Coronavirus Information – Mental Health
College support
All ACT colleges have a nominated student support officer(s). We encourage students experiencing difficulties in this time to contact the support officer at your college. ACT staff are also happy to help support students through this difficult period.
Head to Health
Head to Health is the Federal governments website dedicated to mental health and containing a dedicated section on COVID-19 Support. It states:
“Discussions and concerns around the coronavirus outbreak and practising self-isolation can be stressful and impact our mental health and wellbeing. It’s natural to feel a range of emotions, such as stress, worry, anxiety, boredom, or low mood. Many people feel distressed by the constant news and overwhelming amount of information about the situation.
Head to Health is committed to providing Australians with trusted information and digital supports to help support everyone’s mental health and wellbeing during this pandemic.”
Maintaining good mental health
The ACT understands that this is a difficult and stressful time for students and staff. It is important to look after your physical and mental health, especially as we head towards the end of semester when final assignments and exams can trigger increased stress, anxiety and depression. The ACT encourages all staff and students who are concerned about their mental health to read Head to Health’s information on Maintaining good mental health by:
- Maintain a healthy lifestyle
- Stay informed
- Stay positive
- Access support
Head to Health also provides information on accessing mental health support through digital mental health resources and through health professionals with increased funding to support bulk billing and rebates for telehealth mental health services eg. videoconferencing or phoning instead of a face-to-face session.
National support providers
MindSpot – Coronavirus (COVID-19): 1800 61 44 34
Lifeline – texting service: 0477 13 11 14
Wellways Helpline: 1300 111 500
Websites:
MindSpot – Online Screening Assessment
Yarn Safe: Mental Health and Wellbeing for young people from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
Alternatively you can use the Head to Health Search tool, Search for digital mental health resources