Mental health support and counselling

Need urgent help now? Call Triple Zero (000) or go to a hospital if you are in immediate danger.

If you or someone you know has questions about mental health, the following information may help you.

Mental health services

Find mental health services and support in your area. You can also contact:

• beyondblue—provide programs for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and general information on mental health, including how to recognise depression and where to get help. Phone 1300 22 4636
• Lifeline's Mental Health Resource Centre—offer Indigenous Australians advice on mental health issues, suicide prevention and how to cope with grief, loss and family business
• your local hospital or doctor—may be able to help you with counselling and support.

Search a map to find Indigenous-specific mental health services (across Australia) through the Social and Emotional Wellbeing and Mental Health Services in Aboriginal Australia website.

Have a yarn

Have a yarn with:

• other mental health support services to talk about your feelings and get help.
• Indigenous family support and healing groups and others in your mob to try to help reduce the stress of raising children.

Community health services

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service (ATSICHS)

Phone the ATSICHS Healing Centre on (07) 3240 8907 to access culturally appropriate counselling services for Indigenous people in Brisbane affected by mental illness.

Townsville Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Services (TAIHS)

The TAIHS Social and Mental Health Unit offer mental health counsellors and run regular men’s and women’s groups to help cope with:

• mental illness
• family business
• prison and court matters.

Phone TAIHS on (07) 4759 4022 to book a counselling session or join a group.

Palm Island Mental Health Service

At the Palm Island Mental Health Service Indigenous health workers support people with mental health issues in the local community.

Other remote support

Mental health support and counselling services are also available in these remote Indigenous communities:

• Burketown
• Doomadgee
• Gregory Downs
• Karumba
• Mornington Island
• Normanton
• Thursday Island.

For more information phone the Vincent Campus - Cambridge Street Facility on (07) 4775 8100.

Forensic mental health system

Find out about the Queensland forensic mental health system, which helps people who have a mental illness and have also been charged with a serious offence. You can access counselling and learn how the offence may be handled. 

Suicide prevention

If you need immediate help, contact:

• Lifeline on 13 11 14
• Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 (if you’re under 18 years of age).

Support is available through:

• suicide prevention and counselling services
• the Brisbane Rape and Incest Survivors Support Centre—for women who have suicidal thoughts as a result of sexual violence or rape.

Learn how to avoid social isolation.

Support for consumers, families and carers

• The Consumer, Carer and Family Team work to improve mental health services for consumers, families and carers.
• Fact sheets and information about support are available for those caring for a person with mental illness.  
• Guidelines for information sharing between mental health workers, consumers, carers, family and significant others. 
• Mental Health Carers—ARAFMI (Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill) run support groups for anyone caring for a person with mental health issues. 
• The Mental Illness Fellowship Queensland supports those with mental illness, their families and carers while educating the community about mental health. 

Helpful links

• Facts about Indigenous mental health and suicide.
• The Australasian Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health helps to improve the mental health of Indigenous Australians.
• Programs and projects to improve social and emotional wellbeing, including mental health for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island peoples.
• Mental Health First Aid for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
• MindOUT—National LGBTI Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Project.
• The National Mental Health Reform aims to improve mental health services so that Australians with mental illness and their families and carers can get access to the support they need.
• The National Mental Health Strategy is a commitment by Australian governments to improve the lives of people with mental illness.