Emergency and other mental health support lines
Listed below are contact details and links to crisis, emergency and telephone counselling and support helplines.
Call 000 immediately if you or someone you know is in a life threatening emergency
Mental Health Emergency Response Line (MHERL)
Phone: 1300 555 788 (Perth Metro Residents) 1800 676 822 (Peel Residents)
Available: 24/7
Website: http://www.nmahsmh.health.wa.gov.au/emergency/
For anyone involved in a mental health emergency in the community – including individuals, families/carers, members of the general public or health professionals.
Clinicians at MHERL provide assessment, specialist intervention and support for people experiencing a mental health emergency and if required, referral to a local mental health service.
Rurallink
Phone: 1800 552 002
Available: 4.30pm-8:30am Monday to Friday. 24 hours Saturday and Sunday and public holidays.
Website: http://www.nmahsmh.health.wa.gov.au/emergency/
Rural link is an after-hours mental health telephone service for people in rural communities of Western Australia.
Lifeline
Phone: 13 11 14
Available: 24/7
Online chat: 7pm-4am, daily
Website: https://www.lifelinewa.org.au/
Lifeline WA provides all Western Australians experiencing a personal crisis or thinking about suicide with access to 24 hour crisis support.
Suicide Call Back Service
Phone: 1300 659 467
Available:24/7 Website: suicidecallbackservice.org.au/
For people who are suicidal, caring for someone who is suicidal, people bereaved by suicide, or health professionals supporting people affected by suicide.
This service provides immediate telephone counselling and support in crises. They can provide up to 6 further telephone counselling sessions with the same counsellor scheduled at times best suited to your needs.
Samaritans Crisis Line
Phone: 135 247
Available: 24/7
Youth line: 08 9388 2500
Country callers: 1800 198 313
Website: http://thesamaritans.org.au/
The Samaritans Crisis Line provides 24 hour telephone crisis support for people experiencing distress across Western Australia.
Kids Helpline
Phone: 1800 55 1800
For children and young people aged 5-25 years old
Available:24/7
Website: kidshelpline.com.au/
Online chat: WebChat available 8:00am – 12:00am (AEST) 7 days a week
Kids Helpline helps kids and young people feel better, live happier and overcome challenges. The Kids Helpline can discuss anything with you e.g. friends, family, relationships, sexuality, health and safety, feeling sad.
Child Protection and Family Support Crisis Helpline (Crisis Care)
Available 24/7
Phone: 08 9223 1111
Country callers: 1800 199 008 Website: dcp.wa.gov.au/CRISISANDEMERGENCY/Pages/CrisisCare.aspx
- Crisis care is a telephone information and counselling service for people in crisis needing urgent help. Call crisis care when:
- You are concerned about the wellbeing of a child
- You are escaping domestic violence and need help
- Arguments are causing unhappiness and problems in your family
- You are alone or afraid and urgently need to talk to someone
- You are homeless
- You would like counselling, information or other support.
Beyondblue
Phone: 1300 224 636
Available: 24/7 Website: beyondblue.org.au/
Online chat: 3pm-12am 7 days a week
Beyondblue provides telephone and online chat support service for people, family or friends who are affected or are experiencing mental health issues. The beyondblue telephone and online chat support service can provide you with information and advice, including information about how to seek further help.
MensLine Australia
Phone: 1300 789 978
Available: 24/7
Website: mensline.org.au/
Online chat: online chat and video counselling available
Telephone and online support, information and referral service for men with family and relationships concerns. The qualified counsellors at MensLine specialise in family and relationship issues, including relationship breakdown, separation and divorce, parenting, family violence, suicide prevention and emotional well-being.
SANE Australia Helpline
Phone: 1800 18 7263
Available weekdays 10am – 10pm (AEST)
Website: sane.org
Online chat: weekdays 10am – 10pm (AEST)
Provides information, guidance, referrals, support and connection for people affected by mental illness and carers, families and friends.
Wellways Helpline
Phone: 1300 111 400
Available: Weekdays (9am - 9pm AEST)
Website: wellways.org/helpline
Wellways Helpline is a peer-led helpline staffed by trained volunteers with personal experience of mental health issues. The Wellways Helpline is a support and referral service that provides information to people experiencing mental health issues, as well as their family and friends.
Living Proud
Telephone: (08) 9486 9855
Email: admin@livingproud.org.au
Website: livingproud.org.au
Living Proud is WA’s main LGBTI community service, providing services to the gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans* and intersex communities, including a peer counselling phone line, health and wellbeing initiatives and community capacity building. They also offer a number of training options for professionals and workplaces.
QLife
Phone: 1800 184 527
Available 3pm-12am
Website: qlife.org.au/
Online chat: 3pm-12am
QLife is Australia’s first nationally-oriented counselling and referral service for LGBTI people. The project provides nation-wide, early intervention, peer supported telephone and web based services to diverse people of all ages experiencing poor mental health, psychological distress, social isolation, discrimination, experiences of being misgendered and/or other social determinants that impact on their health and wellbeing.
The Butterfly Foundation
Phone: 1800 33 4673
Available Monday – Friday 8:00am to 9:00pm
Website: thebutterflyfoundation.org.au/
Online chat: Monday – Friday 8am – 9pm
Staffed by trained counsellors experienced in assisting with eating disorders, they also provide a wide range of programs for service providers and recovery groups.
Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline
Phone: 1800 882 436
Available: 7am – Midnight (AEST) 7 days aweek.
Website: https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/
Video call: Times for a video call can be booked on the main homepage by clicking the “book a time” button.
How it works:
- Press “start call” button on main homepage
- Check your setup
- Connect
Speak to a maternal child health nurse for personal advice and guidance and discover all about pregnancy, birth, being a parent and raising a child.
Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) helpline
Phone: 1300 726 306
Available: 10am to 5pm AEST Monday to Friday.
Website: https://www.panda.org.au/
PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia 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 or one in ten expecting or new dads. PANDA supports women, men and families across Australia.
Ngala Parenting Line WA
Phone: 1800 111 545 (free for STD callers).
Available: Open 7 days a week, 8am – 8pm
Available: https://www.ngala.com.au/Ngala
Parenting Line offers phone advice and support to parents and carers of children up to 18 years. We listen and respond to parents and the changing needs of families and communities, to meet the challenges of raising children and young people, by offering a range of inclusive, evidence based support services.
Healthdirect
Phone: 1800 022 222
Available: 24 hours for health advice
Website: https://www.healthdirect.gov.au/
Healthdirect is a free government funded service available 24/7 which provides approved health information, symptom checker and can be used to locate local health services.
Kids Helpline
For kids and young people aged 5-25 years old
Phone: 1800 55 1800
Available 24/7
Website: kidshelpline.com.au/
Online chat: WebChat available 8:00am – 12:00am (AEST) 7 days a week
Kids Helpline helps kids and young people feel better, live happier and overcome challenges.
The Kids Helpline can discuss anything with you e.g. friends, family, relationships, sexuality, health and safety, feeling sad.
Youth beyondblue
Phone: 1300 22 4636
Available: 24/7
Website: youthbeyondblue.com/
Online chat from 3pm-12am 7 days a week
Youth beyondblue provides general mental health support for young people aged 12-25 years old.
Headspace
Phone: 1800 650 890
Online chat: eheadspace.org.au
Website: headspace.org.au/
Headspace provides early intervention mental health services for 12-25 year olds, as well as assists in promoting young peoples’ wellbeing.
Visit the headspace website for assistance with:
- Mental health
- Physical health
- Work and study support
- Alcohol and other drug services.
Youth Focus
Phone: 08 6266 4333
Website: youthfocus.com.au
Youth Focus works with young people aged 12-25 to help them overcome issues associated with depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal thoughts through the provision of free, unlimited and professional face-to-face individual counselling and other mental health services.
ReachOut
Website: au.reachout.com
ReachOut is Australia’s leading online mental health organisation for young people and their parents. Our practical support, tools and tips help young people get through anything from everyday issues to tough times – and the information we offer parents makes it easier for them to help their teenagers, too.
MensLine Australia
Telephone: 1300 789 978 (24/7)
Website: https://bit.ly/30qjBT3
Online chat: online chat and video counselling available
Telephone and online support, information and referral service for men with family and relationships concerns. The qualified counsellors at MensLine specialise in family and relationship issues, including relationship breakdown, separation and divorce, parenting, family violence, suicide prevention and emotional well-being.
Perinatal Anxiety and Depression Australia (PANDA) helpline
Phone: 1300 726 306 (10am to 5pm AEST Monday to Friday).
Website: https://bit.ly/3qBxcBT
PANDA – Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia 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 or one in ten expecting or new dads. PANDA supports women, men and families across Australia.
Dadvice
Website: https://bit.ly/30mGoQ5
Dadvice provides episodes and information for new and expectant parents, covering everything from bonding with your baby to spotting the signs of anxiety and depression.
Men's Shed
Men’s Sheds provide a safe, welcoming, and encouraging space for men to work on their projects, learn new skills and develop valuable friendships.
Website: https://bit.ly/3HpNgwo
Dad's in Distress
Generalist counselling supporting men and their families.
Telephone: 1300 853 437
Website: https://bit.ly/3wPFWW3
Mates (helpline)
MATES provide suicide prevention through community development programs on sites, and by supporting workers in need through case management and a 24/7 help line. Through their case management support service, qualified case managers assist troubled workers with an effective plan to address their issues.
They do not provide any service other than connecting the worker to appropriate services in their industry and region. They also follow-up with the worker to ensure the help they received was effective.
Telephone: 1300 642 111
Website: https://bit.ly/3qBwVPn
Email: waadmin@mates.org.au
Carers Counselling Line
Phone: 1800 007 332
Available 8:30am – 7:30pm, Monday – Friday
Website: carerswa.asn.au/
Carers Counselling Line provides short-term counselling and emotional and psychological support services for carers and their families. Carers WA assist people who provide unpaid care and support to family members or friends who have disability, mental illness, chronic condition, terminal illness, an alcohol or other drug issue or who are frail aged.
Alcohol and Drug Support Line
Phone: 08 9442 5000
Country callers: 1800 198 024
Available: 24/7
Website: alcoholdrugsupport.mhc.wa.gov.au
Online chat: 7am – 10pm, daily
Confidential, non-judgemental telephone counselling, information and referral service for anyone concerned about their own or another person’s alcohol or drug use.
Parent and Family Drug Support Line
Phone: 9442 5050
Country callers: 1800 653 203
Available: 24/7
Website: mhc.wa.gov.au/about-us/our-services/alcohol-and-drug-support-service/parent-and-family-drug-support-line/
Confidential, non-judgemental telephone counselling, information and referral service for families and carers concerned about a loved one’s alcohol or drug use.
ASeTTS
ASeTTS provides specialised counselling services to adults, adolescents and children with a refugee-type background that have experienced torture or trauma.
All ASeTTS services are free for clients, including interpreters as required. (no-Medicare required).
Telephone: 9277 2700
Website: https://bit.ly/3csf05D
Multicultural Futures
Free counselling for individuals from a migrant and refugee background. They also provide mental health advocacy, information, and referrals. This is a metro-wide service, both outreach and in-house. (no-Medicare required).
Telephone: (08) 9336 8282
Website: https://bit.ly/3owZUBl
Life Without Barriers
Available to people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds who are 12+ years old with mild to moderate psychological distress. Clients can receive short-term free and confidential (up to 10 sessions) culturally appropriate and evidence based psychological counselling.
Individuals must not currently hold refugee or asylum seeker status.
Telephone: 0418 724 549
Website: https://bit.ly/3kBYowm
Email: CaldPsychService@lwb.org.au
Ishar
Ishar provides free counselling sessions where women can discuss any issues regarding sexual health, becoming a mother, being carer, reproductive health and dietary advice. Psychological therapy and counselling provided by trained clinical psychologists with a wealth of experience and knowledge in the trans-cultural mental health field.
Ishar welcomes anyone who identifies as a woman and anyone who was assigned female identity at birth.
Telephone: (08) 9345 5335
Website: https://bit.ly/3ottB6b
Email: info@ishar.org.au
Translating and Interpreting Service (TSI)
Free Language Translation Support - they can connect you to health and medical services in over 26 languages.
Telephone: 13 14 50 (24/7)
Website: https://bit.ly/3nfPcji
Content last updated: October 21 2019