Accessing Free Treatment

organisations assisting in suicide prevention

Life Matters Suicide Prevention Trust | Te Whare Oranga Ngākau has a Crisis Café in the Hope Centre | Te Whare Tūmanako, 63 Hanover Street, in Dunedin. The Hope Centre is a safe place for those in crisis during the Crisis Café hours of 1pm - 9pm on Thursdays. Regular appointments will be scheduled outside of these hours.


In an emergency or if you feel you or someone you know is at risk, dial 111.

If someone has attempted suicide, or you’re worried about their immediate safety, please act quickly:

Call your local mental health crisis assessment team or go with the person to the emergency department (ED) at your nearest hospital.

Try to stay calm and let them know you care.

Keep them talking and make sure you are safe.

Do not leave them alone.

Stay with them until other support arrives.

Remove any obvious means of suicide they might use.

Accessing Free Treatment

There are a number of different ways to access free treatment for mental distress locally in the Southern District. For elsewhere in the country, it may be best to ask your GP for contacts for your local services.

There are a number of different ways you might be able to access FREE treatment for mental health or mental distress issues:

If your GP is part of the ProCare PHO, you may be eligible for funded GP mental health care and access to 4-6 sessions of psychological intervention (and in some instances funded psychiatric review if indicated).

If you use WINZ, you may be eligible for 10 free counselling sessions! Talk to your case manager.

If you are in paid employment, you may be able to access free counselling through your company’s Employee Assistance Programme. For more info visit eapservices.co.nz or talk to your employer.

If you have experienced sexual abuse, assault or another injury related to a suicide attempt you may be eligible for ACC support to pay for therapy with a clinical psychologist or psychotherapist. Ask your GP about making a Sensitive Claim.

Wait times for these services can be long at times. Do not less this discourage you. Come in to the Hope Centre in Dunedin, New Zealand and have a chat to our Peer Support team. We can support you while you wait for further mental health support.