COVID-19 Tips

Disclaimer:

This publication is based on a Mind UK publication and the original version may be found here: https://www.mind.org.uk/information-support/a-z-mental-health/

Thank you to Mind UK for sharing their valuable content with us. Content included in Mental Health A-Z is made available free of charge and does not form part of any commercial activity. The adaptation has been done independently by Mind HK and is intended for general information purposes only.

Additional resources

Free hotline support

Hong Kong Red Cross – COVID Support Hotline

Provide one-stop information on COVID and hotline support for individuals who are affected by the pandemic

  • Service hours: Monday – Sunday, 10am – 10pm
  • Available in Cantonese and English
  • Hotline: 3628 1185

 

Joyful Mental Health Foundation – Emotional Support Hotline Service

Provide information about mood disorder and hotline support and access to individuals in need of support, answered by trained staff and volunteers.

  • Service hours: Mon – Fri: 10am – 1pm, 2 – 5pm; Sat: 10am – 1pm
  • Hotline: 2301 2303

 

The Social Welfare Department – Enquiry hotline

Provide 24-hour interactive hotline enquiry system, with support and referral service available during service hour provided by social workers.

  • Service hours: Mon – Fri: 9 am – 5pm; Sat: 9 – 12nn
  • Hotline: 2343 2255

 

Mental Health Association Hong Kong – Hotline support

Hotline emotional support provided by professional social workers

  • Service hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am – 5pm; Thu: 2 – 10pm
  • Hotline: 9851 0854

 

Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong – Hotline psychological support

Provide a 40-minute hotline psychological support by a counsellor for individuals who are affected by the pandemic. Prior Appointment is needed.

Book an appointment: https://forms.gle/cAJRhdSAfZEFosvk9

 

Hong Kong Christian Service – Shall We Talk Emotional Support Service
Hotline emotional support provided by registered social workers.
Book an appointment: 5724 0720 on Mon – Fri: 10:00-22:00 ( Usually replies after 2 working days)
Service Hour: Mon-Sat: 10am-12am

 

Hong Kong Family Welfare Society – Well-being and general COVID support hotline
Provide psychological support, COVID-related and health information and referral services if needed.
Hotline: 2130 0099
Service Period: 1 March 2022 – 31 May 2022
Service Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am – 7pm (except public holidays)

 

24-hour hotline counselling services

  • The Samaritans (Multilingual): 2896 0000
  • Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong 24-hour hotline (Cantonese only): 2389 2222
  • Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre 24-hour (Cantonese only): 18288
  • Suicidal Prevention Service 24-hour hotline: 2382 0000
  • Suicidal Prevention Service hotline for elderly: 2382 0881
  • Other hotlines services: https://mind-dev-2.digitalcandy.agency/find-help-now/ 

 

Online support

Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong – Chatpoint

Online chatroom support for individuals who are experiencing emotional distress, available in Chinese.

  • Service hour: Mon – Fri: 4pm – 1am; Sat, Sun and PH: 8pm – 1am

 

Open up

Online counselling services for individuals aged 35 or below, available in Chinese and English, 24-hour

 

Hong Kong Red Cross – ‘Shall We Talk’ Psychological Support Service

Psychological support services provided by trained staff or volunteers supervised by a clinical psychologist for anyone who is affected by the pandemic

 

HKU Department of Psychiatry – Headwind

Free online support services (website only available in Cantonese)

  • Target: Individuals who need emotional support
  • Service registration: complete the form here

 

Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong – JUSTBOT

Provide mental health information and self-assessment, available in Chinese

 

Jockey Club Mental Wellness Project for Women

Provide online emotional support, resources on women’s mental health, and early intervention for women who are experiencing mild to moderate mood disturbance

Online emotional support platform

  • Provide immediate support and information enquiries by staff
  • Service hour: Monday, Friday: 2:30 – 4:30 PM; Wednesday: 9:30 – 11:30 AM

Remote counselling sessions

  • Target: women aged between 18-64
  • Experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of mood disturbance, and are not currently receiving other psychological support services from other organisations

 

Other free/low-cost mental health services

HELP for Domestic Worker – MeHeal support Programme

Provide support for domestic workers who requires counselling services.

 

Hong Kong Society of Counseling and Psychology (HKSCP) – Free Counseling Hotline Hotline information

Provide free counselling for students and parents who are experiencing academic and/or emotional distress, available in Cantonese and English.

 

New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (NLPRA) – eGPS 

Provide guided self-help intervention for individuals with low intensity mental health conditions (such as anxiety and depression), psychoeducation group and psychotherapy group

 

NLPRA – Financial subsidies for the needy mentally-ill
Subsidise low income users to receive psychiatric services and psychological services in private practice

  • Target: Hong Kong residents with financial difficulties who are currently on the new case waitlist for public psychiatric services
  • Enquiries hotline: 3552 5286
  • Email: [email protected] 
  • Link: http://pms.nlpra.org.hk/

 

Joyful Mental Health Foundation – Professional Counseling Services

Provide low-cost counselling services for individuals who seek appropriate solutions

 

ReSource: The Counselling Centre

A multicultural counselling centre in Central that offers confidential counselling on a range of issues available in English, Cantonese, Putonghua, Russian, Hindi, Marathi and Marwadi languages.

 

St. John’s Cathedral – Counselling Service

Provides affordable counselling services to individuals, families, couples, schools and corporations

 

Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong

Online Counselling: Provide low-cost online counselling sessions for individuals who are struggling

Email emotional support: Provide email emotional support by counsellors

Email: [email protected]

 

Other online resources

What is iACT Service?

Improving Access to Community Therapies (iACT®) is one of the services from Mind HK. Trained Wellbeing Practitioners will offer initial assessment and early intervention for people dealing with mild to moderate symptoms of depression, anxiety, or other emotional difficulties.

 

The service includes 6-8 sessions of low-intensity psychological support, the flexibility of the service allows individuals to receive free and timely support when needed.

If you’re aged between 18 – 65 and are facing some emotional challenges, we would like to invite you to take an online assessment for us to gain a better understanding of your current emotional struggle.

 

If you’re eligible, we’ll get you connected with a Wellbeing Practitioner within two weeks to sort out the next steps.

The service runs for about 3 months and includes 6-8 support sessions, tailored to your needs.

 

We encourage you to attend all sessions and actively practice the tips and exercises provided by your Wellbeing Practitioner.

We take your privacy seriously. Your chats with the Wellbeing Practitioner are confidential.

 

We won’t share any of your info unless you’ve provided consent or if there are risks detected.

This programme isn’t suitable for people facing emergencies, major setbacks, or those diagnosed with serious or complex mental health conditions.

 

If you’re having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, this programme might not meet your needs, so please seek help right away. You can check out Mind HK’s “Find Help Now” page for immediate information and services.

Most of our Wellbeing Practitioners have backgrounds in psychology or counselling and are passionate about mental health. They’ve gone through about 140 hours of intensive training and completed at least 120 hours of supervised clinical practice over 9 months to ensure the quality of service.

 

They’re trained by accredited local experts in the mental health field, including clinical psychologists, counselling psychologists, counsellors, and psychiatrists. Plus, we regularly check how effective our services are. All service outputs and performances are subject to consistent monitoring.

Who is suitable for participating in this programme?

This programme welcomes anyone between the ages of 18 and 65 who may be feeling lost or facing emotional difficulties. Please note that this programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions.

This programme is not suitable for individuals diagnosed with severe or complex mental health conditions, but suitable for those who experience mild to severe moderate anxiety, mild to moderate depression, or other emotional challenges. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

After signing up, our Wellbeing Practitioner will contact you within two weeks to schedule a convenient time for a 45-minute conversation, either via video or phone call, according to your preference. During the conversation, the Wellbeing Practitioner will understand your current situation and help you gain a better understanding of your emotional state based on the questionnaire you filled out during application. Additionally, they will provide recommendations for appropriate community resources based on your needs, helping you take an important first step in taking care of your mental health.

Although the intervention procedure is mostly standardised, Wellbeing Practitioners will work flexibly with clients to address individual presenting problems and unique characteristics.

Our Wellbeing Practitioners are trained to support people who experience mild to moderate mental health difficulties primarily. This programme is not suitable for the situations mentioned above. If you are currently experiencing a major setback or even having thoughts of suicide or self-harm, please visit the “Find Help Now” page on our Mind HK’s website for immediate information and services.

Your conversations with the Wellbeing Practitioner are absolutely confidential. Any information about you will not be shared with anyone without your consent unless you or others are at immediate risk or the Wellbeing Practitioner has reason to believe that you may be in imminent danger.
Supervisors will monitor trainees’ development throughout the placement to ensure that they are meeting the required level of competency to pass the training course at the end of the placement.

Yes, it is necessary to book an appointment in advance by filling out the form. Additionally, you can select one of the five stores yourself. We will allocate clients to different Wellbeing Practitioners based on their chosen location.

Before having the conversation, we will ask you to fill out a basic questionnaire for preliminary screening assessment. This screening process aims to ensure that the training received by the Wellbeing Practitioners is sufficient to meet the needs of the individuals receiving the service. If it is determined after the screening assessment that the service is not suitable for you, Mind HK will provide alternative recommendations to ensure your safety and support.

For adults who are suitable for this service, all Wellbeing Practitioners have received training on how to identify and respond to safety and risk issues. If you have any concerns about the support process, the Wellbeing Practitioners have appropriate measures in place and will develop response plans based on the urgency of the situation. They can also access support from clinical practitioners from Mind HK or participating organisations.

What private training does Mind HK provide?

Mind HK provides 4 themes of mental health training, including: Supporting Self, Supporting Others, Family Wellbeing and DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion).

 

Check out the brochure here for more information.

Mind HK provides a wide range of standardised mental health training, which can be tailored to different circumstances. Chat with our team to explore more

Our trainers come from a diverse, accredited pool of clinically experienced professionals. Check out our trainers’ biographies here.

Yes, the Mental Health First Aid class of Mind HK is internationally accredited by the MHFA International. The content and certification is delivered by trainers certified from the Mental Health Association of Hong Kong. You can find out our trainers accreditation here.

We are here to support your mental health education journey! Reach out to us and chat with our team.

Additional Resources

Additional resources

Free hotline support

Hong Kong Red Cross - COVID Support Hotline

Provide one-stop information on COVID and hotline support for individuals who are affected by the pandemic

  • Service hours: Monday - Sunday, 10am - 10pm
  • Available in Cantonese and English
  • Hotline: 3628 1185

 

Joyful Mental Health Foundation - Emotional Support Hotline Service

Provide information about mood disorder and hotline support and access to individuals in need of support, answered by trained staff and volunteers.

  • Service hours: Mon - Fri: 10am - 1pm, 2 - 5pm; Sat: 10am - 1pm
  • Hotline: 2301 2303

 

The Social Welfare Department - Enquiry hotline

Provide 24-hour interactive hotline enquiry system, with support and referral service available during service hour provided by social workers.

  • Service hours: Mon - Fri: 9 am - 5pm; Sat: 9 - 12nn
  • Hotline: 2343 2255

 

Mental Health Association Hong Kong - Hotline support

Hotline emotional support provided by professional social workers

  • Service hours: Mon, Tue, Wed, Fri: 9am - 5pm; Thu: 2 - 10pm
  • Hotline: 9851 0854

 

Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong - Hotline psychological support

Provide a 40-minute hotline psychological support by a counsellor for individuals who are affected by the pandemic. Prior Appointment is needed.

Book an appointment: https://forms.gle/cAJRhdSAfZEFosvk9

 

Hong Kong Christian Service - Shall We Talk Emotional Support Service
Hotline emotional support provided by registered social workers.
Book an appointment: 5724 0720 on Mon - Fri: 10:00-22:00 ( Usually replies after 2 working days)
Service Hour: Mon-Sat: 10am-12am

 

Hong Kong Family Welfare Society - Well-being and general COVID support hotline
Provide psychological support, COVID-related and health information and referral services if needed.
Hotline: 2130 0099
Service Period: 1 March 2022 – 31 May 2022
Service Hours: Mon-Sat: 10am – 7pm (except public holidays)

 

24-hour hotline counselling services

  • The Samaritans (Multilingual): 2896 0000
  • Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong 24-hour hotline (Cantonese only): 2389 2222
  • Caritas Family Crisis Support Centre 24-hour (Cantonese only): 18288
  • Suicidal Prevention Service 24-hour hotline: 2382 0000
  • Suicidal Prevention Service hotline for elderly: 2382 0881
  • Other hotlines services: https://mind-dev-2.digitalcandy.agency/find-help-now/ 

 

Online support

Samaritan Befrienders Hong Kong - Chatpoint

Online chatroom support for individuals who are experiencing emotional distress, available in Chinese.

  • Service hour: Mon - Fri: 4pm - 1am; Sat, Sun and PH: 8pm - 1am

 

Open up

Online counselling services for individuals aged 35 or below, available in Chinese and English, 24-hour

 

Hong Kong Red Cross - ‘Shall We Talk’ Psychological Support Service

Psychological support services provided by trained staff or volunteers supervised by a clinical psychologist for anyone who is affected by the pandemic

 

HKU Department of Psychiatry - Headwind

Free online support services (website only available in Cantonese)

  • Target: Individuals who need emotional support
  • Service registration: complete the form here

 

Richmond Fellowship of Hong Kong - JUSTBOT

Provide mental health information and self-assessment, available in Chinese

 

Jockey Club Mental Wellness Project for Women

Provide online emotional support, resources on women’s mental health, and early intervention for women who are experiencing mild to moderate mood disturbance

Online emotional support platform

  • Provide immediate support and information enquiries by staff
  • Service hour: Monday, Friday: 2:30 - 4:30 PM; Wednesday: 9:30 - 11:30 AM

Remote counselling sessions

  • Target: women aged between 18-64
  • Experiencing mild to moderate symptoms of mood disturbance, and are not currently receiving other psychological support services from other organisations

 

Other free/low-cost mental health services

HELP for Domestic Worker - MeHeal support Programme

Provide support for domestic workers who requires counselling services.

 

Hong Kong Society of Counseling and Psychology (HKSCP) - Free Counseling Hotline Hotline information

Provide free counselling for students and parents who are experiencing academic and/or emotional distress, available in Cantonese and English.

 

New Life Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association (NLPRA) - eGPS 

Provide guided self-help intervention for individuals with low intensity mental health conditions (such as anxiety and depression), psychoeducation group and psychotherapy group

 

NLPRA - Financial subsidies for the needy mentally-ill
Subsidise low income users to receive psychiatric services and psychological services in private practice

  • Target: Hong Kong residents with financial difficulties who are currently on the new case waitlist for public psychiatric services
  • Enquiries hotline: 3552 5286
  • Email: [email protected] 
  • Link: http://pms.nlpra.org.hk/

 

Joyful Mental Health Foundation - Professional Counseling Services

Provide low-cost counselling services for individuals who seek appropriate solutions

 

ReSource: The Counselling Centre

A multicultural counselling centre in Central that offers confidential counselling on a range of issues available in English, Cantonese, Putonghua, Russian, Hindi, Marathi and Marwadi languages.

 

St. John's Cathedral - Counselling Service

Provides affordable counselling services to individuals, families, couples, schools and corporations

 

Chinese YMCA of Hong Kong

Online Counselling: Provide low-cost online counselling sessions for individuals who are struggling

Email emotional support: Provide email emotional support by counsellors

Email: [email protected]

 

Other online resources