Butterfly Helpline
Organisation
Butterfly Foundation
Butterfly Helpline is a free service in Australia aimed at supporting anyone who is concerned about eating disorders or body image issues, whether the person needs support for themself or someone they care about.
All the counsellors are qualified mental health professionals with a background in psychology, social work or counselling. They also have specialist training in eating disorders and body image. The helpline is not a crisis line and cannot provide medical help.
The Helpline offers phone, email, or chat support.
National Strategy Standards and Actions
Initial Response
Standard 5: Health professionals, mental health professionals and the community can easily access information about the treatment and support options available face-to-face, through telehealth, and online for their region, including brief treatment interventions and peer support programs, to assist referrals during the initial response stage.
Action 5.3: Eating disorder service development and lived experience organisations to assist people experiencing or at risk of eating disorders and their families/supports to locate and navigate services by providing an online resource which contains information about the system of care and treatment options, including available services (public and private).
Action 5.4: Eating disorder organisations and mental health entry and referral services to promote the availability of eating disorder credentialed clinicians within the system of care.
Identification
Standard 1: There is whole-of-community awareness of the signs and symptoms that may indicate a developing or existing eating disorder, and the pathways to care.
Action 1.2: Eating disorder and mental health organisations to continue to provide evidence-based information about eating disorders signs and symptoms and pathways to care, tailored to a range of audiences.
Action 1.3: Eating disorder service development, lived experience organisations and Primary Health Networks to disseminate system navigation and referral information.
Action 1.4: Eating disorder lived experience organisations to continue to provide evidence-based resources to assist people and their families/supports and communities to identify concerns and pathways to care.
Standard 2: Professionals at key entry or referral points (e.g., GPs, emergency department staff, school counsellors, mental health professionals, dietitians, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Health Workers and Practitioners, Alcohol and Other Drug workers, staff in sporting/performance organisations) can recognise eating disorder warning signs and symptoms and provide or support access to an initial response.
Action 2.3: Eating disorder service development, lived experience organisations and Primary Health Networks to disseminate information about service pathways to support system navigation and referral by health and mental health professionals.
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