list of Deaf Aware Mental Health services for Deaf, Hard of Hearing people in Australia
“Considerations when providing Mental Health First Aid to a Deaf person: Mental Health First Aid Guidelines for Deaf First Aiders.” Resource is from Mental Health First Aid.
These guidelines are for adults who identify as Deaf and wish to offer mental health first aid to other people who identify as Deaf. There are companion guidelines for adults who are hearing who wish to offer mental health first aid to someone who identifies as Deaf.
The term ‘Deaf person’ is used in these guidelines to refer to a person with a hearing loss, identifies as culturally Deaf and uses sign language. The Deaf community includes both deaf and hearing people who use sign language and identify with Deaf culture. The role of the first aider is to assist the person until appropriate professional help is received or the crisis resolves. These guidelines are a general set of recommendations. Each individual is unique and it is important to tailor your support to that person’s needs and abilities. These guidelines have been developed as part of suite of guidelines about how to best assist a person with mental health problems. These guidelines should be used in conjunction with existing mental health first aid guidelines that are available on the Mental Health First Aid Australia website (mhfa.com.au).
Accessible Mental Health Services
- Communication issues: Deaf people may face communication barriers, such as a lack of access to Auslan interpreters.
- Limited career opportunities: Deaf people may be overlooked for promotions and career advancement.
- Social isolation: Hearing loss can make it difficult to interact with general community, which can lead to decreased social engagement.
If you are a client facing an Emergency please call 000 immediately, which
can also be done through the National Relay Service (NRS) website here.
Other Mental Health Supports for Deaf people:
- Text message Lifeline crisis text line on 0477131114 for confidential SMS support.
- Beyond Blue provide Webchat, a free 24/7 online service for brief counselling.
- If you need to book interpreters for these appointments, you can BOOK HERE.
