Factsheet 7: Support a Young Person to See a Mental Health Professional How to Encourage Appropriate Professional Help Supporting S upporting someone someone to to ssee ee a p professional rofessional about about their their mental mental health health can can be be difficult. difficult. A member of of the the community community your your main main role role is is to to support support the the young young person person to to seek seek Ass a member appropriate ass y you may be only person an a ppropriate ssupport, upport, a ou m ay b e tthe he o nly p erson who who has has given given tthem hem a n o pportunity to to a sk for for help. help. opportunity ask Often, young people with mental health problem are be O ften, y oung p eople sstruggling truggling w ith a m ental h ealth p roblem a re llooking ooking tto ob e orr p people who can help but won’t always know how ssteered teered ttowards owards rresources esources o eople w ho c an h elp tthem, hem, b ut w on’t a lways k now h ow tto o sstart tart tthe he conversation. conversation. Ask can A sk how how you you c an ssupport upport tthem: hem: might help?’ ‘‘What What do do you you tthink hink m ight h elp?’ professional. IIff they they are are struggling, struggling, suggest suggest they they sspeak peak to to a p rofessional. This This could could be be a school school c ounsellor, a doctor, doctor, a ttherapist, herapist, o pecialised y outh sservice er vice ((like like h eadspace o ids counsellor, orr a sspecialised youth headspace orr K Kids H elpline). It's It's important important to to keep keep encouraging encouraging them them to to seek seek professional professional support support after after Helpline). y ou've h ad a c onversation. you've had conversation.
Immediate Action: If it’s Urgent If you If you b believe elieve ssomeone omeone y you ou k know now iiss a att iimmediate mmediate rrisk isk o off h harm arm to to tthemselves hemselves or or others: others: Do Do not not lleave eave tthem hem alone. alone. Call (000) (000) immediately immediately o resent a he n earest E mergency D epartment. Call orr p present att tthe nearest Emergency Department. Get in in touch touch with with their their primary primary caregiver caregiver o mergency c ontact. Get orr e emergency contact. Suicide Call Call Back Back Service Ser vice 1300 1300 659 659 467 467 Suicide NSW Mental Mental Health Health Line Line 1800 1800 011 011 51 51 NSW Lifeline 13 13 11 11 14 14 Lifeline YARN 13 13 922 922 76 76 YARN Kids Helpline Helpline 1800 1800 55 55 1800 1800 Kids