Helplines and local mental health services - HE2546

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APRIL 2023

Tēnā koe

In this resource you will find a directory of helplines and local mental health service contact details.
To help connect people with their local communities for specific or wider support, this resource includes a blank page for you to fill in with any local helplines and personal supports.
It’s okay to reach out for help – never hesitate if you are concerned about yourself or someone else.

Kia mau ki te tūmanako, te whakapono me te aroha
Hold fast to hope, faith and love

In a crisis or emergency

If someone has attempted suicide or you’re worried about their immediate safety, do the following:

• Call your local mental health crisis assessment team (numbers are further below) or go with them to the emergency department (ED) of your nearest hospital
• If they are in immediate physical danger to themselves or others, call 111
• Stay with them until support arrives
• Remove any obvious means of suicide they might use (e.g. ropes, pills, guns, car keys, knives, poisons.)
  If they live in a high-rise building, help them find somewhere to stay in single-level accommodation.
• Try to stay calm, take some deep breaths. Let them know you care
• Keep them talking: listen and ask questions without judging
• Make sure you are safe

​More information and support

For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, medical centre, hauora, community mental health team, school counsellor or counselling service.

If you don’t get the help you need the first time, keep trying.

Below is a list of some services available which offer support, information and help.

Need to talk? Free call or text 1737
Talk with a trained counsellor, anytime.

For counselling and support

• Lifeline 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) - here to help
• Samaritans 0800 726 666 – for confidential support for anyone who is lonely or in emotional distress
• Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 – to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions www.depression.org.nz
• Healthline 0800 611 116 – for advice from experienced health staff

All services are free, and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week unless otherwise stated.

For children and young people

• Youthline 0800 376 633, free text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat at www.youthline.co.nz (4:30pm – 10pm) – for young people and their parents, whānau and friends
• What’s Up 0800 942 8787 (0800 WHATSUP) call (11am – 11pm) or online chat at www.whatsup.co.nz (11am – 10:30pm) every day - for 5-19 year olds
• www.auntydee.co.nz – a free online tool for anyone who needs help working through problems
  
• www.thelowdown.co.nz visit the website or free text 5626 – a space for rangatahi to find support for your hauora, identity, culture and mental health
• www.sparx.org.nz – an online game to help young people who are feeling down
  
• www.headstrong.org.nz - a free app for young people to help you cope with stress. Includes the Aroha chatbot.

Help for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people

• NZ Relay www.nzrelay.co.nz - helps users to connect with services over the phone
• NZ Police 111TXT www.police.govt.nz - Register with the New Zealand Police for the 111TXT service.
•  TXT, messenger, online chat - many services in this brochure offer txt, messenger or online chat services.
• depression.org.nz/get-better/your-identity/deaf - more help and information for the Deaf community

For help with specific issues

• 0508 TAUTOKO Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 – if you, or someone you know, may be thinking about suicide, call for support from a trained counsellor
• OUTLine 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) - for sexuality or gender identity issues 6pm – 9pm
• Alcohol Drug Helpline 0800 787 797, free text 8681 or online chat at alcoholdrughelp.org.nz - for people dealing with alcohol or other drug problems. Māori, Pasifika and youth lines available.
• Gambling Helpline 0800 654 655 free text 8006 or online chat at www.gamblinghelpline.co.nz - for help if you are gambling or are concerned about someone else's gambling. Māori, Pasifika and youth lines available.
• He Waka Tapu 0800 439 276 (0800 HEYBRO) - for men who feel they are going to harm a loved one or whānau member
• Vaka Tautua 0800 652 535 (0800 OLA LELEI) - free national Pacific helpline. Mon-Fri 8.30am - 5pm. The team speaks Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and English
• Anxiety Helpline 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) - for people with all forms of anxiety and families and friends
• Rural Support 0800 787 254 – for people in rural communities dealing with challenges
  
• PlunketLine 0800 933 922 – support for parents, including mothers experiencing post-natal depression
• Sexual Harm Helpline 0800 044 334 or text 4334 or webchat at www.safetotalk.nz - to talk about sexual harm and find help for yourself or others
• Women’s Refuge Crisis Line 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE) – for women living with violence, or in fear, in their relationship or family
• Rape Crisis 0800 883 300 – for support after rape or sexual assault
• 24/7 HELPline 0800 623 1700 www.helpauckland.org.nz - support for sexual abuse survivors
• Shakti Crisis Line 0800 742 584 (0800 SHAKTI) – multi lingual helpline for migrant or refugee women living with family violence
• Family violence info line 0800 456 450 or chat at www.areyouok.org.nz - to talk about family violence and find help for yourself or others
• EDANZ 0800 233 269 or www.ed.org.nz – for information, support and resources about supporting someone with an eating disorder
• Asian Family Services 0800 862 342 or help@asianfamilyservices.nz - provides professional, confidential support in multiple languages to Asians living in New Zealand, Monday to Friday 9am – 8pm
• www.smallsteps.org.nz - a collection of online tools to help you calm your mind, manage your stress and lift your mood

For families, whānau and friends

• Skylight www.skylight.org.nz 0800 299 100 – for support through trauma, loss and grief (8.30am – 4.30pm weekdays)
• Aoake te Rā 0800 000 053 www.aoaketera.org.nz - free counselling for people
  bereaved by suicide.
• Yellow Brick Road 0800 732 825 (Northern Region) - 0800 555 434 (Central North Island) -  0800 876 682 (South Island) - for families and whānau supporting a loved one who has a mental illness
• The Grief Centre 0800 331 333 www.griefcentre.org.nz - for support for all forms of loss, grief, trauma or difficult change
• Victim Support 0800 842 846 – 24 hour support for people affected by crime, trauma and suicide
• Le Va www.leva.co.nz or www.facebook.com/LeVaPasifika – information and support for Pasifika families on mental health, addiction and suicide prevention
• After a Suicide www.afterasuicide.nz - a website offering practical information and guidance to people who have lost someone to suicide
• Mental Health Foundation www.mentalhealth.org.nz – for more information about supporting someone in distress, looking after your own mental health and working toward recovery

Mental health crisis team contact numbers

Phone numbers are subject to change. If you or someone else is in danger or at risk of harm, please call 111.

For more local and national services

• Need to talk? Free call or text 1737 Talk with a trained counsellor, anytime
• Healthline 0800 611 116 For advice from trained registered nurses, including information about local health services throughout New Zealand
• Family and Community Services National Directory 0800 211 211
  www.familyservices.govt.nz/directory For information about community services that can help with issues relating to parenting, special needs, family support, family violence, custody and access, child behaviour, life skills, counselling, addiction, sexual abuse, grief and loss
• Māori Health Provider Directory www.health.govt.nz/your-health/services-and-support/health-care-services/Māori-health-provider-directory There are a number of Māori health providers contracted to District Health Boards, or iwi and kaupapa Māori organisations that work independently throughout Aotearoa. Contact a provider in your area to find out more about what is available locally
• Healthpoint www.healthpoint.co.nz Up-to-date information about healthcare providers, referral expectations, services offered and common treatments

For more information about supports and services in your area, contact the Mental Health Foundation Resource and Information Service:

www.mentalhealth.org.nz
info@mentalhealth.org.nz

Add your own numbers here. These may include the number for your local mental health service, local helplines, organisations, iwi services, whānau and other personal supports.

Code: HE2546