LINKS & WELLBEING RESOURCES
Many organisations across Australia provide support for those experiencing crisis or coping with the effects of trauma, as well as resources to help those who are caring for others or who may need to provide mental health first aid. We provide some links to recommended resources on this page, as well as links to organisations who are advocating to help improve health and wellbeing across regional, rural and remote areas of Australia.
Accessing help for yourself or others,
and mental health first aid resources
It can be challenging to reach out in a crisis. If you need immediate support, speak to a friend or family member you trust AND speak to a professional. A professional may be a GP, going to the emergency department of your local hospital, or contacting one of the services below. The ifarmwell website gives some ideas on how to make contact with a GP or others to help you if you are finding it difficult to reach out.
Support services you can contact in a crisis
Supporting a person experiencing a crisis, or looking for resources to help you as you cope with trauma or support someone else who has experienced trauma
Guidelines or training on mental health first aid
Looking to join the many organisations who work to support wellbeing and quality of life in rural and remote Australia?
Resources that support health of farmers
Support services you can contact in a crisis in addition to speaking to family, friends or a professional such as a GP or hospital emergency department:
- Lifeline (ph: 13 11 14) Lifeline provides anonymous access to trained counsellors, crisis support, and suicide prevention 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. A local call cost applies if you call from a landline; calls from mobiles are free. An online chat service is available from 7pm to 4am (AEST) 7 days per week at www.lifeline.org.au.
- beyondblue (ph: 1300 224 636). This service provides information and referral if you’re feeling stressed or down, and is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. A local call cost applies, sometimes higher costs from mobiles. An online chat service is available at www.beyondblue.org.au from 3pm to 12am (AEST), every day of the week, and via beyondblue you can also email a mental health professional and get a response within 24 hours.
- Suicide Call Back Service (ph: 1300 659 467). Counselling for anyone affected by or considering suicide, including support and call back service in case of suicide risk. This service is available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. A local call cost applies, and the cost may be higher from mobiles depending on your plan. Counselling is also available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, at www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
- Emergency services (ph: 000, or 112 from satellite/GSM phones.
If you are supporting a person experiencing a crisis, or looking for resources to help you as you cope with trauma or support someone else who has experienced trauma, some useful resources to help you identify what you can do include:
- Mental Health First Aid Australia — How to help a friend, family member or co-worker with a mental illness or crisis
- ‘Helping someone in distress’ — WA Mental Health Commission
- Recovery Online provides a range of resources to support those who have experienced trauma
- The Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) provides access to a wide range of information and resources, including ‘Boots on the Ground – Let’s Talk Rural Mental Health’.
If you want to access guidelines or training on mental health first aid, we recommend the following resources:
- Mental Health First Aid Australia — provides a range of resources, including a number of guides to providing Mental Health First Aid to different groups
- Phoenix Australia, which focuses on supporting those who have experienced trauma, and provides a range of resources, including access to training programs.
If you’re looking to join the many organisations who work to support wellbeing and quality of life in rural and remote Australia, we recommend…
- The National Rural Health Alliance — join the many people who work via the NRHA to advocate for the actions needed to support health and wellbeing in rural Australia
- The Centre for Rural and Remote Mental Health
- The Regional Australia Institute — the RAI provide webinars, resources and research focused on issues concerning regional Australia.
If you’re looking for resources that support health of farmers, we recommend…
- ifarmwell — access a range of resources designed to support mental health of farmers and farming households
- The National Centre for Farmer Health provides a wide range of resources to support the health of farmers and farming households across Australia
- FarmHub connects Australian farmers to a wide range of resources that support both health and other aspects of life.
