Mental health

Northern Territory mental health line: 1800 682 288

Good mental health is a sense of wellbeing, confidence and self-esteem.

It enables you to fully enjoy and appreciate other people in day-to-day life and your environment.

If you are concerned about your mental health or that of someone close to you call the NT mental health line on 1800 682 288.

Mental health issues and illness

A mental illness is a health problem that may significantly affect how you think, behave and interact with other people. It describes a group of illnesses that are diagnosed according to standardised criteria.

Mental health issues, such as distress and stress, also affect how a person thinks, feels, and behaves, but usually are short in duration and may be relieved with support rather than clinical intervention.

One in five Australians will suffer from a mental illness each year.

Tips for staying mentally healthy

You should do all of the following:

• talk about your feelings or situations that are worrying you
• keep in touch with friends and family
• ask for support or help early
• eat well
• get plenty of sleep
• keep active
• if you have a drink of alcohol, make sure it is in moderation
• try to not smoke
• take a break
• do things you enjoy
• accept who you are
• don't try to think less of yourself, but try to think of yourself less.

In an emergency where there is a risk to life or personal safety, call 000.

Crisis counselling

• Lifeline – call 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue – call 1300 224 636
• Samaritans – call 13 52 47
• Suicide Call Back Service – call 1300 659 467
• Northern Territory Mental Health Line – call 1800 682 288.

Kids and teens

Kids Helpline – call 1800 551 800.

Men

Support for men dealing with problems and stress, call MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978.

Defence community

For current and former service people and their families, call Defence Force all-hours support line on 1800 628 036.

Non-English speakers

Call Translating and Interpreting Service on 13 14 50 and ask to speak to Lifeline.

Suicide bereavement

Support for people who have been impacted by suicide, call Standby Support After Suicide on 0418 575 680 (Top End) or 0439 842 155 (Central Australia).

Online chat

Online chat may also be available at some services including the following:

• Lifeline
• Beyond Blue
• Kids Helpline
• MensLine Australia
• Suicide Call Back Service.

This page has information for carers of people who have a mental illness.

A carer is someone who is actively involved in a person's care.

It can be either a relative, or someone who is not related such as a friend, housemate or professional carer.

Your rights as a carer

Caring for someone with mental illness is complex and requires commitment.

NT Mental Health Services recognises the contribution and outcomes that result from the work a carer does.

Carers have needs that are separate to the needs of the patient.

As a carer you can expect to be involved in and consulted on treatment, care and discharge plans.

Access to a patient's information

Most patients want carers to be given information about their treatment.

However, if the patient does not give consent for release of information, the doctor in charge of their care can decide to give you the information.

If they decide not to give their information to you, you may be able to apply to the Mental Health Review tribunal to have the decision reviewed.

Children of parents with a mental illness

There are several websites that have information for young carers.

Go to any of the following websites:

• Children of Parents with a Mental Illness
• Itsallright
• Youngcarers

To find out the legal and financial services available for people in the Northern Territory (NT) with mental health issues contact the organisations listed below.

Northern Territory Legal Aid Commission
Phone: 1800 019 343
legalaid.nt.gov.au

Northern Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA)
Darwin: 1800 898 251
Katherine: 1800 897 828
Nhulunbuy: 1800 022 079
naaja.org.au

Centrelink
Phone: 132 717
humanservices.gov.au

This page has information for mental health patients receiving treatment in a Northern Territory (NT) inpatient facility.

Medication or treatment

You must be given information  about your treatment medication and treatment in a form you can understand.

Discharge

You must be consulted and given information about a discharge plan which includes accommodation, ongoing treatment and rehabilitation.

Confidentiality

You have the right to expect your information will be confidential. There are some situations where information can be released for criminal cases, or where it is important for the ongoing care or treatment of a person receiving treatment.

Access to  records

You can apply to access your medical records by writing a short letter to the authorised psychiatric practitioner, outlining the information you would like and why. You should receive a response within 30 days. If you are refused access you have the right to appeal to the Mental Health Review Tribunal.

Mail, phone calls and visitors

You must have access to send and receive mail and to make and receive  phone calls, and receive visitors in reasonable privacy during visiting hours unless you or someone else is placed at risk.

If there is a risk, these rights may be removed by order of a psychiatric practitioner. The order must be reviewed daily and the Mental Review Tribunal told about the order.

You have the right to apply to the tribunal to have the order reviewed.

Complaints

You have the right to complain if you are unhappy with any part of your treatment and care.

Complaints directly to the mental  health service may be made informally, or more formal complaints may be made in  writing on forms that are available from the mental health service.

A person can also complain on the following websites:

• Community Visitor Program (CVP)
• Health and  Community Services Complaints Commission.

Read more about how to make a complaint on the client complaints page of the Department of Health's website.

Involuntary admission: your rights

If you are admitted to hospital by a doctor, called a detention order, you also have the following rights:

• to be examined and assessed by a doctor within 24 hours of admission
• to be examined and assessed every 72 hours
• to be given information about your legal rights, including right to legal representation and advocacy services - you must be told this information and given it in writing with one day of being admitted
• to have your admission reviewed by the Mental Health Tribunal with 14 days of being admitted on the grounds of mental illness and 10 days if admitted on the ground of mental disturbance
• to apply for the Mental Health Tribunal for an early review of your detention order
• to request a relative, friend or community visitor go with you to the tribunal hearing
• to appeal a decision of the Mental Health Review Tribunal to the Supreme Court.

Voluntary admission: your rights

You have additional rights as a voluntary patient, including all of the following:

• the right to stop treatment at any time and refuse treatment offered to you - you should talk to someone in your treating team first
• treatment may only be given with your informed consent
• if you are being treated in an inpatient unit, you may not be placed in seclusion or restrained unless staff believe that you are becoming more unwell and you need to be detained for up to six hours for further assessment by a doctor and possible involuntary admission.

Accessing your information

You have the right to view your files and receive copies of documents about your treatment and care.

You should talk to your doctor who will help you to get access.

Voluntary admission is when you request to be admitted for mental health treatment. This can also be on the advice of your doctor or guardian.

You can ask to be assessed for admission.

You can request voluntary admission if you are any of the following:

• over 14 years old
• a parent or guardian of someone who is under 18 years old
• an adult guardian.

Giving informed consent

Informed consent must be given for voluntary admission and treatment.

This means all of the following must apply:

• you have agreed to admission without any pressure
• you have been given information about your assessment, admission and proposed treatment and had any questioned answered
• you understand what you are agreeing to
• you have been told you can withdraw your consent at any time.

You will be asked to sign a form to say that you have given informed consent and you know what that means for you.

If you can't give informed consent

You may be admitted and treated as an involuntary patient, if your doctor thinks you should be admitted.

Your doctor can then apply to the Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NT CAT) to decide if you can give informed consent.

If you are under 18 years old

Community based treatment is preferred if you are under 18 years old.

If a young person needs treatment in a hospital, they will be cared for separately from adults where possible.

If this isn't possible, then one-to-one nursing will be arranged.

Admission: what to expect

When you arrive at hospital you will be examined by a doctor to see if you need to be admitted, and to make sure you give your consent.

Within 24 hours another doctor will examine you to decide if you still need to be in hospital and give you consent to be admitted.

If either doctor decides not to admit you, they will tell you why and explain that you need to apply for the Mental Health Review if you want to.

Telling someone where you are

It's a good idea to let someone know you have been admitted to an inpatient unit so they know you are safe.

Staff will also know who to contact if something changes and/or you are ready to be discharged.

Usually it is the primary carer who must be informed, especially if you are under 18 years old.

If you have an adult guardian, they must be told and give their consent to treatment.

Treatment: what to expect

Treatment may only be given with your consent or the consent of an adult guardian.

If the adult guardian is asked to give consent, the NT Mental Health Service must give enough information to make an informed decision.

If the doctor has applied to the tribunal to decide whether you can give informed consent, they can treat you while they are waiting for a decision if any of the following apply.

• to prevent you hurting yourself or someone else
• prevent you doing something that is likely to harm you or someone else
• prevent you from becoming more unwell.

How long you can be admitted for

There is no maximum time you can be admitted for as a voluntary patient.

However, if you are admitted for six months, the tribunal will review your admission. If admission is still needed, and you can give informed consent, your treatment will continue.

If the tribunal decides you no longer need inpatient admission it can order for you to be discharged.

Discharge

You have the right as a voluntary patient to leave at any time.

The doctor has the responsibility to discharge you if it is in your best interests or they believe that you will not benefit from a longer admission.

With your permission and/or if the doctor believes it is in your best interests, your carer will also be told that you have been discharged.

Your rights as a voluntary patient

Go to rights of mental health patients for more information.

If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or harming yourself, talk to someone now. This can be your family or friends, or one of the many professionals available to help.

For help over the phone now call the NT mental health crisis line on 1800 682 288 or one of the 24 hour mental health hotlines on NT.GOV.AU.

In an emergency call 000.

People who talk about suicide are at risk and should be taken seriously.

For health professional information about mental health, including corporate publications, go to the Department of Health website.

About suicide

Suicide is the leading cause of death for Australians between 15 and 34 years of age. Suicidal thoughts result from intense psychological pain and distress.

Suicide can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, income, relationship status, education and ethnicity.

A person who has attempted suicide once may be at risk of doing it again. Suicide is preventable and people can fully recover after feeling suicidal.

Talking to someone about your distress does help with suicidal thoughts and can prevent acting on those thoughts.

People who are experiencing suicidal thoughts often feel very alone and isolated. Listening and providing support can help people feel more reconnected and safe.

Warning signs

People can give signs before they attempt suicide.

Talking about suicide with a person will not put them at increased risk, it often decreases distress and risk.

You may recognise when someone is at risk of suicide by recognising the signs, listed below:

• discussing a desire for suicide, 'ending it' or plans to 'not be around'
• feelings of intense distress, hopelessness, helplessness and/or worthlessness, including feeling that others would be 'better off if I'm not around'
• a change in mood and behaviour, 'not acting like themselves', coinciding with a decline in social interaction like not turning up for work, sporting events or other activities usually attended
• depression, insomnia (not sleeping well), anxiety, panic attacks, distress, impaired concentration and loss of rational thinking
• a desire to tie up loose ends - the compiling of a will or sudden distribution of belongings to friends and family
• increased and unusual risky behaviour including destructive drug and alcohol use
• recent traumatic events that create distress such as the death of a loved one or friend, bullying, witnessing or experiencing trauma
• losses that create distress such as a relationship breakdown, loss of employment, or rejection from a social or sporting group
• a mental illness combined with some of the other signs mentioned
• a recent or past suicide attempt or self harm.

If you do recognise any of these signs ask the person what is happening for them. Listen to what they say and if required seek advice from a professional.

Suicide bereavement groups

If you have been bereaved by suicide there are professionals able to assist you in the NT.

For more information call the NT mental health crisis line on 1800 682 288 or go to the suicide bereavement support page.

Suicide prevention strategy

To read about NT suicide prevention strategy, go to the Department of Health website.

Suicide prevention grants

Find out about community grants that are available for projects or activities that address suicide prevention.

This page lists agencies in the Northern Territory (NT) who provide support and counselling if you have been bereaved by suicide or sudden death.

Go to the Living is for Everyone website for a support pack and more information, or contact the agencies listed below.

Under the Mental Health and Related Services Act 1998, you can be detained by police and taken to a doctor or another mental health professional if the police think:

• you need treatment
• or are likely to cause serious harm to yourself or someone else.

You will be assessed to see if you need to be admitted to hospital.

Being assessed

Mental health service staff or NT Police can ask the tribunal for an assessment warrant to take you to be assessed by a doctor or another mental health professional.

They must assess you within 14 days or the warrant will expire. They can assess you anywhere.

This might be needed if you can't be found, or you have refused to agree to be assessed and your behaviour is a risk to others.

This might be because other people may have become worried about you and told mental health staff you may be unable to look after yourself and may need involuntary treatment.

Police powers

Police have powers under the law so they can do the following:

• use any reasonable force and assistance
• enter private property where they think you are.

Police must let you know you have been detained for assessment under the law, and take you to a mental health practitioner as soon as possible.

Community management order

If your community management order is suspended, your doctor may ask a police officer to help transport you safely to the hospital.

This will normally only happen if you refuse to come to hospital and/or your behaviour is a risk to others.

A community management order is when you must live in the community while being treated involuntarily.

You may be placed on a community management order for up to six months by a doctor if any of the following apply:

• have a mental illness
• need treatment or care because you are likely to cause serious harm to yourself or someone else, or suffer serious mental or physical deterioration
• you are not able to give informed consent
• a treatment plan has been prepared for you that can be carried out in your community.

Your treatment plan

Your doctor will first put you on an interim community management order which lasts 14 days.

Within one day, your doctor must tell the Mental Health Tribunal, a lawyer or someone else who can represent you and your adult guardian about your interim order.

A doctor will appoint a psychiatric case manager to oversee your treatment.

The tribunal will look at your treatment plan suggested by your doctor and case manager.

If the tribunal agrees with the treatment plan, this will be part of your community management order.

Your treatment plan may include any of the following:

• who is responsible for your treatment
• where the treatment or care is to take place - eg: your home
• how often the person treating or caring for you must visit you, or you visit them
• medications and/or treatment you will need to receive under the order.

If you disagree with the treatment plan you should talk to your psychiatric case manager/and or your doctor.

If you aren't happy you can apply to the Mental Health Tribunal for a review of your order.

Transferring your order from another state

Your community management order from another state or territory can be transferred to the NT if the tribunal agrees.

The tribunal needs to make sure the order was in force in the state or territory you have come from, and the interstate mental health service and NT Mental Health Service agree to the transfer.

Reviewing your order

Your order will be reviewed by the tribunal within six months. They will decide whether to extend and/or change it.

You can also ask to have your ordered reviewed.

Your case manager will monitor your progress and report back to your doctor. Your doctor must also check on you as often as the community manager order says.

Cancelling your order

If your psychiatric case manager or doctor decide you no longer need a community management order, they may cancel it.

Unless it is cancelled earlier, your community management order will finish on the date written on the order.

You will be given a discharge plan that will address your ongoing needs, and includes advice on how to get back in contact with the NT Mental Heath Service if you need to.

Your local doctor will be sent a letter telling them about the treatment you were given and what you will need from that doctor in the future.

If you don't do what the order says

Your doctor and psychiatric case manager will try to help you follow the order.

However, they can suspend your order while they try to persuade you to do what the order says.

If your order is suspended your doctor will tell you, your adult guardian or representative the order is suspended.

It might mean you need to be admitted to the hospital and given your treatment if you don't agree to have treatment in the community.

You may have to remain in hospital until you are well enough to be treated in the community again.

You can be admitted involuntarily to a treatment facility because of mental illness or mental disturbance. This is called a detention order.

You must not leave the facility unless your doctor gives you a leave of absence.

You must also accept any necessary psychiatric treatment that is ordered by your doctor.

If you are before a court or serving a prison sentence and need treatment for mental illness or mental disturbance, you may be admitted to hospital. 

Almost all hospital admissions, including voluntary admissions, are to the secure Joan Ridley Unit in Darwin. 

If you are in prison you can also be placed on a community management order.

You have the same rights and responsibilities as any other patient admitted to hospital except you are not free to leave, and may have additional security agreed by the Mental Health Services and Correctional Services.

For mental health support and advice call the Northern Territory mental health line: 1800 682 288.

Your doctor will discuss treatment options available and rational for their use with you. You have the right to ask for information about any medication choices.

Medical treatment

Under the law, this includes non-psychiatric treatment, such as surgery and other major medical procedures.

A major medical procedure can only be done if the Mental Health Tribunal gives its approval, or your adult guardian agrees to the treatment and has the consent of the court. 

A major medical procedure may be authorised by your doctor to save your life, or prevent serious harm to you.

Disagreeing with treatment

If you are an involuntary patient and you disagree with treatment you are given, you have the right to ask for another doctor to see if you need that particular treatment.

Under the Mental Health and Related Services Act you also have the right to apply to the Mental Health Tribunal for a review of your admission and treatment. Staff will provide you with the information required to request a review.

Below is a list of non-government organisations which support individuals and carers with emerging or present mental health issues in the Northern Territory (NT).

Below is a list of self-help services on the internet that support individuals and carers with emerging or present mental health issues.