On this page
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What is Enhancement to Rural Counselling?
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Where to get help
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About the Enhancement to Rural Counselling initiative
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News and media about the rural counselling initiative
What is Enhancement to Rural Counselling?
To better assist rural communities, extra counselling services are now available.
If you are distressed, feeling suicidal or recovering from a suicide attempt, you can now access mobile, face-to-face counselling to get psychological and emotional support.
You can access these services directly or get a referral from your GP or nearest community health centre.
Where to get help
If you are in suicidal crisis, please contact the 24-hour Mental Health Line 1800 011 511 or call 000 for emergencies.
The direct phone number for a service may not always be able to provide immediate assistance.
Illawarra Shoalhaven rural counsellors
Nowra
Base location: Nowra - 55-57 Berry Street, Nowra
Available: 8:30am - 5pm Monday to Friday
Phone: (02) 4424 7800 or 0497 299 100
Ulladulla
Base location: Health One, 130 Princes Highway, Ulladulla
Provides services from Nowra to Mount Agony Road, North Durras
Available: 8:30am-5pm Monday to Friday
Phone: (02) 4455 9999 or 0448 294 708
Far West NSW rural counsellors
Broken Hill
Base location: Broken Hill Health Service, Primary Health
Provides services to Broken Hill and outreach communities
Available: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday
Phone: (08) 8080 1554
Dareton
Base location: Buronga HealthOne, 3 Pittman Avenue, Buronga
Provides services to Buronga and outreach communities
Available: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday
Phone: (03) 5021 7200
Hunter New England rural counsellors
Maitland
Base location: Maitland
Provides services to Upper and Lower Hunter
Available: 9am-5pm Monday to Friday
Phone: 1800 011 511
Email: HNELHD-ruralcounsellor@health.nsw.gov.au
Nepean Blue Mountains rural counsellors
Windsor
Base location: 8 Ross Street, Windsor
Provides services in the Hawkesbury local government area
Available: 8:30am-5pm Monday to Friday
Phone: (02) 4560 4100 or 0407 366 015
Email: NBMLHD-CERT@health.nsw.gov.au
Northern NSW rural counsellors
Lismore
Base location: Community Mental Health, 60 Hunter Street, Lismore
Provides services for Richmond Clarence, Lismore, Ballina and Casino
Available: 8:30am - 5pm, Monday to Friday
Phone: 0400 536 892
Tweed
Base location: Community Mental Health, The Tweed Hospital, Powell and Florence Streets, Tweed Heads
Provides services to Tweed Shire
Available: 8:30am-5pm, Monday to Friday
Southern NSW rural counsellors
Eurobodalla
Base location: Moruya Community Health Centre, 2 River Street, Moruya
Provides services to the Eurobodalla area
Available: 8:30am - 4:30pm, Monday to Friday
Phone: (02) 4474 1561 or 0439 633 427
About the Enhancement to Rural Counselling initiative
Rural and regional communities in NSW experience higher rates of suicide compared to metropolitan areas.
The Enhancement to Rural Counselling initiative is funding 15 rural counsellors to provide extra counselling services in nine rural and remote NSW local health districts, providing much needed counselling support.
The counsellors will
- increase the psychological and emotional support available to people, communities and workplaces
- provide dedicated support to people experiencing suicidal crisis or recovering from a suicide attempt.
Additionally, an agreement has been signed between Western NSW Local Health District and Bila Muuji Aboriginal Corporation to deliver the service with the specific focus on suicide prevention and counselling in local Aboriginal communities.
News and media about the rural counselling initiative
