The St Helena Government (SHG) wishes to inform the public of the formal conclusion of the historic arrangement with Samaritans to provide emotional support services to the residents of St Helena.
This arrangement was originally established in 2015 following an inquiry into local services, enabling free calls from St Helena to be directed to Samaritans in the UK and Ireland.
Following recent public enquiries regarding the availability of this service, Samaritans has formally advised SHG that due to operational policy changes implemented over recent years, they are no longer able to maintain international support agreements.
Samaritans operates under a policy that limits its listening services exclusively to individuals located within the UK and Ireland. This policy is grounded in legal safeguarding requirements and the vital operational need for volunteers to be able to coordinate directly with local emergency services to safeguard callers in critical situations.
Calls from St Helena will no longer be answered by Samaritans branches. Anyone attempting to call the free helpline from St Helena will hear an automated message directing them to seek support services within their own jurisdiction.
SHG extends its gratitude to Samaritans for their historic partnership and support over the years.
The St Helena Government remains fully committed to supporting the emotional health and well-being of our community. We are actively exploring alternative support options for the island and want to reassure residents that dedicated local emotional support, social care, and health resources remain readily available to anyone in need through the Health and Social Care Portfolio.
The Mental Health Support Team can be contacted by telephone at:
- 22593 (during office hours)
- 22500 (for out-of-hours or urgent on-call support)
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