A program for family, friends and carers in NSW
Supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress or following a suicide attempt
When you are supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress or following a suicide attempt, your first concern is often for their wellbeing. Taking care of your own mental health and wellbeing is equally important. The Minds Together program is here to help.
Start the program
Further resources and information
Discover more about the Minds Together program developed to support family, friends and carers in NSW.
Minds Together program
A free online program tailored for family, friends and carers supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress or following a suicide attempt. Learn practical skills and strategies to support yourself and your family member or friend.
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Connect with others
Access a public social forum where you can connect and share with others in support roles.
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About the NSW project
The NSW Ministry of Health and the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care have engaged Everymind to embed the Minds Together program in NSW aftercare services.
View MoreFamily, friends and carers supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress or following a suicide attempt
Learn practical skills and strategies, such as how to:
- Talk about suicide
- Respond to stigma
- Take care of your wellbeing
- Recognise your own needs.
You’ll also hear family, friends and carers share their experiences of providing support, have access to an online social forum, and get tips from suicide prevention experts.
Start the program
24/7 crisis support services
Suicide Call Back Service
1300 659 467
24/7 crisis support for people at risk of suicide, carers and bereaved.
www.suicidecallbackservice.org.au
Lifeline
13 11 14
24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services. To find local services in your area, use Lifeline’s Service Finder.
www.lifeline.org.au
Mental Health Line
1800 011 511
The Mental Health Line is NSW Health’s 24/7 statewide phone service which links people with NSW Health mental health services. It is a free service.
www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/Pages/mental-health-line.aspx
13YARN
13 92 76
24/7 crisis support for Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
www.13yarn.org.au
NSW and national carer support information and support services
Carers NSW
02 9280 4744
Carers NSW is the peak non-government organisation for carers in NSW.
Carers NSW works with all carers regardless of their age, location, life stage or circumstances. This includes those caring for individuals with support needs relating to ageing, disability, health and mental illness.
www.carersnsw.gov.au
Mental Health Carers NSW
(02) 9332 0777
Mental Health Carers NSW works with and for mental health carers, representing their voices and lived experiences. This helps Mental Health Carers NSW advocate systematically for mental health reform and provides a strong voice for mental health carers, families, and friends to influence public and institutional policies and systems.
Mental Health Carers NSW has also developed and run a number of free educational workshops for mental health carers, families and friends. The workshops are designed to inform and support carers in their caring role, as well as to better support their loved one.
www.mentalhealthcarersnsw.org.au
Carer Gateway
1800 422 737
Emotional, practical and financial support for carers, including emergency respite and phone counselling 8am- 5pm, Monday to Friday.
www.carergateway.gov.au
Carers Australia
1800 242 636
Carer support, services and contact details for your nearest state and territory Carers Association.
www.carersaustralia.com.au
QLife
1800 184 527
Telephone and online chat support service for lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, and/or intersex (LGBTI) communities, 3:00pm – midnight every day.
qlife.org.au
More supports
Click through the lists below for links to further support services.
- ACON – Sydney, Lismore, Newcastle
- Central Coast Primary Care – Erina
- Grand Pacific Health – Nowra, Goulburn, Bega, Queanbeyan, Liverpool, Campbelltown
- Mission Australia – Broken Hill, Orange
- Neami – Silverwater, Liverpool
- New Horizons – Lismore, Tweed Heads South, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Mt Druitt, Liverpool
- Stride – Penrith
- Proveda – North Sydney
- Wellways – Wagga Wagga, Griffith
- HealthWISE – Tamworth
- Hunter Primary Care – Warabrook
Connect with others
Connecting with others who share similar experiences can be important in supporting your family member or friend. Access the public social forum moderated by SANE. This is a shared platform where you can observe, connect, and share with others in caregiving roles or with broader experiences of mental health concerns.
Connect on the social forum
About the project
Supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress or following a suicide attempt can be challenging. It can impact your energy, time, sleep, finances, and overall wellbeing. The Minds Together program has been developed to enhance the mental health and wellbeing of family, friends and carers by recognising the critical role they play in reducing suicidal distress and improving outcomes for the people they support.
The NSW Ministry of Health and the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care have engaged Everymind to embed the Minds Together program for family, friends and carers who are supporting someone experiencing suicidal distress or following a suicide attempt in NSW aftercare services. Through the Minds Together program, we aim to provide a tailored, self-paced, evidence-informed online support program for family, friends and carers accessing NSW aftercare services. This program is designed to enhance the mental health, wellbeing, and coping skills of those who provide care and support.
About aftercare
The support someone receives following a suicide attempt, often called aftercare, is vital to improving their mental health and wellbeing and decreasing their risk of suicide. Family and friends are crucial to providing this support, but they cannot do it alone. Aftercare services provide assertive psychosocial outreach support to people who have attempted suicide or experienced suicidal distress. NSW is transitioning to universal aftercare, where support is available to any individual following a suicide attempt or crisis for at least 12 weeks to support them in their recovery journey. For more information on universal aftercare and the Towards Zero Suicides suite of initiatives, click the link below.
Learn more