Youth Mental Health
On Sunday July 30, 2023 The North Shore Synagogue hosted a forum on The Crisis in Teen Mental Health.
The Forum featured The North Shore Synagogue's scholar-in-residence, Rabbi Shalom Hammer. In 2019, Rabbi Hammer's daughter, Gila, tragically took her own life. He decided to speak out about his family's terrible loss in the hope of preventing others from experiencing suicide.
Also on the panel are: Professor Garry Walter AM, child, adolescent and adult Psychiatrist of international renown, Prof. Walter is affiliated with The University of Sydney, where he has served as Professor at the Centre for Values, Ethics and the Law in Medicine and as Chair of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry;
Dee Fittinghoff, Psychologist at Moriah College; and
Emma Cohen, coordinator of the community's Suicide Prevention Strategy at JewishCare.
Thanks to Alexi Boyd for facilitating the session.
Thank you to our co-sponsors for this important event; Kehillat Masada, Masada College and the Board of Jewish Education.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE SLIDES FROM PROFESSOR GARRY WALTER'S TALK
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There are a wide variety of services to help youth in crisis:
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24/7 crisis lines
You can call these crisis lines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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Emergency 000
If you or someone you are with is in immediate danger, please call 000 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.
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Beyond Blue
Talk to a trained mental health professional any time of the day or night. Calls are confidential. They will listen, provide information and advice and point you in the right direction to seek further support:
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1300 224 636
Open 24/7 -
Beyond Blue chat online
Open 24/7
Lifeline
24-hour crisis support telephone service. Lifeline provides 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention services.
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13 11 14
Open 24/7 -
Open 24/7
Kids Helpline
A telephone counselling support line for children and young people ages 5 to 25 and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
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1800 551 800
Open 24/7
NSW Mental Health Line
A mental health professional will answer your call about mental health concerns for you or someone you are concerned about, including children, teens, adults and older people.
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1800 011 511
Suicide Call Back Service
National services that provide free 24/7 phone, video and online professional counselling to people who are affected by suicide.
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1300 659 467
Open 24/7
HeadSpace
headspace is the National Youth Mental Health Foundation providing early intervention mental health services to 12-25-year-olds. They help young people, and their family and friends, access vital support through services across Australia, their online and phone counselling services, vocational services, and their presence in schools.
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1800 650 890
Jewish Care Mental Health Support
JewishCare specialises in psychosocial supports including psychosocial recovery coaching.
Their trained professional staff provide a range of practical and emotional support to individuals. This can include assistance with employment, housing, finances as well as access to clinical support and where appropriate, referral to other organisations. JewishCare also provide Mental Health First Aid training – part of the Jewish Suicide Prevention Strategy.
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1300 133 660
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KYDS Youth Development Services
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(02) 9416 0900
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For information on Ryan Abramowitz's book, Elegy for an Elephant, click here