The Mental Health Support Line covers the Selby and York Primary Care Trust area.

The Mental Health Support Line provides telephone based support and information to people aged 18 and over who experience mental health problems, at the time they most need that help. The line is also available to carers and supporters.

We work to help individuals manage any difficulties related to their mental health. These might be direct problems, such as anxiety, panic attacks, low mood or hearing voices. Or they might be related personal problems, such as relationships or financial difficulties, that affect, or are affected by, your mental health.

Do I have to be in crisis before I can use it?

You do not have to be in crisis to use this service. We welcome calls from people who want to prevent a crisis by seeking help and support before their situation becomes less manageable.

Is it just an answering machine?

No, professional staff answer calls personally 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If the lines are busy when you call, keep trying and you will get through.

Is it the same as Samaritans or Saneline?

No. We work as an integrated part of York mental health services, so we can offer you a more personal approach. We use a referral system and a caller display system, so that when you call, we will usually know who you are and have some information about you from your key worker, named nurse or doctor, so that we can help you more effectively. Your call will be answered by an experienced mental health worker, trained specifically for this work.

What can you actually do over the phone?

We aim to offer:

• time and space to talk and explore current difficulties
• professional support and reassurance, helping you to connect coping skills you have learnt before with current situations
• encouragement to callers wishing to resolve problems
• opportunities for callers to learn and practise self-help skills.

All of these things can help you feel more confident in using your own coping abilities at home.

Will you tell my key worker or doctor that I've called the Line?

We are part of the wider York mental health service, and therefore we will share call information with other professionals involved in your care.

Sometimes your mental health may make you feel like harming yourself; in this situation we will help you explore how to manage your feelings safely. If you are unable to keep yourself safe we will support you in contacting the appropriate service. If you will not contact these services then we will call them on your behalf in order to ensure that you remain safe.

If you tell us that you have already taken an overdose you need to attend hospital. Where necessary we will call emergency services for you.

What about people who don't feel confident or comfortable with the telephone?

We recognise that, for some people, using a telephone service can be difficult at first. So we invite you to call the service for a chat before you feel you really need to, so that it is already familiar to you when you may be feeling less confident.

Or you could ask the person referring you to arrange an introductory phone call or face to
face meeting with one of the Support Line team.

We also have access to minicom equipment, Typetalk and Language Line translation services on the same telephone number.

I'm interested. How do I get referred?

Talk to your key worker, care coordinator, doctor, nurse, or any other mental health worker you are in contact with. They should be able to give you a card and send on your details to us. You can use the service as soon as they have done this.

We look forward to working with you over the phone and helping you manage your mental health at home.

For more information contact the Customer Advice Centre