South Australia
Help for depression
EMERGENCY HELP
Mental health services
Psychologists & mental health practitioners
Medications advice
Telephone counselling & helplines
University counselling services (for students)
Public service providers
Self help, resources, & consumer organisations
Carer organisations & services
Community courses
Support groups
Disclaimer: This directory is designed for information purposes only. The BluePages team is not responsible for, and does not necessarily endorse or recommend the practitioners and services listed here. Although the BluePages team strives to keep the directory up to date, no guarantee is given about the relevance and accuracy of the directory listings provided. Directory last reviewed: 4th September, 2009.
Emergency help
If you are feeling suicidal or need urgent help call one of the following:
Emergency – 000*
Lifeline – 13 11 14
Kids HelpLine – 1800 55 1800
* If you are using a mobile phone and 000 doesn't work, you can call 112 to access the Emergency Call Service. If you have a hearing or speech impairment and can access a TTY (teletypewriter), call 106 for the text-based Emergency Call Service.
South Australia Assessment & Crisis Intervention Service (ACIS)
Tel: 131 465 (24 hour service)
Rural and Remote Mental Health Service of South Australia
Web: www.users.bigpond.com/telemed
The Rural and Remote Mental Health Service of South Australia provides mental health services to people living in rural and remote communities of South Australia. The Service is comprised of metropolitan and rural based professionals working together to achieve positive consumer outcomes.
General
The South Australian Government provides mental health services through the public hospital system.
To find a public mental health service in your region, download the A-Z Directory of South Australian Mental Health Services (PDF file) from: www.health.sa.gov.au/mentalhealth/LinkClick.aspx?link=090508-A-Z-Directory-SA-Mental-Health-Services.pdf&mid=349&PortalID=0.
The University of Adelaide Library also provides a comprehensive list of Government mental health units in South Australia, organised under regional or speciality services. View this directory at: www.library.adelaide.edu.au/guide/med/menthealth/mentadd.html.
Psychologists & mental health practitioners
The Australian Psychological Society referral service
Free call: 1800 333 497 (outside Melbourne only)
Email: referral@psychology.org.au
Web: www.psychology.org.au/ReferralService/About
The Australian Psychological Society offers a referral service. They will provide the names of private psychologists in South Australia who offer the services you want (eg, cognitive behavioural therapy or interpersonal therapy for depression). Alternatively, you can search by entering the name of your suburb (or town).
beyondblue Directory of Mental Health Practitioners
Tel: 1300 22 4636 (Info Line)
Web: www.beyondblue.org.au/index.aspx?link_id=107.1007
For the cost of a local call, the beyondblue info line provides callers with access to information and referral to relevant services for depression and anxiety related matters. Visit the above website to find the relevant Mental Health Practitioner in your area.
Medications advice
Psychotropic Drug Advisory Service
Tel: 03 9388 1633 (STD charges may apply for callers outside Victoria)
Email: enquiries@mhri.edu.au
Web: www.mhri.edu.au/psychotropic.htm
Provides advice to medical practitioners and the general public on choosing treatments, response, side effects of medications and interactions with other medications; as well as information on using medications by special groups such as children and adolescents, the elderly and women who are pregnant or breast feeding. The service can be contacted via email or by phoning the Mental Health Research Institute number given above and asking to be transferred to the Drug Advisory Service.
Telephone counselling & helplines
beyondblue Info Line
Tel: 1300 22 4636 (24 hour service)
For the cost of a local call, the beyondblue info line provides callers with access to information and referral to relevant services for depression and anxiety related matters (not a counselling service).
Kids Helpline
Tel: 1800 55 1800 (24 hour service)
Web: www.kidshelp.com.au
Provides specialised help for young people aged 5 to 25 years, and is staffed by professional counsellors. Daily web-counselling available (see website for current times) and email counselling (not for crisis).
Lifeline
Tel: 13 11 14 (24 hour service)
Web: www.justlook.org.au
Volunteers with professional support, trained in responding to callers concerned about suicide. Provides general counselling and referrals to services in caller's local community.
MensLine
Tel: 1300 789 978 (24 hour service)
Web: www.menslineaus.org.au
Provided by professional staff. The website also includes moderated forums with specific spaces for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander, Vietnamese and Arabic men, rural men, partners, children.
Parent Helpline
Tel: 1300 364 100 (24 hour service; local call cost within SA only)
The Parent Helpline provides telephone information and support for parents in South Australia, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.
SANE Mental Illness Helpline
Tel: 1800 18 SANE (7263)
Web: www.sane.org/helpline/helpline/helpline.html
Provides information and referral for callers concerned about mental illness anywhere in Australia (not a counselling service).
Suicide Call Back Service
Tel: 1300 659 467
Web: www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
The Suicide Call Back Service is a free nation-wide telephone support service for people at risk of suicide, their carers and people bereaved by suicide. It suports callers through a series of six 50-minute telephone counselling sessions, scheduled to suit the caller. Some after hours appointments are available.
Veterans and Veterans Families Counselling Service
Tel: 1800 011 046
Web: www.dva.gov.au/health_and_wellbeing/health_programs/vvcs/Pages/index.aspx
Run by the Vietnam Veterans Counselling Service (DVA) and diverts to Lifeline afterhours. For all veteran and currently serving defence force officers and those in personal relationship with them.
Youth Healthline
Tel: 1300 13 17 19 (24 hour service; local call within SA only)
Provides specialised help for young people aged 12 to 25 years in South Australia, and is staffed by health professionals who are trained and experienced in working with young people.
University counselling services (for students)
The following South Australian universities provide counselling services for their students. Some also provide counselling services to their staff.
University of Adelaide
Tel: 08 8303 5663
Web: www.adelaide.edu.au/counselling_centre
The Flinders University of South Australia
Tel: 08 8201 2118
Web: www.flinders.edu.au/current-students/healthandcounselling/counsel.cfm
University of South Australia
Tel: 08 8302 2330 or 1300 657 122 – City East campus
Tel: 08 8302 002 or 1300 656 377 – City West campus
Tel: 08 8302 4423 or 1300 657 144 – Magill campus
Tel: 08 8302 5006 or 1300 657 133 – Mawson Lakes campus
Tel: 08 8647 6161 (calling from Wyalla) or 08 8302 6161 (calling from Adelaide) – Wyalla campus
Email: counsellors@unisa.edu.au
Web: www.unisa.edu.au/ltu/about/teams/counselling.asp
Public service providers
Centre for Treatment of Anxiety and Depression, University of Adelaide
Tel: 08 8222 8100
Web: www.adelaide.edu.au/psychology/clinic
The Centre offers Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for people suffering anxiety and depression.
Flinders University Psychology Clinic
Tel: 08 8201 2311 (Thursday & Friday only)
Web: https://socsci.flinders.edu.au/psyc/resources/clinic.php
The Flinders University Psychology Clinic provides assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in adults, and anxiety and stress problems in children and adolescents. Services are provided by postgraduate clinical psychology trainees and supervised by the senior clinical psychologist.
University of SA Psychology Clinic
Tel: 08 8302 2170 (Monday, Wednesday, & Friday only)
Web: www.unisa.edu.au/psw/clinic/default.asp
The Psychology Clinic offers affordable psychological services and counselling of a high standard to the general public. Services are by appointment and do not require a medical referral. The Psychology Clinic is staffed by trainees enrolled in the Master of Psychology (Clinical) and other postgraduate programs. Qualified academic staff and clinical psychologists supervise the work of the trainees in the Clinic.
Self help, resources, & consumer organisations
e-couch Personal Self Help
Web: www.ecouch.anu.edu.au
An interactive, evidence-based, self help program that includes modules for social anxiety and generalised anxiety, as well as depression. It provides self help interventions drawn from cognitive, behavioural and interpersonal therapies as well as relaxation and physical activity. e-couch is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
JobAccess
Tel: 1800 464 800
Web: www.jobaccess.gov.au
Provides advice on matters relating to the employment of people with a disability, including those with mental health conditions. The website includes information on practical workplace solutions to overcome barriers in the workplace as well as access to the Australian Government funding via the Workplace Modification Scheme.
Mental Illness Fellowship of SA
Tel: 08 8378 4100
Email: mifsa@mhrc.org.au
Web: www.mifsa.org
Provides information, education and support for people with mental illness and carers. Their services also include a library facility, face-to-face and telephone support, mentoring and education programs, support groups, an activity centre, and accommodation support.
MoodGYM Training Program
Web: www.moodgym.anu.edu.au
An interactive, evidence-based program for depression which incorporates cognitive behavioural therapy. Research has found MoodGYM to be helpful in reducing symptoms of depression in users (See Online Prevention). MoodGYM is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
Young adult health
Web: www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=240&np=298&id=2011
Information about who to contact in South Australia if you are suffering from post-natal depression.
Carer organisations & services
Carers SA
Free call: 1800 815 549 or 1800 242 636 (National Carer Advisory & Counselling Service)
Web: www.carersaustralia.com.au
Offers carer information, suport, and counselling.
Commonwealth Respite & Carelink Centre
Free call: 1800 022 022 (National)
Emergency respite: 1800 059 059
Web: www9.health.gov.au/ccsd
Provides free and confidential information on community aged care, disability and other support services available anywhere within Australia.
Mental health community education courses
LivingWorks Suicide Intervention Training
Web: www.lifeline.org/learn_more/livingworks
LivingWorks is a Lifeline national service. It provides community training to equip people to help persons at risk of suicide keep safe and acess further support.
Mental Health First Aid
Web: www.mhfa.com.au
Provides first aid courses focussing on mental health issues, including depression and suicide intervention training. Visit the website for first aid strategies for helping someone going through a mental health crisis.
Support groups
The Black Dog Institute maintains a list of organisations that run or coordinate mental health support groups in South Australia, available at: www.blackdoginstitute.org.au/public/gettinghelp/supportgroups.cfm#SOUTH.
Alternatively, contact the Mental Illness Fellowship of SA on 08 8378 4100 and ask about support services available in South Australia.
Alcoholics Anonymous Australia
Web: www.aa.org.au
A fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other that they may solve their common problem and help others to recover from alcoholism.
BlueBoard Bulletin Board
Web: www.blueboard.anu.edu.au
An online support group for people affected by depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders. It aims to reduce stigma, and to provide support, hope and opportunities for sharing successful coping strategies. The group is run as a moderated bulletin board with strict protocols to enhance safety and privacy. Forums for carers are also available. BlueBoard is developed and delivered by the ANU Centre for Mental Health Research.
GROW
Tel: 08 8298 9299 | Free call: 1800 558 268
Email: sa@grow.net.au
Web: www.grow.net.au
A self help organisation for people who suffer from depression and other mental illnesses. GROW is based on a 12 step self-help program. Members meet weekly.