13YARN, the first national crisis support line for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping, will establish a new text message service thanks to a $13.9 million investment from the Albanese Government, announced today.
The service, which will complement the existing 24/7 line [13 92 76], will be developed in partnership under joint governance and leadership with Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit Australia), a founding partner of 13YARN, expanding access to culturally safe crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.
Rachel Fishlock, CEO of Gayaa Dhuwi (Proud Spirit) Australia, the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention, said the investment is a significant step toward addressing critical gaps in crisis support identified by the Productivity Commission's review of the National Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Agreement.
"The review highlighted ongoing gaps in access to coordinated, appropriate mental health and crisis supports, and the need to strengthen services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people", Ms Fishlock said. "Expanding 13YARN to include text-based support will remove barriers and improve accessibility, particularly for mob who prefer to reach out in different ways."
"Suicide among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people continues to rise, with an 8% increase in 2024 compared to 2023. This underscores the urgent need to strengthen and expand Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-led crisis services like 13YARN, which are essential to ensuring mob can access support that is safe, culturally responsive, and truly meets their needs."
Lifeline Australia's Head of Indigenous Affairs, Aunty Marj Anderson, said this new way of accessing crisis support will be particularly important in supporting the hardest-to-reach groups within Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
"Young Indigenous people, people experiencing domestic and family violence, and people with disabilities are more likely to use a culturally safe, non-judgemental and anonymous text service. It's what the community have been asking for", said Mrs Anderson.
13YARN answered its 100,000th call at approximately 1:05am on Christmas Day 2025, almost a year earlier than that milestone was initially projected.
Mrs Anderson said that the continuing rise in demand highlights both the scale of community need and the effectiveness of culturally appropriate, community-led crisis services.
"Rising call numbers show that more and more, 13YARN is being recognised as the trusted place people can turn to when they need support without judgement or shame," said Mrs Anderson.
"People are carrying a lot at the moment," Ms Anderson observed. "The high number of calls reflects a combination of factors, including ongoing cost-of-living pressures, political uncertainty and recent national events contributing to increased distress."
"When pressures stack up, access to culturally safe support is fundamental to whether someone feels able to reach out. It can be a critical protective factor," she added.
13YARN is designed, led and delivered by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Since commencing in March 2022, the service has steadily expanded its workforce to meet growing demand and capacity via three Lifeline Member Centres.
"This growth has been deliberate," Ms Anderson said. "It's about expanding in a way that remains culturally strong and community-led, while building the capacity needed to meet rising demand."
"This milestone is a signal," Ms Anderson said. "It shows that when services are designed and run by community, mob are more likely to seek help early and stay connected."
If you, or someone you know, are feeling worried or no good, we encourage you to connect with 13YARN on 13 92 76 (24 hours/7 days) and talk with an Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter.
About us:
ABOUT 13YARN
13YARN [Thirteen YARN] is the first national crisis support line for mob who are feeling overwhelmed or having difficulty coping. We offer a confidential one-on-one yarning opportunity with a Lifeline-trained Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Crisis Supporter who can provide crisis support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
13YARN empowers our community with the opportunity to yarn without judgement and provide a culturally safe space to speak about their needs, worries or concerns.
Gayaa Dhuwi, the national peak body for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander social and emotional wellbeing, mental health, and suicide prevention, is a founding partner of 13YARN.
