SafeHaven
At SafeHaven, you are not alone. This is a space where you can feel safe, supported, and understood.
We are a free drop-in service run by peer support workers who have their own experiences of suicidality and other mental health challenges.
If you are feeling overwhelmed, experiencing suicidal thoughts, or in need of support, SafeHaven offers a calm and welcoming environment where connection and compassion come first. You can come to SafeHaven as an alternative to going to the Emergency Department.
No appointment needed.
SafeHaven, Kogarah, is a free support service for anyone age 16 or over who experiencing emotional distress or thoughts of suicide.
You are welcome here.
Directions to SafeHaven Kogarah.
Support available
- Peer support
- Safety planning
- Mental health resources
- Sensory room
- Quiet spaces
- Games and activities for distraction
- A common room where you can spend time with other guests
- Pathways to further support services
Suicide prevention peer work
Suicide Prevention Peer Workers have personal experiences related to suicidality and have received training and support to be able to use these experiences to support others. We provide space where you can speak about your experiences openly without fear of judgement. We are led by you, whether you want to talk about what’s going on for you in the moment, what kind of support you might be looking for, or if you just want some quiet company. We may also offer to share some of our experiences and what we’ve found helpful.
Kogarah SafeHaven is a free service available to support anyone experiencing suicidal crisis or emotional distress, and who is aged 16 or above.
Kogarah SafeHaven is a confidential service. You do not need to share any personal information to access support, and you may use an alias if you prefer. Your visits are not recorded on your medical records and any information you choose to share will not be shared outside of SafeHaven without your knowledge.
You can talk with a Peer Worker about anything that is distressing you without judgement. We focus on what’s going on for you right now, whether you are in distress, concerned about yourself or a loved one who may be experiencing suicidal thoughts, or simply need to connect with another person who can be there for you.
You are welcome to visit SafeHaven as often as you need to, and to stay for as long as is helpful for you during our opening hours. As SafeHaven sees many people each night, staff may not be able to provide one-on-one support for the full duration of your visit.
Should you require further support outside of SafeHaven hours, we can work with you to access other services that can support you.
SafeHaven does not provide ongoing therapy or care coordination. This means you will not always be able to speak with the same staff member on your next visit. We encourage guests to speak with different workers as we all have different experiences and strengths you can learn from.
SafeHaven is a space where you can talk openly with staff about suicidal thoughts. Many of our staff have experienced suicidality too, so we understand how hard it can be to talk about, especially when you don’t know how someone might respond.
We will be calm and we will not judge you.
When discussing suicidality, we will ask some questions to understand what’s going on for you, and work with you to create a plan to help keep you safe. We aim to be led by you and what you would find helpful. We may share some of our experiences to support you to feel less alone, and offer information, resources and strategies that you may find helpful.
In working with you to create a plan to help keep you safe we may discuss options for support outside of SafeHaven such as the Emergency Department or Acute Care Support Team. We will not contact any other services, including Emergency Services, without discussing this with you first. The only time we may call Emergency Services without talking to a person about this is when they have an immediate plan to end their life and leave SafeHaven without receiving further support with this.
If you have any questions or concerns about this process, please let us know and we would be happy to discuss this further.