NSW Directory

National Mental Health Lived Experience Peak Bodies

The Federal Government has established 2 national mental health lived experience peak bodies to each represent the following groups:
         * consumers - National Mental Health Consumer Alliance 
         * families, carers and kin - Mental Health Carers Australia
These peak bodies will ensure people with lived and living experience of mental ill-health can help improve the mental health system and services.

Guide for Accessing Services in NSW

Mental Health Carers (NSW) in conjunction with the Australian BPD Foundation have developed a Guide to Services for BPD in NSW.

Seeking treatment

Seeking support as a carer

Navigating the NSW Mental Health System
A website run by the NSW Mental Health Commission

Making health information accessible for people with an intellectual disability
NB. Not BPD specific. The information sheets are for people with intellectual disability and for people who prefer simple written information.

State Wide 

Mental Health Line: a 24-hour telephone service operating seven days a week across NSW. 1800 011 511 (24 hrs)

NSW Government Ministry of Health: Find a Service 02 9391 9000

Wayahead Directory Their services are designed to support individuals, families, caregivers, educational settings, and workplaces in their mental health journeys. Online search for a Mental Health Service in NSW or Tel:  02 9339 6000 or email 

Project AIR Strategy for Personality Disorders
A partnership between the Illawarra Health and Medical Research Institute at the University of Wollongong and the NSW Ministry for Health and Local NSW Health Districts. It seeks to engage the community, families, carers, consumers and health and drug and alcohol services and agencies, to support better treatments for personality disorders. Their website has a lot of useful information/fact sheets for consumers, carers and clinicians including a service directory.

Safe Havens/ Safe Spaces
Safe Havens and Safe Spaces provide the space for people experiencing suicidal thoughts and feelings or emotional distress and/or their carers to access support when they need it, in a calm and caring environment. Safe Haven/ Safe Spaces are staffed by Peer Support Workers and non-clinical Mental Health Support Workers and promote the wellbeing of people through assistance and support to manage their experience of distress, both current and in the future, and reduce the need for people to access emergency departments when they are feeling unsafe. There is no referral or diagnosis required to visit, and any person can use the space. Guests can call  to make an appointment or just walk right in and receive support. Locations below:

Broken Hill 
Old War Vets Road, Thomas Street entrance. 4:30pm to 10:00pm Tuesday to Friday, 11am to 4pm Saturday 08 8084 3700. Click here for details.

Blacktown Safe Space 
24 Panorama Parade, Blacktown NSW. Wednesday to Saturday, 3:00 to 9:00pm. Click here for details.

Campbelltown 
80 Woodhouse Drive Ambervale. Friday to Monday 12:00pm to 7:30pm. Click here for details.

Darlinghurst

St Vincents O'Brien Centre, 390 Victoria Street. 12:00pm to 4:00pm Saturday and Sunday. Click here for details.

Dubbo 
2/29 Church Street. 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Click here for details. 

Gosford 
Corner of Ambulance Road and Holden Street. Open for walk ins 9:00am to 3:30pm (open till 4:30) Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Click here for details. 

Griffith 
81 Kooyoo Street. 2:00pm to 9:00pm Friday to Sunday. Click here for details. 

Kogarah 
Kirk Place, Unit 1-2, Ground Floor, 15 Kensington Street. Friday to Tuesday 5:00pm to 9:00pm. Click here for details.

Liverpool 
Moore St, Bigge Park (opposite bus terminal) 12:00pm to 7.30pm Friday to Monday (including public holidays). Click here for details.

Newcastle 
22 Stewart Avenue, Hamilton East 4:00pm to 9:00pm Friday to Sunday. Click here for more details.

Newtown 
168 Missenden Road 10:00am to 4:00pm Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. Click here for more details.

North Ryde
(Youth Safe Haven, 12 to 17 years) 59 Wicks Road (Macquarie Hospital, Building 72, near Gate 1). 4:00pm to 8:00pm Monday to Sunday (including Public Holidays). Click here for more details. 

Parkes 
Ground floor, Suite 3, 195-199 Clarinda Street. 9:30am to 4:30pm Monday to Friday (excluding public holidays). Click here for more details.

Penrith
(Penrith Head to Health) 111 Henry Street. Open 1:00pm to 9:30pm Monday, Wednesday to Sunday (including public holidays), 1:00pm to 5:00pm Tuesday. Click here for more details.

Port Macquarie 
Community Mental Health, Wrights Road. Open 2:00pm to 8:00pm Thursday to Sunday. Click here for more details.

Tamworth 
(12 years +) 214 Bridge Street, West Tamworth. 4:00pm to 9:00pm Friday to Sunday. 

Tweed Heads 
3/24 Minjungbul Drive. 12:00pm to 6:00pm 7 days a week. Click here for more details.

Wagga Wagga 
7 Yathong Street. 2:00pm to 9:00pm Friday to Sunday. Click here for more details. 

Westmead 
26 Grand Avenue. 3:30pm to 9:30pm Sunday to Wednesday. Click here for details. 

Wollongong 
55 Urunga Parade. 2:00 pm to 10:00pm Wednesday to Saturday. 0401 561 164. Click here for details.

Family Connections (NEABPD Australia) This is a free, 12-week course that meets weekly for two hours to provide education, skills training, and support for people who are in a relationship with someone who has BPD. Available in a variety of locations. Email

Alternatives to Suicide
Alt2Su meetings use a peer-based approach to supporting people who have made suicidal attempts or who have experienced suicidal thoughts. Peer-to-peer mutual support groups provide a space for voicing, sitting with, understanding and moving through suicidal thoughts. Click here to view current meetings in NSW.

Next Steps (Grand Pacific Health) 
Next Steps is a peer-led clinical program for people experiencing suicidal distress. Next Steps is available to individuals aged 16 and older who live in South Eastern NSW and have been having thoughts about ending their life. Access to Next Steps requires a referral from one of their NGO partners or hospital staff such as those from SafeHaven or Community Mental Health teams. Please note that self-referrals and the GPH Mental Health Referral e-form are not accepted for this program. Next Steps is offered throughout South Eastern NSW, with hubs located in Wollongong, Nowra, Moruya, Goulburn, Queanbeyan, and Bega.

LikeMind
Likemind works closely with mental health services in the Local Health District and can support by providing access to psychological interventions with allied health professionals via a Mental Health Care Plan or via brief interventions with LikeMind clinicians. LikeMind can also provide access to a range of carer respite, education, and support services for family members or carers who need support. Provides services to Western Sydney (Penrith & Seven Hills), Orange, and Wagga Wagga.

Marathon Health
Provides generalist non-clinical community-based supports to facilitate recovery in the community via the Commonwealth Psychosocial Support Program. Marathon services Central West NSW, Western NSW, Murrumbidgee, and South East NSW regions.

Being: Mental Health & Consumers Inc
An independent, NSW peak organisation speaking with and for people with lived/living experience of mental health issues and emotional distress. Their primary focus is to ensure the voices of people with mental health issues are heard by decision makers, service providers, and the community, to lead and influence systemic change in services and systems. Refer the their list of NSW consumer networks, support groups and other initiatives  

Organisations and Services supporting the LGBTIQA+ community (NB not specific for BPD) Need to scroll down to access NSW links.

Mental Health Carers NSW
Mental Health Carers NSW provides support and advocacy for families and friends of people living with a mental illness or disorder. If you have just discovered that a family member or friend has a mental illness or disorder you may be feeling shocked, confused and afraid. There is a solution to these feelings of despair if you know what to expect or how best to help the person you care for.

MHCN reaches out with friendship and understanding to all whose lives are touched by a mental health problem. Our aim is to maintain and improve existing levels of support and crisis resolution to all relatives and friends of people with a mental illness, including:
•Carers in rural NSW
•Carers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent
•Carers from non-English speaking (CALD) backgrounds
•Young people, especially siblings and children of people living with a mental illness.

ARAFMI Illawarra 

Provides support and advocacy to families and carers of people living with a mental illness. It works towards better services for both mental health consumers and carers, and promoted understanding of the issues surrounding mental health and care in the community.
T: (02) 4283 3993 or (02) 4283 3499
E: mhc.arafmiillawarra@gmail.com
A: 17 Princes Highway, Fairy Meadow, NSW 2519
Hours: 9am to 4.30pm, Tuesday to Friday

ARAFMI Hunter
Provides a range of services that support carers - individuals, couples, families, children and organisations.
T: (02) 4922 1546.
A: 32 Brunker Road, Broadmeadow (Samaritans Building)
Hours: 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday 

ARAFMI Central Coast
Central Coast ARAFMI is a grassroots organisation which provides support and services for families, carers, and consumers, including children and adolescents who have a family member who experiences mental illness.
T: (02) 4323 7731
E: ccarafmi@bigpond.net.au
A: 21 Bellbowrie Ave, Narara NSW 2250 (Head Office)
6 Community Road, Bateau Bay, NSW 2261 (Yakkalla Social Recreation Program)
Hours: 9am – 4.30pm, Monday to Thursday 

Family and Carer Mental Health Support Programs
NSW Health funds five Non Government Organisations (NGOs) to provide Mental Health Family and Carer Support Services across NSW. There is one NGO service provider in each Local Health District. It is the role of these NGOs to provide:

Education and training packages which teach families and carers about mental illness and its management and help to build coping skills and resilience; Individual support and advocacy services for families and carers of people with a mental illness; and Infrastructure support for peer support groups.

Staying Connected When Emotions Run High
Full day workshop for families, partners and friends supporting a person who has overwhelming emotions, impulsive or aggressive behaviours, self-harm and suicidal behaviours. Click here to see current upcoming workshops.

For health care complaints including mental health care: Health Care Complaints Commission 

For complaints about mental health inpatient services: Official Visitors Program 

Mental Health Tribunal reviews decisions on involuntary treatment. Anyone who is being treated under the Mental Health Act can contact the mental health advocacy service for assistance with tribunal hearings