Lifeline’s text service is uniquely placed to deliver that immediate help as well as referring help seekers to other services if they need it.
Lifeline, the national charity providing all Australians experiencing emotional distress with access to 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services, is now helping reach an entirely new group of Australians in distress and at high risk of suicide with their new 24/7 Crisis Text Service.
Existing so that no person in Australia has to face their darkest moments alone, Lifeline has provided Australia’s only Crisis Text helpline since 2019, providing support to people in psychological distress.
Thanks to a $1.5 million grant from the Australian Government, Lifeline Australia has now been able to fast-track the expansion of text and chat services to 24-hours-a-day, seven-days-a-week to meet demand and increase accessibility for hard-to-reach groups.
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The Lifeline Crisis Support Text Service is now available at every single moment via confidential text message to 0477 13 11 14. Following a few questions via text, Australians are connected to a trained Lifeline crisis supporter.
Lifeline CEO Colin Seery said that rather than diverting phone calls from the 13 11 14 service, the always-on digital platform has in fact increased the range and a total number of people contacting the organisation.
“This is a landmark in suicide prevention in Australia and is all about bringing help to people who are in situations and environments where accessing support through digital communication is the only safe or viable option,” said Mr Seery.
“The service is unique in that it allows for genuine privacy during contact, so it is well suited to support cohorts at heightened vulnerability such as help seekers experiencing domestic and family violence or those living with a disability.”
In a 2019 evaluation of the original service by the Australian Health Services Research Institute, 42 per cent of contacts said they would not have used another service if the text or chat were not available. Of 1000 help seekers who were asked to provide demographic information, the median age of people using the service is 24 years old, while 80 per cent of help seekers identified as female.
Minister for Health and Aged Care, Greg Hunt, said Lifeline’s 24/7 text service is an important expansion of the vital service the charity provides in crisis support and suicide prevention.
“The significant surge in demand for Lifeline’s services during COVID means more people are reaching out for help, and services like Lifeline are there to help,” said Minister Hunt.
“The expansion of the text service is backed by data showing that it is the preferred channel for high risk members of the community including young people, those experiencing family and domestic violence, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.”
Lifeline Crisis Text is currently funded by the New South Wales State Government through a $6 million four-year grant agreement. The service has also been supported under the COVID-19 response funding ($2.5m) provided to Lifeline by the Australian Government.
To handle the unique challenges of the service, Lifeline is continuing to train a new legion of volunteers, while In Shift Support Supervisors offer psychological support in real-time with up to eight Crisis Supporters on a shift.
If you, or someone you know are feeling overwhelmed, we encourage you to connect with Lifeline in the way you feel most comfortable.
You can phone Lifeline to speak to a Crisis Supporter on 13 11 14 (24 hours a day, 7 days a week), text 0477 131 114 (24 hours/7days) or chat to Lifeline online at www.lifeline.org.au (24 hours/7 days).
