After hours and crisis support

The After Hours Crisis Counselling Support Line is available between 5pm and 9am weekdays;  24 hours on weekends, public holidays and during University shutdown periods.

This service offers short term help to manage current problems that might be overwhelming your capacity to cope, impacting on your mental health or your sense of safety. It can also provide support and advice if you are concerned about someone else.

Use this service if you need support:

• for yourself (e.g., stressed, distressed, feeling helpless, overwhelmed, fragile)
• if you are supporting someone else who is emotionally distressed.

All calls and SMS communication with the SCU After Hours Crisis Counselling Service are confidential.

The mental health professionals who respond to your call are engaged by SCU via a third party provider. These professionals will log and record all enquiries for information and support purposes. Call and SMS records are shared only with the SCU Counselling Service. The Counselling Service may contact you in relation to your call if requested by you or the mental health professional.

No information will be shared outside of the Counselling Service service without your permission.

However, in certain circumstances your information may be released to a third party if the mental health professional makes a judgment that you or another person is at risk of harm, or where required by law.

All information will be managed in accordance with Australian Privacy laws. For further information please see the SCU Privacy Management Plan.

We welcome your feedback.  Please send any compliments, complaints or comments via email to Counselling Services.

A free interpreting service is available for people who do not speak English well. This service is called Translating and Interpreting Service (TIS).

TIS interpreting can be used with selected organisations, including the SCU After-Hours Crisis Counselling Service.

To access this service:

1. Call TIS National on 131 450.
2. An automated prompt will ask you which language you need. Please state the language that you require.
3. When you are connected to a TIS National operator, say the language you need again.
4. Stay on the line while the operator finds an available interpreter for you.

Information required

The operator will connect you with an interpreter in the language you asked for. You will be asked to provide:

• your name and student number
• the name of the organisation you need to contact:  SCU After-Hours Crisis Counselling Service
• the phone number of the organisation you need to contact:  1300 782 676

Stay on the line while the operator connects you and the interpreter through to the organisation.