Port Pirie residents seeking to improve their social and emotional well-being can now access a Lifeline Connect Centre.
Connect is an early intervention model for suicide prevention that aims to connect the community. There are no specific criteria to attend the Lifeline Connect Centre. Lifeline counsellors can be accessed by anyone without a referral or a mental health diagnosis and at no cost to the community - removing barriers to accessing assistance. The centre is funded by Country SA PHN.
“Country SA PHN is committed to increasing access for country South Australians to services that can assist them with their mental health and well-being”, said Country SA PHN Chief Executive Officer Mark Hartigan.
“Country SA PHN’s funding of this Connect Centre enables Lifeline to provide additional support in a welcoming, safe and compassionate space - providing one point of contact for the Port Pirie community to connect and seek help early.”
The walk-in Centre at 79 Esmond Road provides access to a volunteer-based community centre for people struggling with social and emotional well-being, quality volunteer and community training in suicide prevention, crisis support and wellbeing, promoting social inclusion and community participation, a pool of trained volunteers who wish to connect and support socially isolated members of their community and a contact point between trained volunteers and anybody in the community who may want to have a chat or who may need a referral to other services.
“Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast is committed to delivering mental health and wellbeing support to communities across Far West NSW and Regional South Australia,” said Marisa Pickett, Acting CEO, Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast.
“With the support of Country SA PHN, in 2021 we opened a Connect Centre in the Clare valley, which has been hugely successful in supporting people in the region and to now be able to do the same in Port Pirie is amazing.”
The Lifeline Connect Centre was developed with considerations to the final report from the Prime Minister’s National Suicide Prevention Advisor and CEO of the National Mental Health Commission Christine Morgan. This included:
Free face to face, video, and phone counselling services are available to provide support in a broad range of areas including: relationships, youth, suicide and harm prevention, general mental health and wellbeing, anger management, anxiety, alcohol and other drugs, financial distress, and grief and loss.
The 79 Esmond Road Centre is currently open, and the official launch will be held on Wednesday 16 August 2023.
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Lifeline Connect Centre Port Pirie
79 Esmond Road, Port Pirie
Opening hours: 9:00am – 5:00pm, Monday to Friday.
To find out more about the Lifeline Connect Centre Port Pirie please email Lorna Woodward, Regional Coordinator Connect Centres, at: lorna.woodward@llbhc2c.org.au.
If this story has raised personal concern, please contact:
For immediate medical assistance in an emergency always call Triple Zero (000) and ask for the ambulance.
Mental Health Triage Service for non-life-threatening mental health emergencies, phone the 24/7 Mental Health Triage Service 13 14 65.
Lifeline (24 hours) Phone 13 11 14 for immediate support. Lifeline online counselling (6.30 to 11.30 pm, South Australian time)
Regional Access for telephone and online counselling 24/7 for people 15 years and older living or working in regional South Australia – 1300 032 186
Head to Health Phone service for mental health assessment and navigation - 1800 595 212.
Kids Helpline (24 hours) Free counselling for people aged 5 to 25 years. Phone 1800 55 1800 or access help online from Kids Helpline online counselling.
Country SA PHN:
Country SA PHN is responsible for commissioning Commonwealth directed funding for primary health services throughout regional South Australia. It is the health network set up to service the country regions of South Australia, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery while improving the coordination of patient care.
Established by the Australian Government, we exist to bridge the gap of health inequity and access in rural South Australia by building a collaborative and responsive health care system. Country SA PHN covers 99.8% of the state geographically, incorporating approximately 30% of South Australia’s total population.
Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast:
Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast is a Non-Profit, Non-Government Organisation servicing Broken Hill and approximately 70% of South Australia. Our organisation is committed to an Australia free of suicide, delivering suicide prevention programs, training, and awareness.
As an organisation Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast manage several retail shops and delivers Domestic Violence training (DV-Alert) nationally along with other programs. We have over 35 staff and over 350 volunteers greatly committed to the core business of suicide prevention.
Along with a distribution warehouse in Port Pirie, Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast manage and operate retail shops in Broken Hill, Port Pirie, Port Augusta, Whyalla, Clare, Gawler, Wallaroo, and Moonta. Lifeline Broken Hill Country to Coast relies heavily on the retail arm of the organisation to cover operational costs and our commitment to delivering free services to the local community.
Lifeline aspires to be a leader in providing opportunities for people to benefit from and contribute to quality services in local communities across Australia. These opportunities link people with counselling, personal support, self-care resources, information about community services and training.
