Carers identified?

Who can help you

Page last updated: 2010

Information regarding diagnosis, treatment and medication

The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) has developed a number of guidelines to assist you to gain a deeper understanding of specific diagnoses. These are available in printed form or from the RANZCP website.

Carer organisations

Carer Advisory and Counselling Service

This organization can refer you to services and tailored information and resources to support you in your role. They can also provide you with a Carer Support Kit containing general information about issues such as looking after yourself, managing health care and medications, loss and grief and an Emergency Care Kit.

Call Freecall 1800 242 636

Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres

Provide assistance to carers to access respite or to take a break and provides information about community and aged care services. They can provide information and advice about respite options and help with organizing planned or emergency respite.

Visit the Commonwealth Respite and Carelink Centres website or call Freecall 1800 052 222. For after hours emergency respite call Freecall 1800 059 059.

The Association of Relatives and Friends of the Mentally Ill (ARAFMI)

ARAFMI's aims are to:
  • Ensure state and federal governments recognise the role, contribution and needs of carers.
  • Advocate for policy changes and improve services to address carer needs.
  • Support carer involvement in the planning, delivery and evaluation of services for people with mental illness and their carers.
  • Facilitate communication between carers and government.
  • Establish partnerships between carers and service providers.
  • Encourage research on best practice in carer support. Top of page
Carer issues are identified and worked on through monthly Carers Network meetings and specific working groups. Carer issues and policy positions are taken to State and Federal government officers and Ministers via:
  • Regular meetings with the Mental Health Branch;
  • Letters, submissions, deputations;
  • Liaison and representation on government committees.
On a local level carer representatives are often asked to:
  • Sit on interview panels for staff selection of mental health services staff;
  • Represent carers at mental health service quality meetings;
  • Represent carers at mental health service strategy workshops;
  • Advise mental health services on carer issues and perspectives.
ARAFMI NSW Information and Support Line
Ph: (02) 9332 0700 or regional: 1800 655 198

ARAFMI QLD 24 hour support line
Ph: (07) 3254 1881 or regional: 1800 351 881

ARAFMI TAS
Ph: (03) 6228 7448

Mental Health Carers NT (formerly NT ARAFMI)
Ph: (08) 8948 1051

ARAFMI WA
Ph: (08) 9427 7100 or rural: 1800 811 747

Other organisations

There are a number of other organisations available for support. Many have a website with generally a lot of information which you might find helpful. Others have support telephone services.

Where to go for help

  • Your general practitioner
  • Your community health centre
  • Your community mental health centre
For immediate counselling assistance, contact:

Lifeline on 13 11 14 - 24 hour confidential telephone counselling to anyone within Australia.

For information on services, check the Community Help and Welfare Services and 24-hour emergency numbers in your local telephone directory.

Location of the service

It is suggested that this becomes an insert within this booklet.

<Insert name and address of the service>
Phone:
Email:

The service is located between <insert landmark> and <insert landmark>, close to <insert landmark> and has good access to public transport.

<Insert image from street directory>

Trams: <insert information>

Trains: The closes train station is <insert name>

Buses: <insert information>

Visiting hours: Carers, family and friends may visit outside of program hours, from <insert time> am to <insert time> pm weekdays and 9 am – 8:30 pm over the weekend. Whilst we appreciate the importance of retaining close contact with families and friends, it is also important that the person you care for participates in all therapeutic activities appropriate to the stage of their illness. We understand that some families may live some distance from the hospital and therefore will need a degree of flexibility in visiting times.