Support services

Ask people you know about services, especially those who have had experiences themselves or who work in the health sector. Collect information about services available.  

Read websites and pamphlets. Check out the Family Services Directory for more information about services.

Ring the helplines and the services themselves and ask for more information.  

You could talk to your GP about the choices available to you. Talk to school guidance counsellors or school social workers. There will be professional people who know the next step to take if you need expert help and referrals. In large cities you can sometimes choose between Pasifika services or mainstream services. Mainstream services often have Pasifika workers within them if you ask.  

Public services are free. Sometimes there can be waiting lists and limited choices. Some people choose to pay for private services.  

Decide on the appropriate agency with your loved one once you have everything you need to know.  

Refer: In some cases you might need to be the person who makes the referral to a service.

Support: Be the support person at an appointment. It is often daunting going into a service for the first time. When people are in distress it is hard to keep track of times, facts, past events and tell your story coherently. It is helpful to have someone else there. Follow-up to ensure the appointment occurred.

Crisis teams

Mental health crisis teams can be accessed in an emergency. They provide 24 hour, seven-days-a-week assessment and short-term treatment services for people experiencing a serious mental health crisis and for whom there are urgent safety issues.  You can contact a crisis service by yourself or you can be referred by a GP or other community provider. 

Sometimes a person may need to be hospitalised until the suicidal crisis has passed.