Resources

Support for Diverse Communities

Australia has a range of mental health services to meet the needs of Muslim and multicultural  communities. The list below includes resources, orgnisations, and professionals that are working with diverse communities to improve their wellbeing and mental health. You can find out more about the relevant national and local providers by accessing the different links. 

The Australian Multicultural Foundation has developed a series of culturally appropriate, mental health themed video resources, in five community languages (English, Arabic, Somali, Turkish, Urdu), to assist with Victoria’s recovery from the social impacts of COVID-19. The video messages are delivered by medical professionals, healthcare workers and community leaders, and contain culturally appropriate and relevant self-care strategies, address the stigma in relation to mental health, and provide information on how to seek help and access mental health care.

https://amf.net.au/entry/mental-health-messaging-in-community-languages/

Embrace Multicultural Mental Health (the Embrace Project) is run by Mental Health Australia and provides a national focus on mental health and suicide prevention for people from culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) backgrounds. It provides a national platform for Australian mental health services and multicultural communities to access resources, services and information in a culturally accessible format.

 https://embracementalhealth.org.au/

educAID AU was established to meet the dire need of educating and equipping communities with regards to Mental Health.  educAID offers a wide range of Mental Health First Aid Course, with the aim of growing people and impacting communities. A large focus involves increasing mental health literacy amongst CALD populations through education and engagement.

https://educaidau.com/

Project “HeartChat”, is founded by Mental Health of Australia (MHA), and funded by the Victorian Multicultural Commission. HeartChat aims to make it easier for people who speak languages other than English to read and understand information about mental health.

HeartChat is a safe and welcoming site to:
  • Better understand mental health – what is good mental health, and what is bad mental health
  • Find a professional to speak to – someone who can speak your language and/or know your cultural background

https://heartchat.com.au/

 

Hayat Line is a free and confidential crisis support line for Muslims in Australia supporting individuals when experiencing a personal crisis or emotional distress. Hayat Line provides emotional support for suicide prevention with compassion, connection, rahma, nasihah, and hope.

https://missionofhope.org.au/hayat-line-telephone-crisis-intervention-service/

 

MMHP is a network of counsellors, psychologists, social workers and other mental health professionals who work in the area of Muslim mental health. We are a not-for-profit organisation who seeks to support both Muslim and non-Muslim mental health professionals to enhance the work that they do with Muslim individuals and populations in Australia through regular networking and training. We aim to provide mental health professionals who are servicing Muslim clients with a platform for regular networking; sharing of information, resources and ideas; and professional development opportunities.

https://mmhp.org.au/

 

A project initiative by Podium Productions. Run by Muslim youth, for Muslim youth – we are passionate in all things related to mental health and how it intersects with our identity. 

  1. Providing targeted, evidence based psycho-education and mental health literacy to the Muslim community grounded in Islamic knowledge
  2. Bridging the gap in accessibility between Muslim youth and mental health services
  3. Collaborating with communities and existing services to improve mental health and wellbeing

https://sixdegrees.org.au/

 

The Line operates Monday to Friday between 9:00 am and 4:30 pm.

The Transcultural Mental Health Line is a telephone service available to support people who live in NSW and who are from culturally and linguistically diverse communities.

Importantly, language and different cultural understandings of mental health can impact the way people access services.

The Line is specifically focused on supporting people from CALD communities to get the help they need, with a specialist team of health care professionals who speak their language and understand their mental health concern from shared cultural perspectives. 

The service provides brief over-the-phone and telehealth support for callers, including in-language information and support for carers and family members of a person with a mental health concern.

The Line will also provide information for callers on how to access mental health care and it will be able to connect them with relevant services and community support.

For more information on the Transcultural Mental Health Line visit: https://www.dhi.health.nsw.gov.au/tmhl 

 

 

VTMH advocates strongly for cultural safety and supports the examination of societal structures, service systems, and institutional factors. We promote equity and social justice in mental health practice, policy, governance and the allocation of public resources. We aim to listen to people, build on their strengths, and share experiences and information. We apply theories and practices to co-produce resources, build capacity and translate knowledge.