Mental health support

Mental Health Victoria is not a crisis support or referral service. However, useful links and contact details can be found below. If your safety or the safety of others is at risk, contact emergency services on 000 (24 hours).

If you need an interpreter to help speak with any of the below services, please call the Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS National) on 131 450.

All times listed are AEST.

General mental health support

Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs

Free mental health and wellbeing support for all Victorians

1300 375 330 (9am to 10pm weekdays, 9 am to 5 pm weekends)

Head to Health

Head to Health can help you find digital mental health services from some of Australia’s most trusted mental health organisations

Mental health resources

Head to Health Victorian Mental Health Service

Free mental health and wellbeing support for all Victorians

1800 595 212 (8.30am to 5pm weekdays, except public holidays)

Beyond Blue

Free mental health and wellbeing information and support for all in Australia

1300 22 4636 (24 hours, every day)

Online chat: 3pm to 12am (email responses within 24 hours)

Cairnmillar Institute 

Free telehealth counselling and mental health services via phone or videoconference

1800 391 393 to book an appointment

SANE Australia

Provides a range of services including a hotline, online forums, referrals, workplace resources and advocacy about complex mental health issues

1800 187 263 (9am to 5 pm weekdays) Online chat is also available via their website

Support for anxiety and depression

ARCVic

Anxiety and OCD Helpline

1300 269 438 (10am to 8.30pm weekdays)

MindSpot Clinic 

Phone and online service for people with stress, worry, anxiety, low mood or depression

1800 61 44 34 (8am to 8pm weekdays, 8am to 6pm Saturday)

LGBTIQA+ support

Switchboard — Qlife

Counselling, information and referral services for LGBTIQA+ people, their family and friends

1800 184 527 or online chat (3pm to 12am, every day)

Thorne Harbour Health

Provides a range of services and supports for LGBTIQA+ people

queerspace

Counselling, case management, advocacy, research, training, professional development, consultancy

Rainbow Health Australia

Resource page lists a range of services, including counselling and peer support

Aboriginal support services

Brother to Brother

24-hour crisis line for Aboriginal men

1800 435 799 (24 hours, every day)

Gunditjmara Aboriginal Cooperative Ltd

Provides a range of healthcare and other support services.

Healing Foundation

Resources and support for members of the Stolen Generations.

Support and resources for culturally and linguistically diverse people

Victorian Transcultural Mental Health

The lead transcultural and intersectional mental health service for the state of Victoria

Action on Disability within Ethnic Communities

Intake and referral service

Foundation House

The Victorian Foundation for Survivors of Torture

Embrace Mental Health

Mental health resources in a range of languages

Support for families and carers

Tandem Support and Referral Line

Information, support, advocacy or referral for family members or friends who are supporting a person with mental health issues

1800 314 325 (9am to 5pm weekdays)

Mental Health Foundation Australia 

National Mental Health Helpline offers emotional and practical support to families, carers and individuals with mental health issues. The response team does not provide counselling but can arrange a call back from a trained psychologist or counsellor

1300 643 287

Support for children and young people

Headspace/eheadspace

Confidential mental health and wellbeing information, support and health services for young people aged 12 to 25 and their families

1800 650 890 (9am to 1am, every day)

Kids Helpline

Free, private and confidential phone and online counselling service for young people aged 5 to 25

1800 551 800 (24 hours, every day)

Web chat counselling

Email counselling (checked 8am to 10pm daily)

ReachOut

An online mental health organisation for young people and their parents, providing practical support and tools to help with everyday issues. They also provide specific information for parents to help them support their teenagers

Online resources

Parenting, relationship and grief support

The Compassionate Friends Victoria

Information and peer support for families trying to rebuild their lives after the death of a child, sibling or grandchild, from trained volunteers with lived experience

1300 064 068 (24 hours, every day)

Relationship Australia

Relationship support services for individuals, families and communities

1300 364 277

MensLine

Support, information and referral service helping men to deal with emotional and relationship problems in a practical and effective way

1300 78 99 78 (24 hours, every day)

Online and video chat is also available via their website

GriefLine

Telephone and online counselling services, as well as programs for children

1300 845 745 (6am to midnight, every day)

PANDA (Perinatal Anxiety & Depression Australia)

Telephone information, counselling and referral service for women, men and families affected by perinatal mental illness

1300 726 306 (9am to 7:30pm weekdays)

Support for survivors of childhood trauma

Blue Knot Foundation Helpline

Information, support or referral for adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse

1300 657 380 (9am to 5pm, every day)

Eating disorders support

Butterfly Foundation's National Helpline 

Counselling and treatment referral for people with eating disorders, and body image and related issues

1800 33 4673 (8am to midnight, every day)

Eating Disorders Victoria

Free and confidential service providing information and peer support for people experiencing eating disorders or those who are supporting them (family, friends, professionals etc.)

1300 550 236 (Monday to Friday 9.30pm to 4:30pm)

Veterans support

Open Arms (Veterans and Families Counselling)

Free and confidential counselling to anyone who has served at least one day in the ADF, and their families

1800 011 046 (24 hours, every day)

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Mental Health Victoria acknowledges the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as traditional custodians of the land on which it operates. We pay respect to Elders past and present and value the rich history, unbroken culture and ongoing connection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people to country.

Mental Health Victoria acknowledges those people touched directly and indirectly by mental health vulnerabilities, trauma, suicide and neurodiversity, and their families, kin, friends and carers. We acknowledge the ongoing contribution of those people in the mental health sector.

Mental Health Victoria values diversity. We advocate for a safe and inclusive society for all people, regardless of their ethnicity, faith, disability, sexuality, or gender identity, and uphold these values in all we do.