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Mental Health Support

Many organisations offer COVID-specific mental health services, from 24/7 helplines for immediate support to longer term services for individuals, families and communities. Others offer mental health services with no specific COVID-19 support, but adjustments have been made to follow local and national regulations - for example, face-to-face services are now delivered remotely over the phone or online.

The below list is by no means exhaustive. If you know of a mental health organisation or community group that should be on the list, please email tom.burnett@voscur.org to share the details.

If you are in a mental health crisis where you may be in danger of hurting yourself or others (or you know someone who is at risk of this), please dial 999. 

24 hour support phoneline - woman making phone call at night

24/7 response line - Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust
Telephone: 0800 953 1919.

For children, adults and their families in crisis, or anyone worried about someone else in crisis, there is no need to make an appointment and the service is free. If you need an interpreter, please tell the call handler which language you speak, and you will be called back. 

Doctors and medical staff

24/7 response line - NHS / Vita Health
Telephone: 0800 012 6549.

Offering emotional support from experienced counsellors, with links to organisations available in the local area. This service can arrange a translator to support your call if English is not your first language.

Superhero frontline worker

24/7 response line - Our Frontline

From the homepage, click on the sector you work in for further details. Our Frontline offers round-the-clock one-to-one support for people working in healthcare, emergency services, education, social care and other essential work.

Older person making phone call on sofa

Age UK Bristol
Telephone: 0117 929 7537 (Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm).

A support hub for older people and their families to help cope with the impact of coronavirus in Bristol.

Man with jigsaw pieces on phone screen

Community Access Support Services

CASS Networkers can help community and voluntary groups understand mental health and other support services in Bristol. The service runs across the city, and reports to funders and service providers about how mental health services are being received by local communities.

 
Woman walking dog, wearing beret
 

Healthwatch Bristol

Details of the support in place for people experiencing mental health and wellbeing difficulties during the pandemic. The service includes contact details for specific issues, such as homelessness and debt.

Man looking at arrows for direction

Independent Mental Health Network (BIMHN)

This website provides details of the various services available in Bristol. BIMHN is a member organisation of service users and people with lived experience of mental health issues, who also campaign for changes to services, education of professionals, individuals and organisations, and redesigning local support.

You can also like the BIMHN Facebook page for updates.

Conversation between two people

Marmalade Trust

Support and information for anyone feeling isolated or lonely during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly older people. The service organises regular calls from volunteers.

Construction workers talking with coffee cups

Mental Health at Work

Resources for those working on the frontline (emergency services, healthcare workers, key and essential workers, and social care workers), as well as many other sectors of work. The website includes toolkits, stories and blogs.

Questions

Mind Bristol
Telephone: 0808 808 0330 (seven days a week, 7pm-11pm).

Mind’s emotional support helpline MindLine is running an extended service during the Coronavirus pandemic. There is also a dedicated daytime phone number (0117 980 0370) that points users in the right direction for mental health and wellbeing support.

For local people who are transgender, agender, gender fluid or non-binary (collectively referred to as trans+), or the family and friends of someone who identifies as trans+, there is MindLine Trans+, a national helpline run by people who are trans+ or allies of the community. The helpline (0300 330 5468) is open on Mondays and Fridays from 8pm-12am (midnight).

LGBT+

MindOut

National LGBT+ mental health service (not part of Mind Bristol, above). MindOut offers online instant messaging support tailored to specific needs (such as under-30s, or Queer, Trans and Intersex People of Colour), as well as online resources and various projects, such as peer mentoring, and a project for the over-50s. There is also a training programme, which includes LGBT+ inclusive practice in your organisation, and suicide prevention. 

Mother with baby next to cot

Mothers for Mothers
Telephone: 0117 935 9366 (Monday to Friday, 10am-9pm).

An organisation that specialises in perinatal mental health support, from pregnancy to the first year of motherhood. New client referrals are still being taken during the pandemic.

Support options are socially distanced, including telephone calls and virtual home visits; psychotherapy, counselling and peer support via Zoom; and a closed Facebook group for clients. 

Young people connected

Off The Record
Telephone: 0808 808 9120 (switchboard for enquiries only; staffed Monday-Friday, 2pm-5pm).

OTR is a mental health social movement by and for young people aged 11-25, and offers services covering a wide range of issues that young people face, including low mood, anxiety, depression, family and relationship issues, ethnicity and cultural identity, and questioning their gender and sexuality. You can find specific COVID-19 mental health resources here.

Sunshine and clouds

Self injury Support
Telephone: 0808 800 8088 (Tuesday to Thursday, 7pm-9:30pm). Text support: 07537 432444 (Tuesday to Thursday, 7pm-9:30pm).

Mental health support for women and girls affected by self-injury, whether their own or that of a friend or a family member. Options include text support, web chat, and online resources, plus the DistrACT app, which the organisation helped to develop. You may also find this blog post useful, on coping with your mental health during coronavirus.

Sikh Your Mind

Sikh Your Mind 
Telephone: 0333 210 1021 (daily, 7pm-9pm). Please note: this is not a crisis helpline.

Mental health and wellbeing information in English or Punjabi, from trained clinicians. The Sikh Your Mind website also has resources and blog posts on wellbeing topics.

Bridge

The Bridge Foundation
Telephone: 0117 942 4510 (to arrange an appointment).

Counselling, psychotherapy and consultation for adults and children in the Bristol area, and temporarily available nationwide during COVID-19. Appointments currently take place over the phone or via Zoom.

To arrange an appointment about your own counselling or therapy needs, or those of your family, children, school or staff, please email info@bridgefoundation.org.uk, or call the number above.

Support for thoughts

The Green House 
Telephone: 0117 935 1707 (staffed remotely during office hours).

Free, remote counselling and support for anyone in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire who has survived sexual abuse at any point in their life. The waiting list for adult counselling referrals is now currently open, and you can self-refer over the phone or by emailing info@the-green-house.org.uk

Two men chatting

WECIL check in and chat service
Telephone: 07973 686389. You can also fill in the online form.

A telephone service for members of the community in response to the COVID-19 crisis. The service links people with friendly volunteers for 6 or 12 phone calls, to help tackle the isolation people are feeling during the pandemic.

Woman working at desk with plan on wall

West of England Growth Hub

Tools and training resources for those who work in small and medium sizes enterprises (SMEs), and includes those in the voluntary, charity and social enterprise sector, as well as sole traders and the self-employed. Includes training for managers to equip them with the confidence and skills to have supportive conversations with their staff, and wellness actions plans for all staff.

Women talking online in video call

Womankind
Telephone: 0345 458 2914 or 0117 916 6461.

Low-cost or free therapy and support for women. Options include webchat, helplines, online support groups, and befriending. Women with hearing impairments can find BSL videos here

Peer Support for Women of Colour

Women of Colour Peer Support Group

This new peer support group takes place on Zoom (for now), and will run every Monday from 6:30pm-8:30pm. Changes Bristol, which runs the group, hopes to create a peer support group for men of colour in the near future.

Images by Undraw.