Directory of Health Services

Mental Health
- These are all online services, if you cannot access these due to an absence of technology,
you should talk to a trusted adult about finding a local therapist near you. However if your
mental health is at a crisis appointment and you are in danger to your life, go to the
emergency department.

- Headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation that provides young people with
mental health services. Headspace can help young people with all factors of wellbeing such as
mental health, physical health, sexual health, LGBTQ+ support, study support and alcohol and
drug use

- Kids helpline is designed to help all youth with any issue that is having a negative impact on
their mental health. It offers free confidential counselling 24/7 at this number 1800 55 1800.

- Lifeline Australia is an emergency hotline for anyone in a crisis situation at this line 13 11 14.
While it is not specifically aimed at young people, any age has access to this it. When you call
this line, you will be connected to a counsellor where they will talk to you about struggles and
possible solutions

Sexual Health
- Sydney Sexual Health Centre is located in the Sydney Eye Hospital and offers testing and
general for STDs. However if you are not in a position where you can access this health clinic
there is an online risk assessment that you can undertake. This assessment is an online form
that asks basic questions about your sexual life and advises you on further steps. (If you
cannot access this location then try to find local testing clinics in your area. There may be
one at your local hospital)

- Rape and Domestic Services Australia supports people who are affected by sexual violence. It
offers free counseling 24/7 either on the phone or through facetime. This service also has
information on how to report rape or assualt if you are feeling challenged to do so.

Drug and Alcohol Use

- Alcohol and Drug Information Service (ADIS) is a national campaign that aims to support
people of all ages with substance use. This website has a variety of resources that can help
people recognise that they have a drinking problem and that they need help. This includes
online risk assessments that calculate the danger that you are in. This website also has an
emergency hotline 1800 250 015 for those in a crisis situation with alcohol and online web
chatting forum for counselling, support and a referral for face to face support in you area

- Headspace mainly looks at mental health however it does contain multiple resources directed
towards alcohol and drug addiction. This page on the headspace website offers multiple chat
forums where you can connect with other people about your experiences with alcohol and
drugs. It also has an interactive activity where you will be asked questions about your life with
alcohol. When you complete this form, appropriate resources will appear such as ‘How to say
no to a friend offering alcohol?’.
Relationships
- Interrelate is an organization that helps people of all ages to engage in healthy quality
relationships. Interrelate has an online website that offers resources to help recognise a need
for support as well as counselling for people struggling with their relationships. While this
website is not specifically targeted at young people, if you are struggling to maintain a healthy
relationship with your parents or want advice on how to maintain a quality relationship with
your boyfriend or girlfriend, Interrelate is a great service. To access this service you will need to
find your local centre.

- White Ribbon Australia is a National organization that aims to stop the cycle of violence in a
domestic setting. This site offers a free elearning course where you can learn about the
possible stages of abuse, how to recognise abusive behaviour in your boyfriend or girlfriend as
well as possible strategies to get out of a violent situation. While this organization is again not
specifically targeted at young people, recognising violent behaviour is important for any
relationship

Organizing and Booking Medical Appointments

There are a variety of ways to book a medical appointment and it depends on the service that you are
using. For example if you want to book an appointment with a GP you would usually either call the
centre if you have their phone number or you would visit the centre and book the appointment
manually. Here are a couple other ways to book a medical appointment:

- The first thing to do is (if possible) check the website for the centre’s phone number, opening
hours or a way to book online.
- If you cannot book online but have access to the phone number then try to call the centre and
organise an appointment that way
- Finally if you don’t have access to technology or the centre does not offer a way to book online
then you will need to visit the centre and organise an appointment there

When attending a medical appointment be sure to remember your medicare card (if you are over 16),
otherwise you will need to bring your parent’s one.

To organize all your medical appointments, a diary or calendar may be useful so you don’t miss your
booking.

Information that informs young people of their rights and responsibilities in

healthcare

As a young person, you have several rights and responsibilities in terms of healthcare. A right is
defined as a ‘a moral or legal entitlement’ while a responsibility is defined as ‘a moral obligation to
behave correctly towards’.

Your rights in healthcare include:

 - Every person has the right to access treatment in any area whether it be mental, sexual or
physical. If someone prevents you from accessing these services, that is a violation of your
rights
- Confidentiality and privacy is a right in healthcare but they are a few exceptions. In terms of
mental health, counsellors have to adhere to a strict policy of confidentiality unless you are of
danger to yourself or others. If you look at sexual health, your privacy may be breached if you
have an STI but your partner doesn’t know or you are planning to engage in sexual activity with
someone else.

Your responsibilities in healthcare include:

- Notifying an appropriate adult if you are aware that your friend or someone you know is in
danger of hurting themselves or someone else. It is not your responsibility to help or treat that
person but it is your responsibility to tell an adult if you know your friend it is in trouble. This
means going against their wishes if they tell you not to
- Telling someone if it’s possible that they have a contagious illness whether it be transmitted
physically or sexually. As hard as it is to breach your privacy, it is important that you tell
someone if they are at risk of contracting the disease so that they can get tested and don’t
spread it.