Mineral Resources (MinRes) has forged a $600,000 alliance with Lifeline WA, a mental health service offering 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention services.
Over a three-year period, this partnership will finance the training of 300 volunteer digital crisis supporters. The collaboration comes in response to Lifeline WA’s revelation that the demand for digital crisis support has surged by 40% in the last five years.
Expressing gratitude for MinRes’s support, Lifeline WA CEO Lorna MacGregor emphasized the partnership’s critical role in meeting the escalating demand for services. The funds will contribute to expanding Lifeline WA’s digital team, ensuring that no call for help goes unanswered.
Providing crisis support through text, online chat, and phone calls, Lifeline WA engages in 5,000–6,000 monthly conversations with vulnerable individuals in need. Despite the initial expectation of a decline in phone calls when the digital service launched in late 2021, calls have continued to rise. In the 2022–23 financial year alone, Lifeline WA’s crisis support service answered over 65,000 calls.
Highlighting the commitment to “collective impact,” MinRes’s Head of Mental Health, Chris Harris, stressed the importance of collaborating with organizations like Lifeline WA. He noted that this collaborative approach allows the sharing of the burden of mental health challenges and working together on effective solutions.
Harris acknowledged the vital role Lifeline WA plays in saving lives every day, underscoring the significance of their services, particularly during the holiday season when mental health challenges may be most acute.
Individuals seeking assistance can contact Lifeline’s crisis supporters at 13 11 14.