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Local counselling, health and mental health services
- Camcare is a local community agency that provides support and connection to other services free of charge and without the need for a GP referral, for people who live, work or study in the City of Boroondara.
- Access Health and Community provides a wide range of general health services by appointment.
- The Salvation Army Camberwell provides financial counselling services.
- The Eastern Health, Mental Health Program is a central access point for people with a severe mental illness, their carers and family.
- headspace Hawthorn provides support, information and advice to young people aged between 12-25 years.
- Mental Health and Wellbeing Hubs can help with a range of issues, including anxiety, lowered mood, and substance use or addiction. You do not need a referral from a GP or health professional to access this service. Available between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday.
Drug and alcohol support
- DirectLine provides phone counselling, information and referrals for people experiencing problems with alcohol or other drugs.
- Access Health & Community provides specialist alcohol and other drug services.
- Medication Support and Recovery Service provides help to people who have problems with their use of prescription or over-the-counter medications.
- Youth Drugs & Alcohol Advice provides advice about drugs and alcohol to young people.
- Victoria Poisons Information Centre provides advice about what to do if a person has overdosed, made a mistake with medicines, been poisoned or had a poisonous bite.
Stroke support
The Boroondara Stroke Support Group (BSSG) is a support group of stroke survivors and their carers, based in the eastern suburbs of Melbourne. Find out more on the BSSG website.
Support for CALD groups
- Chinese Community Social Services Centre Inc provides referrals to support and settlement services for the Chinese-Victorian community.
- Chinese Parents Special Support Network supports Chinese families of children with additional needs, such as autism, learning difficulties and intellectual disability.
- CO.AS.IT provides a range of welfare and community services for Italian migrants and their descendants, including social support phone calls supporting people in isolation.
National helplines
| Organisation | Service | Contact |
|---|---|---|
| Beyond Blue | Immediate support with a trained mental health professional. | Phone: 1300 224 636 Online chat service: Beyond Blue website |
| Compassionate Friends Victoria | Peer-to-peer grief support phone line and email service to support parents, siblings and grandparents after the death of a child (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). | Phone: 1300 064 068 Email: [email protected] Website: The Compassionate Friends website |
| Embrace Multicultural Mental Health | A national platform for multicultural communities and Australian mental health services to access resources, services and information in a culturally accessible format. | Website: Embrace Multicultural Mental Health website |
| Kids Helpline | A free, private and confidential, telephone and online counselling service specifically for young people aged between 5 and 25. | Phone: 1800 551 800 Website: Kids Helpline website |
| Lifeline | Crisis support and suicide prevention services for all Australians experiencing a personal crisis (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). | Phone: 13 11 14 Website: Lifeline website |
| MensLine Australia | A telephone and online support, information and referral service, helping men to deal with relationship problems in a practical and effective way. | Phone: 1300 789 978 Website: MensLine Australia website |
| MindSpot Clinic | An online and telephone clinic providing free assessment and treatment services for Australian adults with anxiety or depression. | Phone: 1800 614 434 Website: MindSpot Clinic website |
| National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation | Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services and Aboriginal Medical Services in each state and territory. | Website: National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation website |
| Parentline | A telephone counselling and support service for all Victorian parents and carers of children from 0-18 years. Experienced social workers, psychologists and family therapists provide counselling and information around a wide range of parenting issues. | Phone: 13 22 89 Website: Department of Families, Fairness and Housing website |
| QLife | A counselling and referral service for LGBTI people (available between 3pm and 12am). | Phone: 1800 184 527 Online chat service: QLife website |
| Relationships Australia | Relationship support services for individuals, families and communities. | Phone: 1300 364 277 Website: Relationships Australia website |
| SANE Australia | Information about mental illness, treatments, where to go for support and help carers. | Phone: 1800 187 263 Website: SANE Australia website |
| St Vincent’s Psychiatric Triage Service | Provides psychiatric advice and treatment (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). | Phone: 1300 558 862 |
| Suicide Call Back Service | Professional telephone and online counselling to people who are affected by suicide (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). | Phone: 1300 659 467 Website: Suicide Call Back Service website |
| SuicideLine Victoria | Free telephone counselling and support for people at risk of suicide and anyone experiencing mental health issues (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week). | Phone: 1300 651 251 Website: SuicideLine |
| 13YARN | National crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. 13YARN offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. | Phone: 13 92 76 Website: 13YARN website |