information, support and referrals.
NSW Elder Abuse Helpline
1800 628 221
National Dementia Helpline
The National Dementia Helpline is a free confidential phone and email information and support service which provides:
- information about dementia and memory loss
- information on how you may be able to reduce the risk of getting dementia
- information about government support services (including My Aged Care, the Carer Gateway, Centrelink)
- information about services in your area
- emotional support to help you manage the impact of dementia.
- free Dementia Kit
Dementia Australia
1800 100 500
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Dementia Australia Helpline web chat
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
Perinatal and parenting
COPE - Centre of Perinatal Excellence
This non-profit organisation's website has high quality, practical information to help you work through all the emotional challenges of becoming and being a parent.
COPE
Gidget Foundation Australia
Gidget Foundation Australia is a not for profit organisation supporting the emotional wellbeing of expectant and new parents to ensure that those in need receive timely, appropriate and supportive care.
Gidget Foundation Australia
Karitane’s mental health service
Provide education and support on the unique challenges of parenting to mums and dads with children from birth to 5 years of age. Karitane support new parents around sleep and settling, establishing routines, feeding and nutrition, toddler behaviour and pre and post natal anxiety and depression.
Karitane
1300 227 464
(02) 9794 2350
Monday to Thursday 12.30pm - 9pm, 11pm - 6am
Friday 8am - 4.30pm
Saturday 9am - 3.30pm
Mum Mood Booster
An evidence-based online treatment to help new mothers who are experiencing postnatal depression or anxiety. Six interactive online CBT sessions tailored to individual users are complemented by SMS support. Accessible from home or on mobile devices.
MumMoodBooster
ParentWorks
ParentWorks is a free online program for Australian parents and caregivers of children 2 to 16. It provides evidence-based parenting strategies to improve parenting skills, confidence and child behaviour.
ParentWorks
Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia
Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia (PANDA) supports women, men and families across Australia affected by anxiety and depression during pregnancy and in the first year of parenthood. PANDA operates Australia’s only National Helpline for individuals and their families to recover from perinatal anxiety and depression, a serious illness that affects up to one in five expecting or new mums and one in ten expecting or new dads.
PANDA
PANDA National Helpline
1300 726 306
Open Monday to Friday, 9am to 7.30pm
RaisingChildren.net.au
Informative, reliable, up-to-date information about parenting and health issues, from babies to teens, backed my experts and funded by the Australian government.
RaisingChildren.net.au
Raphael Services
St John of God Raphael Services help parents and families with perinatal anxiety and depression. Services including holistic, person-centred therapies to treat postnatal depression and anxiety and equipping you and your family with the tools you need to strengthen your relationships and return to an active, healthy and rewarding life. The NSW service is located in Blacktown.
St John of God - Raphael Services
36-38 First Avenue, Blacktown, 2148
Raphael.blacktown@sjog.org.au
(02) 9839 0900
Monday to Friday, 8am to 4.30pm
SMS4dads
SMS4dads provides new fathers with information and connections to online services through their mobile phones. The text messages with tips, information and links to other services help fathers understand and connect with their baby and support their partner.
SMS4dads
Tresillian Family Care Centres
Provides guidance to new parents, a residential service, an outreach home-visiting service and support groups. Advice is also provided to parents through their phone service and through online support.
Tresillian
Parent Help Line
1800 272 736
Open Monday to Sunday, 7am to 11pm
Rural community
Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health
Provides leadership in rural and remote mental health research, evidence-based service design, and delivery. They do not provide emergency services. The centre runs the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program. The program helps to educate, encourage and connect people living in rural areas with mental health support through projects, local and national partnerships, health information, tailored advice, workshops and short courses.
Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health
Bloomfield Hospital, Forest Road, Orange NSW 2800
ramhp@newcastle.edu.au
(02) 6363 8444
Lifeline
Information for people who live and work in regional, rural or remote parts of Australia.
Lifeline - rural mental health
Suicide
If you, or someone you know, is thinking about suicide or experiencing a personal crisis or distress, help is available. Tell someone about what you are thinking, even at the earliest signs. Please contact one of these services below or speak to your General Practitioner.
If you, or someone you know, are in immediate danger, please call 000 or go to your nearest hospital Emergency Department.
Lifeline
Provides all Australians experiencing a personal crisis with access to 24 hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Lifeline
13 11 14
Open 24/7
Lifeline Crisis Support online chat
Open 7pm - midnight, 7 days a week
Suicide Call Back Service
A nationwide service that provides professional 24/7 telephone and online counselling to people who are affected by suicide.
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
Open 24/7
StandBy - Support After Suicide service
StandBy - North Coast NSW support anyone who has been bereaved or impacted by suicide including individuals, families, friends, witnesses, schools, workplaces, community groups, first responders and service providers. They are contactable 24/7 to arranged face to face or telephone support, and can refer you to local organisations and community workshops.
Veterans
Open Arms - Veterans and Families Counselling
Open Arms counsellors and staff understand veteran and military culture. We can provide specialised support to improve your mental health and wellbeing and can help with anxiety, depression, anger, PTSD, sleep difficulties and substance abuse. We offer free and confidential counselling and group programs.
Open Arms - Veterans and Families Counselling
1800 011 046
Women
See also - Perinatal and parenting
Beyond Blue
Understanding the factors that affect women's mental health and recognising the symptoms of depression, anxiety and suicide can help you to recognise them in yourself and others.
Beyond Blue - Women
Beyond Blue - Pregnancy and new parents
Beyond Blue - email
Beyond Blue chat online
Open 3pm to midnight, 7 days a week
1300 22 4636
Open 24/7
Women's Health Centres NSW
Women’s Health NSW is an association of state-wide women’s health centres and specialist women’s centres. All centres are non-government, community based, feminist services that provide choices for women to determine their individual health needs.
Women's Health Centres - locations