Our response to COVID-19

HelpingMinds are continuing to operate workshops in-person, to ensure our clients and community are able to access the supports they need, including our COVID-19 Emotional Support Services.

To keep yourself and others safe, please remember to;

• Ensure you wear a face mask to our workshops and events, and practice physical distancing – please check in using Service WA, and provided contact registers.
• Practice good hand hygiene, washing hands regularly and hand sanitising. Hand sanitiser will be available at workshops.
• Stay home is you feel unwell, attended an exposure site or are a close contact.
• Please ensure you RSVP for all workshops, events and support groups – we are unfortunately unable to accept walk ins.
• There are some venue changes to allow for the appropriate social distancing, please check with our Customer Service Team if you are unsure if this applies to you.
• Please note some of the venues we are facilitating workshops require proof of vaccination, please have this available to show if requested by a venue team member.
• We also have telehealth and online supports available, please reach out to our Customer Service Team if you would like more information.

For the most up to date WA Government advice, visit HealthyWA, Western Australian Department of Health

As our response to COVID-19 Emotional Support, HelpingMinds will continue its telehealth activities, counselling and supports via phone and video for Covid-safe service delivery until Thursday next week.

This way, we hope to make the transition between telehealth and in-person services smooth and easy for all our clients and staff.

Programs in our regional areas such as Geraldton, Broome, Carnarvon and Port Hedland will continue as scheduled.

Where possible, NDIS supports continue face-to-face with recommended protective equipment in place.

At HelpingMinds, we are supporting our clients and participants over the phone and online through digital health for the rest of this 4-day lockdown period.

We aim to avoid unnecessary community movement, whilst continuing essential supports for people with a psychosocial disability to have safe community access.

We will provide face-to-face supports when and where it is in line with government guidelines, and we can only provide in person supports where the client will wear a mask.

The lockdown does not affect any of our regional services outside of Perth, Peel and Darwin.

If you have any questions about your scheduled supports, please get in touch with us! Reach out to your support worker or contact us on (08) 9427 7100 or info@helpingminds.org.au

To receive the latest information regarding our 4-day lockdown in Perth, Peel and Darwin please visit the WA Government Announcements website.

COVID-19 exposure sites are being updated regularly. Please visit the links below for the most current information.

List of exposure sites in Western Australia
List of exposure sites in Northern Territory

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown that commenced at 12.01am on Tuesday 29 June 2021, our HelpingMinds® offices in the Perth Metro area and Darwin will be closed until Monday 5 July 2021.

Most of our services will be transferred to phone and online supports via video chat. If you have an appointment, a team member will be in contact to organise this with you. Essential services such NDIS supports will continue in-person with social distancing and mask requirements in place. Participants will be contacted by their support worker.

If you wish to postpone your appointment due to the lockdown, you can contact HelpingMinds between 8.30am and 4.30pm via (08) 9427 7100 or email us on info@helpingminds.org.au

Please note, our regional offices are open as normal.

You can follow updates via www.helpingminds.org.au/covid-19/ or via our Facebook “HelpingMindsAu” channel.

If you require immediate help outside of our office hours, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

With the lift of the COVID lockdown on Friday 5 February 2021 at 6pm, our HelpingMinds® service delivery face-to-face in person will resume subject to social distancing and masking requirements.

Services by video and telephone will also continue during this first week of transition.

For the latest news on the changed restrictions go WA government website.

Due to the COVID-19 lockdown that commenced 6pm on Sunday 31 January 2021, our HelpingMinds® offices in the Perth Metro area will be closed during the week of 1 February.

We will provide phone and online supports to replace our face-to-face supports.

If you have an appointment you will be contacted by a member of our team.

To reschedule you can call our reception team on (08) 9427 7100.

Please note our regional offices are open as normal.

You can follow updates via www.helpingminds.org.au/covid-19/ or via our Facebook “HelpingMindsAu” channel.

If you require immediate help outside of our office hours, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Due to West Australia’s low number of COVID-19 cases, HelpingMinds® will no longer be offering our free COVID-19 emotional support services.

However, all of our existing free services are still available in a COVID safe environment including:

• Support for adults and young people in WA who have a loved one living with mental ill-health, such as
  • Counselling
  • Support groups and workshops
  • Advocacy
  • Peer support
• NDIS support
• Early Intervention support for young people with emotionally difficulty or who at risk of developing mental ill-health
• Community education and training

To find out more visit out services page or if you have any other questions, please call us on (08) 9427 7100.

The past few months have changed the way we live and work, and we acknowledge that this can be a difficult time for many.

HelpingMinds® has therefore decided to extend our COVID-19 support until the end of September. This means that anyone in WA can access three free and confidential counselling sessions at HelpingMinds® if they are experiencing emotional distress due to COVID-19. These sessions can be in person, over the phone or via video.

To access this service or if you have any other questions, please call us on (08) 9427 7100.

As restrictions ease in WA we are excited to announce the return to some of our face to face supports.

This includes a variety of in-person counselling, support groups and workshops.

Head to our events to register for a group in your area or give us a call to book a counselling session or to discuss how best we can support you (08) 9427 7100.

HelpingMinds® is providing free emotional support services to anyone in Western Australia and Northern Territory who feels overwhelmed by the current COVID-19 situation or their personal circumstances.

Through HelpingMinds® you can access 3x free phone or video counselling sessions with a mental health professional, without the need for a GP referral.

If you are struggling emotionally or mentally, please don’t hesitate to call – we can help!

You can make an appointment between 8.30am – 4.30pm, Mon to Fri.

Appointments for phone and video counselling are available between 7am and 7pm.

Call HelpingMinds® on 1800 811 747.

If you need support outside of these hours, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14.

In some circumstances, such as self-harm and suicide ideation, we will transfer callers to acute crisis support services.

HelpingMinds® additional COVID-19 services are available from Monday 30 March. Anyone over 18 years old, living in Western Australia or the Northern Territory, can access our COVID-19 service offer. Our Carer Support services, Early Intervention services and NDIS services are also still in place.  

Helping Minds® has developed a 4-page handout with our “Top Tips for Carers during COVID-19”.

Download this resource here.