Mental health support: Lifeline, Beyond Blue and help in your language

Department of Health, Disability and Ageing; Lifeline; Beyond BlueVerified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

If you are struggling, having thoughts of suicide or worried about someone close to you, Australia has free 24-hour helplines: Lifeline 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636. If life is in danger, call 000. If your English is limited, call the interpreter service TIS on 131 450 first, say your language, and ask to be connected to the helpline. For ongoing treatment, your GP can prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan so that Medicare pays towards psychological therapy. You can also walk into a free Medicare Mental Health Centre with no referral and no Medicare card.

Key facts

If life is in danger: Call 000 at any time, or go straight to the nearest emergency department⁴
Lifeline: Phone 13 11 14, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Text 0477 13 11 14, 24 hours. Online one-to-one chat, 24 hours. Free and confidential, for anyone in Australia¹
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counselling and support for anxiety, depression and suicide prevention³
13YARN: 13 92 76, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, answered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis supporters¹
Kids Helpline: 1800 55 1800, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for anyone aged 5 to 25, about anything at all. Free, including from mobiles³
Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Phone counselling for people at risk of suicide, people worried about someone else, and people bereaved by suicide³
Medicare Mental Health phone line: 1800 595 212, weekdays 8:30am–5pm (except public holidays), free. Trained professionals help you find suitable free or low-cost services near you⁴
Medicare Mental Health Centres: Free across Australia. No appointment, referral or diagnosis needed; just walk in. Extended opening hours. Free TIS interpreters are available at the centres and on the phone line⁴
No Medicare card needed: You do not need an appointment, a referral, Medicare enrolment or a Medicare card to visit a Medicare Mental Health Centre, and you do not need to be an Australian citizen⁵
How many sessions a Mental Health Treatment Plan covers: With a plan, you can claim up to 10 individual and 10 group therapy sessions from Medicare each calendar year. Your doctor, psychiatrist or paediatrician can refer you for up to 6 sessions at a time; whether you need more is the doctor's decision. Psychologists set their own fees, and Medicare may cover only part of the cost⁵
TIS interpreter line: 131 450, 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Charged at the local call rate within Australia (mobiles may cost more). Most interpreting is free for non-English speakers; the organisation you are contacting pays⁶
Calling Lifeline in your language: Call 131 450 first, say your language, then say Lifeline 13 11 14 and wait to be connected. The interpreter stays on the line for the whole call²

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Helplines (Lifeline, Beyond Blue, Kids Helpline, 13YARN and others) are open to everyone in Australia, whatever your visa, and do not need Medicare.
Anyone can use a Medicare Mental Health Centre and the 1800 595 212 line. No Medicare card, referral or citizenship is needed.
For Medicare to pay towards psychological therapy (Better Access), you need Medicare, and a GP (or psychiatrist or paediatrician) must assess that you have a diagnosed mental disorder, prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan and refer you.
Kids Helpline is for ages 5 to 25. Medicare Mental Health Kids Hubs are for children aged 12 and under and their families. 13YARN is for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
The Medicare Mental Health Check In online tool is for people living in Australia aged 16 and over.

How do I do it? Steps and process

If there is danger, call 000 first
If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 000 for an ambulance or the police, or go to the nearest emergency department.
Want to talk to someone now? Call a helpline
Lifeline 13 11 14 (you can also text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online) and Beyond Blue 1300 22 4636 are both open 24 hours. They do not judge you or make decisions for you; they listen and help you think things through.
Need your own language? Call TIS on 131 450 first
When the call connects, say your language as prompted, then tell the operator you want to call Lifeline 13 11 14 (or another helpline). The interpreter stays on the line and translates for the whole call.
Not urgent, but you want ongoing treatment? See your GP first
Your GP will do a mental health assessment and, if needed, prepare a Mental Health Treatment Plan and refer you to a psychologist, psychiatrist, occupational therapist or social worker. They may also prescribe medicine.
See a psychologist
Each referral covers up to 6 sessions, and you can claim up to 10 individual sessions per calendar year. When you book, ask the fee per session and how much Medicare pays back; if they bulk bill, you pay nothing. In remote areas you can have video consultations.
Do not want to go through a GP? Visit a Medicare Mental Health Centre
Walk in, or call 1800 595 212 to find your nearest centre. It is free, with no referral and no Medicare card needed. If you need your own language, ask the centre to connect a TIS interpreter.
Children and young people
Anyone aged 5 to 25 can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800. Children aged 12 and under and their families can go to a Medicare Mental Health Kids Hub.

What documents do I need?

To see a GP for a Mental Health Treatment Plan: your Medicare card
To see a psychologist: your GP's referral and treatment plan
To call a helpline or visit a Medicare Mental Health Centre: no documents at all

What should I watch out for?

Lifeline's text service starts by asking a few optional questions (age, location); you can skip them. There may be a queue, and the system tells you that you are still waiting. You will always reach a real person.
The 1800 595 212 line is only answered on weekdays during the day. At night and on weekends, call Lifeline or Beyond Blue.
Medicare Mental Health Centres are not a crisis service. In an emergency, call 000.
Psychologists set their own fees, so there is often a gap to pay after the Medicare benefit. Ask whether they bulk bill when you book. If you have private health insurance, ask your insurer whether it covers part of the cost.
After you call 131 450, say your language when prompted. The operator confirms the language and finds an interpreter. If no interpreter is available in your language right then, you can call back later or try another language you speak.
The Medicare Mental Health website (medicarementalhealth.gov.au) lets you switch its information pages to other languages.
International students and temporary visa holders without Medicare can still use the helplines and Medicare Mental Health Centres. For psychologist fees, ask your OSHC or OVHC insurer.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information, not medical advice. If you think you or someone else is in danger, call 000 straight away.

Common questions

Is there a mental health helpline in Australia that supports my language?

Yes, through an interpreter. Call TIS on 131 450 first, say your language, then tell the operator you want Lifeline 13 11 14 (or another helpline). The interpreter stays on the line for the whole call. TIS is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and most interpreting is free for non-English speakers. Medicare Mental Health Centres and the 1800 595 212 line also offer free TIS interpreters.

I'm feeling very low and want to talk to someone. Who do I call?

Call Lifeline on 13 11 14, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, free and confidential. You can also text 0477 13 11 14 or chat online. Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636 is also open 24 hours, for anxiety and depression. Helplines do not judge you or decide for you; they listen and help you think things through. On weekdays, 1800 595 212 can help you find free or low-cost local services.

I'm having thoughts of suicide, or worried a family member is. What should I do?

If life is in immediate danger, call 000 for an ambulance or the police, or go to the nearest emergency department. Otherwise call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or the Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467; both are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Suicide Call Back Service is for people at risk, people worried about someone else, and people bereaved by suicide. For your own language, call TIS on 131 450 first.

Does Medicare cover seeing a psychologist in Australia? Do I need to see a GP first?

Yes, but you need to see a GP first. The GP does a mental health assessment and, if needed, prepares a Mental Health Treatment Plan and refers you to a psychologist, psychiatrist, occupational therapist or social worker. Medicare pays only with a plan and a referral (Better Access). Psychologists set their own fees, so ask whether they bulk bill. If you do not want to go through a GP, a Medicare Mental Health Centre is free.

What is a Mental Health Treatment Plan and how many sessions can I claim per year?

It is a plan prepared by your GP (or a psychiatrist or paediatrician) after assessing that you have a diagnosed mental disorder, and it lets Medicare pay towards psychological therapy. With a plan you can claim up to 10 individual and 10 group therapy sessions each calendar year. Each referral covers up to 6 sessions; your doctor decides whether you need more. In remote areas you can have video consultations.

Who can I contact if I'm worried about my child's mental health?

Children and young people aged 5 to 25 can call Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, about anything, free including from mobiles. Children aged 12 and under and their families can go to a Medicare Mental Health Kids Hub. For ongoing treatment, see a GP or paediatrician for a Mental Health Treatment Plan. If life is in danger, call 000.

What is a Medicare Mental Health Centre and does it cost anything?

It is free. Medicare Mental Health Centres across Australia let you walk in with no appointment, referral or diagnosis, and you do not need Medicare enrolment, a Medicare card or Australian citizenship. They have extended hours and free TIS interpreters. Call 1800 595 212 (weekdays 8:30am–5pm) to find your nearest centre. They are not a crisis service; in an emergency, call 000.

I'm an international student without Medicare. Can I use these services?

Yes. Helplines such as Lifeline, Beyond Blue and Kids Helpline are open to everyone in Australia, whatever your visa, and do not need Medicare. Medicare Mental Health Centres and the 1800 595 212 line also need no Medicare card or citizenship. Only Medicare payments towards psychological therapy require Medicare; for psychologist fees, ask your OSHC or OVHC insurer.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

Crisis supportLifeline Australia · lifeline.org.au
Language translation & accessibility supportLifeline Australia · lifeline.org.au
Crisis support for parenting and childrenDepartment of Social Services · dss.gov.au
Medicare Mental HealthDepartment of Health, Disability and Ageing · health.gov.au
Mental health care and MedicareServices Australia · servicesaustralia.gov.au
Interpreting servicesTranslating and Interpreting Service (TIS National), Department of Home Affairs · tisnational.gov.au

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The AI answers using this guide and official Australian government websites.

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