GUIDELINES AND MANUALS
Getting Help
Crisis Help
If you are in crisis and need urgent assistance, please call 999 to speak to the emergency services in Hong Kong. Alternatively, you can access a confidential listening service, 24 hours a day:
| The Samaritans (撒瑪利亞會) | Provides services for clients who are in distress or have suicidal thoughts and behaviours 為有自殺動機或想法、情緒困擾的人士服務提供情緒支援。 | 2896 0000 | English / Cantonese / Mandarin / other language 英語 / 廣東話 / 普通話 /其它語言 |
| The Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong 香港撒瑪利亞防止自殺會 | 24-Hour Emotional Support Hotline – provides emotional support service to clients who are distressed, hopeless and having suicide intention 24小時情緒支援熱線 – 為有情緒困擾、絕望無助或有自殺意圖的人士提供24小時情緒抒緩服務，給予即時的情緒支援。 | 2389 2222/ 2389 2223 | Cantonese / English 廣東話 / 英文 |
| Suicide Prevention Hotline 生命熱綫 | Provides services to clients who are suicidal, despairing or in emotional distress 為有自殺動機或想法、情緒困擾的人士服務。 | 2382 0000 | Cantonese 廣東話 |
(If you are not in Hong Kong, you can find a list of international hotlines here.)
You can also access a free, face-to-face crisis intervention counselling service by contacting the Suicide Crisis Intervention Centre during office hours: 2319 1177.
If you’d prefer to have a confidential discussion by email, you can contact jo@samaritans.org.hk, and you should hear back within 24 hours.
Mental Health
Mental health problems can affect any one of us, and they do affect approximately one in four people at some point over the course of their lives. While it can be hard for some people to talk about, there are services and sources of support available.
If you have been feeling low for a prolonged period of time, you can discuss the various sources of support available with your physician. Alternatively, you can access a mental health helpline to find out more about services in Hong Kong:
| Hospital Authority Easy Program 醫院管理局 思覺失調熱線 | Provides information for mental health problems with the focus on psychosis and makes referrals as appropriate. 針對思覺失調及不正常精神狀態的公眾教育熱線，讓公眾認識思覺失調及其服務計劃，並可利用熱線即時轉介。 | 2928 3283 | Cantonese 廣東話 | 9:00am – 1:00pm, 2:00pm – 5:00pm (Mon – Fri) 9:00am-1:00pm (Sat) 24-hr voice recording & mailbox services 9:00am至1:00pm、 2:00pm至5:00pm (星期一至星期五)； 9:00am至1:00pm (星期六)； 24小時錄音資訊提供； 設有留言信箱。 |
| Hospital Authority Mental Health Hotline | Provides information about mental health problems and makes referrals as needed 為精神病患者及其家人，解答精神科的問題及轉介服務。 | 2466 7350 | English / Cantonese / Mandarin 英語 / 廣東話 / 普通話 | 24 hrs 24小時 |
For more information about dealing with mental health issues, you can visit the Hong Kong government’s information page, here.
Social Support
| Social Welfare Department Hotline 社會褔利署熱線 | Registered social workers provide information on relevant social services, counselling and other supports as appropriate. Follow-up services are also available. 熱線給予公眾人士，由註冊社工接聽，查詢社會福利服務、輔導和支援，並安排適切的跟進服務。 | 2343 2255 | Cantonese 廣東話 | 24 hrs 24小時 |
| Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre 香港明愛向晴熱線 | Registered social workers perform assessments and counselling services (including safe-beds support) to clients and family members in distress. Referrals to other community services are also made as appropriate. 由註冊社工接聽24小時熱線，為面對危機的個人或家庭，提供即時危機評估及輔導 (設有避靜住宿服務)，及轉介區內不同服務。 | 18288 | Cantonese 廣東話 | 24 hrs 24小時 |
| Woman Refuge Hotlines 保良局婦女庇護中心熱線 | Provide emotional support, introduce social resources and deal with applications for admission to Refuge Centres for Women for women and their children who are in danger of family violence or crisis. 為遭遇家庭暴力或危機的女士，提供情緒支援、介紹社會資源及處理申請入住婦女庇護中心。 | 8100 1155 | English / Cantonese 英語 / 廣東話 | 24 hrs 24小時 |
| Men’s Hotline 保良局男士輔導熱線 | Assist men in finding their way out of predicament and fulfilling their roles in family / companionship through provision of emotional support and relevant service information to promote a harmonious life. Persons in need can be referred for follow-up service over the phone or face to face counselling service provided by social workers. 透過情緒支援及介紹相關服務資料，協助男士在困境中尋找出路及有效地發揮他們在家庭 / 伴侶關係之中的角色，促進生活和諧。有需要人士可轉介接受社工電話跟進或個案輔導服務。 | 2890 1830 | English / Cantonese 英語 / 廣東話 | 24 hrs 24小時 |
| Healthy Budgeting Family Debt Counselling Centre 東華三院健康理財家庭輔導中心 | Aims to help individuals and families who are in debt, as well as to answer enquiries about debt settlement and financial management including assistance in applying for bankruptcy and debt relief plan. 為受債務問題困擾之個人及家庭，提供債務題諮詢及熱線服務。協助有需要個案申請破產，安排債務重組等。 | 2548 0803 | English / Cantonese 英語 / 廣東話 | 10:00am-6:00pm (Mon – Tues) 10:00am-10:00pm (Wed) 2:00pm-10:00pm (Thurs-Fri) (Voice message service provided for non-office hours)10:00am至6:00pm (星期一、二)； 10:00am至10:00pm (星期三)； 2:00pm至10:00pm (星期四至星期五)； 設有留言信箱。 |
| Caritas Addicted Gamblers Counselling Centre 明愛展晴中心戒賭輔導服務 | Provides information and services to problem gamblers. 為市民提供戒賭服務。 | 1834633/ 2499 7828 | Cantonese 廣東話 | 10:00am-6:00pm (Mon, Tues, Thurs) 10:00am-10:00pm (Wed, Fri, Sat)10:00am至6:00pm (星期一、二、四)； 10:00am至10:00pm (星期三、五、六) |
| The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups 香港青年協會 青年輔導中心「關心一線」 | Provides urgent support for youth aged 6-24 in distress and provides training in problem-solving skills to face hardship in life 熱線的目的是協助6-24歲的青少年面對成長上的不同危機，提升其解決困難的能力；同時為向身處危機及壓力的青少年提供緊急支援。 | 2777 8899 | Cantonese 廣東話 | 2:00pm-2:00am (Mon – Sat)2:00pm至2:00am (星期一至六) |
You can also access a more comprehensive list of social services here.
If you’re a domestic helper requiring support, please call Help for Domestic Helpers on 2523 4020 between 10am and 6pm on weekdays.
