There are moments in parenting, teaching, coaching, caring or grandparenting when you can feel the ground shift.
A young person you love is not quite themselves.
They are not sleeping. They are suddenly withdrawn. They are angry in a way that feels bigger than the moment. They are crying before school, avoiding friends, overwhelmed by study, glued to their room, or trying very hard to convince everyone they are fine.
And sometimes, the hardest part is not noticing that something is wrong.
It is knowing what to do next.
Do you call a GP? Do you contact the school? Do you try headspace? Do you look for a psychologist? Do you wait and see? What if it is not “serious enough”? What if it is more serious than they are letting on?
For families in Canberra, there is one word worth remembering before you need it.
MindMap.
MindMap ACT is a free youth mental health navigation portal for children and young people up to 25, as well as parents, carers and service providers. It helps people find mental health services, resources and support in the Canberra region.
It is not simply another list of links. It is a practical place to start when you know support is needed, but you do not yet know what kind of support, where to find it, what it costs, or how to get through the front door.
You can visit MindMap at www.mindmap.act.gov.au.
Why families need a starting point
Canberra has mental health services. It has schools, GPs, youth services, counselling services, online supports, public services, community programs and crisis lines.
But when you are worried about a young person, the system can still feel like a maze.
Parents and carers often find themselves asking the same questions.
- Should we start with the GP?
- Do we need a referral?
- Is there a waitlist?
- Will this cost money?
- What if they will not talk to me?
- What if they are 18 and I no longer know how much I am allowed to do?
- What if I am overreacting?
- What if I am not reacting enough?
That uncertainty can make people freeze. Not because they do not care, but because the pathway is unclear.
MindMap helps cut through that first layer of confusion. It gives families and young people a place to explore options, understand what services are available, and take a next step that is matched to what is actually going on.
That matters, because early support can make a difference. Mental health challenges are common during adolescence and early adulthood. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, almost 39% of Australians aged 16–24 experienced a mental disorder in the previous 12 months in 2020–2022, the highest prevalence of any age group.
These numbers are not abstract. They are young people in our classrooms, homes, workplaces, sporting teams and friendship groups.
They are the young person who is still getting good marks, but crying in the shower.
They are the apprentice who keeps showing up late because sleep has become impossible.
They are the Year 8 student with stomach aches every Monday morning.
They are the university student who says they are “just tired”, but has quietly stopped coping.
And often, they are surrounded by adults who want to help, but do not know where to begin.
What is MindMap ACT?
MindMap ACT is a dedicated youth mental health portal designed to help children and young people up to 25 navigate Canberra’s mental health system and find the right service or support.
It was co-designed by the ACT Government and community partners, with young people and local organisations involved in its development. That origin matters. MindMap was not built around what adults assumed young people needed. It came from a recognition that young Canberrans and their families needed clearer, safer and more practical ways to find help.
Through the portal, you can search for services, use a guided navigation tool, browse mental health and wellbeing resources, and contact the MindMap team by phone, email or webchat.
For parents and carers, this is especially useful because you do not have to arrive with the perfect words.
You can start with what you are seeing.
“My child is anxious before school.”
“My teenager is withdrawing from friends.”
“My young adult is overwhelmed and not coping.”
“We are waiting for support and I am worried things are getting worse.”
That is enough of a starting point.
How MindMap works
MindMap is available online at any time. You can use the website yourself, browse services and resources, and explore what might fit the young person’s age, circumstances and support needs.
The navigation tool asks questions and guides users towards relevant services and information. This can be helpful when you are not sure whether the issue is anxiety, stress, low mood, identity, relationships, grief, self-harm, school pressure, family conflict or something else entirely.
MindMap also allows families and young people to go directly to service and resource sections and narrow down options using filters.
If you would rather speak to someone, Youth Navigators are available by phone, email or webchat from 11am to 10pm, 7 days a week.
You can call 1800 862 111, email support@mindmap.act.gov.au, or use the webchat through the MindMap website.
For many families, the human support is the most important part.
A Youth Navigator can help talk through what is happening, explain what services may be available, and help make sense of eligibility, access requirements and next steps.
That can be a relief when you are trying to make decisions while also carrying fear, frustration, guilt or exhaustion.
What about waitlists?
One of the hardest parts of seeking mental health support is being told to wait.
Families know this story well. You finally make the call, fill in the form, get the referral, explain the situation, and then hear that the next appointment may still be weeks or months away.
MindMap recognises that waiting can be its own kind of risk.
Through its Active Hold support, MindMap can help children and young people stay connected while they are waiting to access a mental health service. Public listings describe this support as including contact by phone or email while a person waits, along with helpful information and connection. That means you get help immediately, no matter what.
That may sound simple, but simple things matter.
A check-in matters.
Knowing someone has not forgotten you matters.
Having someone help you understand what can be done while you wait matters.
For a parent or carer watching a young person slip further away, being told “you are on the list” is rarely enough. Active Hold is one way of saying that waiting should not mean being left alone.
What this can look like in real life
Imagine your 10-year-old has started refusing school. They are sleeping badly, crying more often, and saying their stomach hurts every morning. You are not sure if this is anxiety, bullying, learning stress, friendship issues or something else. MindMap gives you a place to begin looking for support without needing to diagnose the problem yourself.
Imagine your 15-year-old has become quiet and angry. They do not want to talk to you, and every attempt to help seems to turn into a fight. You can send them the MindMap link. They can explore it privately, use webchat, or look at resources in their own time. You are still helping, but you are not forcing yourself into the centre of the conversation.
Imagine your 21-year-old is at university and overwhelmed. They are technically an adult, but you can hear in their voice that they are not okay. MindMap gives them a youth-specific Canberra pathway and gives you a practical resource to share without making the situation feel bigger than they are ready for.
Imagine your child is already on a waitlist. You have done the “right” things and still feel stuck. MindMap can help you understand what support may be available while you wait, and whether there are other options to explore.
This is the real value of navigation. It does not pretend the system is simple. It helps people move through it anyway.
For parents, carers, teachers and coaches
MindMap is not only for young people who are ready to ask for help themselves.
It is also for the adults around them.
The adults around them are often the first to notice the pattern. A teacher sees the student who has stopped handing in work. A coach sees the young person who no longer wants to train. A grandparent notices the light has gone out of a usually chatty child. A parent feels that something is wrong before they have evidence.
MindMap gives those adults somewhere to take that concern.
You do not need to be certain. You do not need to know the clinical language. You do not need to wait until there is a crisis.
You can start with concern.
When it is urgent
MindMap is a navigation and support portal, but it is not a replacement for emergency or crisis care. If someone is in immediate danger, call Triple Zero on 000.
If you are concerned about your own or someone else’s mental health in the ACT, Access Mental Health is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week on 1800 629 354.
Kids Helpline also provides free, private and confidential counselling for children and young people aged 5 to 25. Young people can call 1800 55 1800 or use online chat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
These numbers are worth saving in your phone before you need them.
Share this before it is needed
The best time to learn about MindMap is not necessarily when everything has fallen apart. It is before then. So share this article now.
Save the link. Share it with another parent. Send it to a teacher, coach, grandparent or family friend. Keep it somewhere easy to find.
Visit www.mindmap.act.gov.au.
Talk to a Youth Navigator: 1800 862 111, 11am to 10pm, 7 days a week.
