Lifeline and Beyond Blue forge new partnership in mental health support

Article submitted by: Lifeline and Beyond Blue

Lifeline and Beyond Blue are joining forces in a new partnership to make it easier and more efficient for people to find the support that best suits them. As community demand for mental health and crisis support rises and resources become increasingly tight, the organisations have designed their new strategic directions to be complementary. Lifeline will continue to focus on supporting people in crisis and Beyond Blue will continue to focus on prevention and earlier intervention, supporting people at the first sign of struggle.

Together, the organisations support millions of people a year with information, advice, online self-help and referrals via telephone, text, webchat and digital platforms.

Beyond Blue and Lifeline partnership delivers streamlined approach to mental health sector

Lifeline and Beyond Blue are working together under a new partnership to make it easier for people to find mental health support that best meets their needs.

The partnership was announced late last year and was developed in response to increased community demand for mental health and crisis support. Lifeline and Beyond Blue will focus on offering support services that are complementary, so people know who to go to when they need different levels of support.

Lifeline will continue to focus on suicide prevention and supporting people in crisis, delivering 24/7 crisis support helpline and local community support services.

As part of this new partnership, Lifeline will take ownership of Beyond Blue’s highly regarded suicide prevention app, Beyond Now. This represents an important step in helping to make a clear distinction between the services provided by Beyond Blue and Lifeline.

This new complementary approach strives to streamline Australia’s mental health and crisis support, providing people with what they need, no matter how they feel or where they are on their mental health journey.

The two organisations have formalised a three-year collaboration agreement that will build on their long record of working together to advocate for system reform. This ensures they are better placed to share resources and connect people with the information and advice.

Beyond Blue and Lifeline worked closely during the Black Saturday bushfires and at the height of the pandemic by linking young people to Lifeline’s crisis text service from the Coronavirus Mental Wellbeing Support Service delivered by Beyond Blue.

Together, Lifeline and Beyond Blue will remain equipped and available to provide support to all Australians, no matter the nature of their distress. While Beyond Blue’s new focus is to provide early intervention and support, it will continue to be able to provide support to anyone who is seeking support in a crisis.