Helplines and local mental health services - HE2546

January 2025

Tēnā koe

In this resource you will find a directory of helplines and local mental health service contact details.

To help connect people with their local communities for specific or wider support, this resource includes a blank page for you to fill in with any local helplines and personal supports.

It’s okay to reach out for help – never hesitate if you are concerned about yourself or someone else.

Kia mau ki te tūmanako, te whakapono me te aroha
Hold fast to hope, faith and love

In a crisis or emergency

If someone has attempted suicide or you’re worried about their immediate safety, do the following:

• Call your local mental health crisis assessment team (numbers are further below) or go with them to the emergency department (ED) of your nearest hospital
• If they are in immediate physical danger to themselves or others, call 111
• Stay with them until support arrives
• Remove any obvious means of suicide they might use (e.g. ropes, pills, guns, car keys, knives, poisons.)
  If they live in a high-rise building, help them find somewhere to stay in single-level accommodation.
• Try to stay calm, take some deep breaths. Let them know you care
• Keep them talking: listen and ask questions without judging
• Make sure you are safe

​More information and support

For more information and support, talk to your local doctor, medical centre, hauora, community mental health team, school counsellor or counselling service.

If you don’t get the help you need the first time, keep trying.

Below is a list of some services available which offer support, information and help.

Need to talk? Free call or text 1737
Talk with a trained counsellor, anytime.

For counselling and support

• Lifeline 0800 543 354 (0800 LIFELINE) or free text 4357 (HELP) - here to listen and support
• Samaritans 0800 726 666 – for confidential support for anyone who is lonely or in emotional distress
• Depression Helpline 0800 111 757 or free text 4202 – to talk to a trained counsellor about how you are feeling or to ask any questions
  depression.org.nz
• Healthline 0800 611 116 – for advice from experienced health staff

All services are free, and are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week unless otherwise stated.

For children and young people

• Youthline 0800 376 633, free text 234, email talk@youthline.co.nz or online chat at youthline.co.nz – for young people and their parents, whānau and friends
• What’s Up 0800 942 8787 (0800 WHATSUP) call (11am – 11pm) or online chat at whatsup.co.nz (11am – 10:30pm) every day - for 5-19 year olds
• auntydee.co.nz – a free online tool for anyone who needs help working through problems
  
• thelowdown.co.nz – a space for rangatahi to find support for your hauora, identity, culture and mental health
• sparx.org.nz – an online game to help young people who are feeling down
  
• headstrong.org.nz - a free app for young people to help you cope with stress. Includes the Aroha chatbot.

Help for Deaf and hard-of-hearing people

• NZ Relay nzrelay.co.nz - helps users to connect with services over the phone
• NZ Police 111TXT police.govt.nz/111-txt - register with the New Zealand Police for the 111TXT service.
• TXT, messenger, online chat - many services in this brochure offer txt, messenger or online chat services.

For help with specific issues

• 0508 TAUTOKO Suicide Crisis Helpline 0508 828 865 – if you, or someone you know, may be thinking about suicide, call for support from a trained counsellor
• OUTLine 0800 688 5463 (0800 OUTLINE) - for sexuality or gender identity issues 6pm – 9pm
• Alcohol Drug Helpline 0800 787 797, free text 8681 or online chat at alcoholdrughelp.org.nz - for people dealing with alcohol or other drug problems. Māori, Pasifika and youth lines available.
• Gambling Helpline 0800 654 655 free text 8006 or online chat at gamblinghelpline.co.nz - for help if you are gambling or are concerned about someone else's gambling. Māori, Pasifika and youth lines available.
• 1737 Peer Support call 1737 and choose Peer Support – to talk to someone with personal experience about your mental health or addiction concerns.
  2pm – 10pm daily.
  
• Rural Support 0800 787 254 – for people in rural communities dealing with challenges
• Vaka Tautua 0800 652 535 (0800 OLA LELEI) - free national Pacific helpline. Mon-Fri 8.30am - 5pm. The team speaks Samoan, Tongan, Cook Islands Māori and English
• Anxiety Helpline 0800 269 4389 (0800 ANXIETY) anxiety.org.nz - for people with all forms of anxiety and families and friends
  
• PlunketLine 0800 933 922 – support for parents, including mothers experiencing postnatal depression
• Sexual Harm Helpline 0800 044 334 or text 4334 or webchat at www.safetotalk.nz - to talk about sexual harm and find help for yourself or others
• Women’s Refuge Crisis Line 0800 733 843 (0800 REFUGE) – for women living with violence, or in fear, in their relationship or family
• National Rape & Sexual Abuse Crisis Line 0800 883 300 – for support after rape or sexual assault
• 24/7 HELPline 0800 623 1700 helpauckland.org.nz - support for sexual abuse survivors
• Shakti Crisis Line 0800 742 584 (0800 SHAKTI) – multilingual helpline for migrant or refugee women living with family violence
• Family violence info line 0800 456 450 or chat at areyouok.org.nz - to talk about family violence and find help for yourself or others
• EDANZ 0800 233 269 (0800 2 EDANZ) – for information, support and resources about supporting someone with an eating disorder ed.org.nz
• Asian Family Services 0800 862 342 or help@asianfamilyservices.nz - provides professional, confidential support in multiple languages to Asians living in New Zealand, Monday to Friday 9am – 8pm
• Netsafe 0508 638 723 netsafe.org.nz - support for online safety, incl harassment or bullying, scams and fraud, and harmful digital content,
  Mon-Fri 8am – 8pm; Sat-Sun 9am – 5pm
• smallsteps.org.nz - a collection of online tools to help you calm your mind, manage your stress and lift your mood

For families, whānau and friends

• Yellow Brick Road 0800 732 825 yellowbrickroad.org.nz – for families and whānau supporting a loved one who lives with a mental illness, Mon-Fri
  8am – 4.30pm
• Skylight  0800 299 100 skylight.org.nz – for support through trauma, loss and grief, Mon-Fri 8.30am – 4.30pm
• Aoake te Rā 0800 000 053 aoaketera.org.nz - free counselling for people
  bereaved by suicide, Mon-Fri 8.30 - 5pm
  
• The Grief Centre 0800 331 333 griefcentre.org.nz - for grief counselling, support groups and information about loss, grief, trauma or difficult change, Mon-Fri 9am – 4pm
• Victim Support 0800 842 846 – 24 hour support for people affected by crime, trauma and suicide
• Le Va leva.co.nz mentalwealth.nz – information and support for Pasifika families on mental health, addiction and suicide prevention
• After a Suicide afterasuicide.nz - a website offering practical information and guidance to people who have lost someone to suicide
• Mental Health Foundation mentalhealth.org.nz – for more information about supporting someone in distress, looking after your own mental health and working toward recovery

Mental health crisis team contact numbers

Phone numbers are subject to change. If you or someone else is in danger or at risk of harm, please call 111.

For more information and services

• Family Services Directory familyservices.govt.nz/directory
  To help you find local community services to support you with all manner of issues such as parenting, special needs, family support, family violence, custody and access, child behaviour, life skills, counselling, addiction, sexual abuse, grief and loss and more
• Wellbeing support wellbeingsupport.health.nz
  Find local support services through the Access and Choice programme, which can provide people with support and guidance through challenging times
• Healthify healthify.nz
  Access up-to-date, Aotearoa-based information about a range of health issues and conditions
• Healthpoint healthpoint.co.nz
  Find a health provider in your region and for your health concern. Up-to-date information about healthcare providers, referral expectations and services offered.
  Seach for kaupapa Māori health providers here Kaupapa Māori • Healthpoint
• Just a thought justathought.co.nz
  Free online courses, resources and tools to learn about depression, anxiety and stress and improve your wellbeing

For more information about mental health and supporting your wellbeing, visit the Mental Health Foundation website:
mentalhealth.org.nz

Order our free resources here: shop.mentalhealth.org.nz

Add your own numbers here. These may include the number for your local mental health service, local helplines, organisations, iwi services, whānau and other personal supports.