How to help if an employee is experiencing a mental health crisis

A mental health crisis is a situation where a person’s emotional or mental state puts them at risk of harming themselves or others, whether through a deliberate act or by impacting their ability to function effectively. 

If you are concerned that one of your employees may be experiencing a mental health crisis, it is important to speak to them with empathy and compassion. Let them know that you care, and that you want to help. Do your best to empower your team member to seek help for themselves, as this is most likely to lead to a helpful outcome. 

There are several services you can suggest: 

• The Urgent Response Teams are best placed to help. In Australia, you can call 1300 659 467 and ask for information about the local mental health support services. In New Zealand, each region has their own dedicated team with a different phone number, which can be found here. 
• Support them to access a free 24/7 counselling helpline, such as 1737 in New Zealand and 13 11 14 in Australia. 
• Support them to book an urgent appointment with their GP, who can conduct a medical assessment and make appropriate referrals. 
• Support them to book a session with a Clearhead therapist. Please note that this should usually be in addition to a medical assessment and 24/7 support options above. We can assist you to access therapy support for your employees in a short timeframe (usually within 1 business day), however, we recommend that you first encourage them to do this themselves via the platform. 

Clearhead is also able to provide advice to workplaces around how to support a person who is unwell in the work setting, e.g., how to communicate to other team members, support return to work, etc. To access this support, contact our 24/7 Employer Support Phoneline. 

If someone is in immediate danger, please contact the police on 111 in New Zealand or 000 in Australia.