SANE Australia

What SANE Australia does

SANE Australia is a Melbourne-headquartered, federally registered not-for-profit charity (public company limited by guarantee) founded in 1986 by journalist Anne Deveson. The organisation provides free digital and telephone mental health support services specifically targeted at adults with recurring, persistent or complex mental health issues such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, OCD, and severe depression, as well as their families, carers and kin. SANE serves more than 60,000 Australians annually through a multi-channel service portfolio that includes the SANE Support Line (1800 187 263, 10am-8pm weekdays), 24/7 professionally moderated SANE Community Forums (40,000+ members, 1.2 million lifetime posts), the RecoveryClub digital recovery program, Guided Recovery Programs (peer support, counselling, community), and specialised programs for veterans (Shoulder to Shoulder), Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples (Yarning Space), men in NSW (Better Off With You), and bereaved individuals (Griefline, merged November 2025).

The underlying technology is a digital mental health platform delivering services via telephone, online portals, video conference, and app-based channels. The platform includes a consumer portal, a forum platform with syndication capabilities to 50 partner not-for-profit organisations, and a peer-led StigmaWatch community of 7,018 members, all operating under the world-first NSQDMH government accreditation for digital mental health services. Research and policy functions sit within the Anne Deveson Research Centre, including the National Stigma and Discrimination Report Card delivered with the University of Melbourne and National Mental Health Commission.

SANE's revenue model is a hybrid of government contracts and philanthropic contributions. The largest single funding line is a $27.3 million Commonwealth Government grant awarded in February 2025 over three years for the national roll-out of free Digital Psychosocial Recovery Programs. Supplementary funding comes from NSW Government, Department of Health and Aged Care project commissions, individual donations, monthly giving, workplace giving, bequests, and philanthropy. All services are free to end users; SANE holds Deductible Gift Recipient status, making donations of $2 or more tax deductible. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via self-service registration, telephone, and government-referred pathways, with no pricing tiers or paid user segments.

Name

SANE Australia

Legal name

SANE Australia

Website

https://sane.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

SANE Australia is a federally registered not-for-profit charity founded in 1986 that delivers free digital and telephone mental health support services to Australian adults with complex mental illness and their families, funded primarily by Commonwealth and state government grants alongside donations, with the world's first NSQDMH-accredited digital mental health platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Mental Health Services (Digital & Telehealth)

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Social Assistance (624), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Health Services (8000), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Mental Health & Crisis Support Services (BPAGAEAH), Peer Support, Recovery Coaching & Sober Living Services (HLAFACAN), Crisis Support, Suicide Prevention & Acute Behavioral Triage Platforms (HLALAEAI)

Keywords

• Mental health services
• Digital psychosocial support
• Crisis counselling
• Peer support communities
• Suicide prevention programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Carlton

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Funding and Contracts: SANE receives significant government funding including $27.3 million Commonwealth Government funding over three years for national roll-out of digital psychosocial recovery programs. Also receives Department of Health and Aged Care funding for Digital Navigation Project.
2. Donations and Philanthropy: SANE relies on charitable donations from individuals, community fundraising, monthly giving, workplace giving, bequests, and philanthropy to supplement government funding and keep services running.
3. Merger with Griefline: Griefline merged with SANE in November 2025, bringing extensive grief support services into SANE's service portfolio, strengthening delivery of critical services relied upon by Australians.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SANE Australia is a not-for-profit charity that delivers free, digitally-enabled mental health support services to adults with complex mental health needs and to their families, carers and kin. Its core offering bundles telephone counselling (SANE Support Line, Griefline), 24/7 professionally moderated online peer support (SANE Community Forums), an evidence-based digital recovery program (RecoveryClub), and nationally rolled-out digital psychosocial recovery services, supplemented by specialised programs for veterans, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, NSW men, and bushfire-affected communities.

Product overview

SANE Australia offers a unified suite of digital and telephone mental health support services targeting adults with complex mental health needs. The core offerings include the SANE Support Line (telephone counseling), SANE Community Forums (24/7 peer-moderated online forums), RecoveryClub (evidence-based digital recovery program), and Guided Recovery Programs (peer support, counselling and community). These are complemented by specialized programs including Shoulder to Shoulder for veterans, Griefline (acquired November 2025) for bereavement support, Yarning Space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and the Better Off With You suicide prevention campaign. Research initiatives include the Anne Deveson Research Centre and Digital Navigation Project. The organization serves over 60,000 Australians annually through free, trauma-informed, digitally-delivered services accredited against the National Safety and Quality for Digital Mental Health Standards.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• RecoveryClub: A free evidence-based recovery program providing resources, peer support community, and groups and 1:1 support for people managing mental health and working towards recovery goals.
• StigmaWatch
• Anne Deveson Research Centre (ADRC)
• Better Off With You

Products and services

• SANE Support Line Free telephone counselling and peer support service staffed by mental health professionals, available to people over 18 with complex mental health needs and their family, friends and carers.
• SANE Community Forums Free, anonymous, professionally moderated 24/7 online peer support forums connecting people with lived experience of complex mental health challenges; syndicated to 50 partner not-for-profit organisations.
• RecoveryClub Free evidence-based digital recovery program providing resources, structured groups, and 1:1 support to help people manage their mental health and work towards recovery goals at their own pace.
• Guided Recovery Programs (Digital Psychosocial Recovery Programs) Free, Commonwealth-funded digital psychosocial recovery services for adults experiencing complex mental illness and trauma, and for their family, carers and kin. National roll-out in progress.
• Griefline Free counselling, resources, and information for people experiencing grief and loss; integrated into SANE's services following the November 2025 merger. Helpline available 8am-8pm AEST on 1300 845 745.
• Better Off With You Evidence-informed suicide prevention and mental health resource program providing practical tools for men in NSW to check in with mates and themselves, warning sign identification, and pathways to support.
• Shoulder to Shoulder Mental health support program specifically designed for Australian veterans and their families.
• Yarning Space Culturally safe online mental health space for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, embedded within SANE's digital ecosystem and developed with Aboriginal-led organisations.
• Life After Bushfires Mental health support and recovery resources for Australian communities affected by bushfire trauma.
• Factsheets and Guides Comprehensive mental health factsheets and guides covering conditions including bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and personality disorders, available in multiple languages.
• Mental Health Recovery Webinars Regular community events including group chats and webinars for people with lived experience of mental health challenges, hosted on the SANE Forums platform.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4,752 calls to SANE Support Line in 2025
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

23 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• National Mental Health CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026SANE partnered with the National Mental Health Commission and University of Melbourne to deliver two National Stigma and Discrimination Report Cards. The 2026 Report Card is based on rigorous evidence from the 2024-2025 National Survey of Stigma and Discrimination led by Professor Nicola Reavley at University of Melbourne.
• University of MelbournecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026Partnership with University of Melbourne for National Stigma Report Card research. The Our Turn to Speak survey captured experiences of stigma from nearly 2,000 Australians living with complex mental health issues. Professor Nicola Reavley leads the research.
• GrieflinecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 November 2025Griefline merged with SANE Australia in November 2025 to ensure Australians can continue to access dedicated support for grief and loss within a comprehensive range of digital and telephone support. Griefline CEO Kate Cahill remained in advisory capacity during transition.
• ThirrilicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormalised partnership with Thirilli to support Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Part of SANE's Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan and digital social and emotional wellbeing model development.
• WellMobcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to enhance culturally safe digital support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. WellMob provides expertise for digital social and emotional wellbeing resources.
• Nous GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNous Group led the Digital Navigation Project consortium alongside SANE, commissioned by the Australian Department of Health and Aged Care. The project engaged over 2,000 stakeholders to investigate barriers to mental health care.
• LGBTIQ+ Health AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the 14-member consortium for the Digital Navigation Project, bringing expertise on LGBTQIA+ mental health needs.
• OrygenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium, providing youth mental health expertise.
• Phoenix AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium, bringing trauma expertise.
• Mind AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium for community mental health.
• Butterfly FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium, providing eating disorder and body image expertise.
• Lived Experience AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium, ensuring lived experience voices guide the research.
• Community Mental Health Australia (CMHA)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium.
• Victorian Collaborative Centre for Mental HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium.
• Flourish AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium.
• Outcome HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium.
• One Door Mental HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium.
• Your TownminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the Digital Navigation Project consortium, providing Kids Helpline expertise.
• ColoslcoreTechnology or IntegrationDesign partner for SANE's forum redesign project that won Gold at 2025 Good Design Awards. Colosl worked with SANE and Snaffleweb to redesign the online community Forums.
• NACCHOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation as part of SANE's reconciliation and cultural safety work.
• Gayaa DhuwicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to ensure SANE's services reflect Indigenous social and emotional wellbeing principles.
• Reconciliation AustraliaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvided guidance in shaping SANE's Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan, developed under Reconciliation Australia's RAP framework.
• 50 Not-for-profit OrganisationsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSANE Forums syndication partners - 50 other not-for-profit organisations receive access to SANE's forum platform to support their communities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Beyond Blue: Australia's largest mental health nonprofit, offering 24/7 helplines, online forums, and funded programs for depression, anxiety, and suicide prevention. Directly comparable to SANE as a free, government-and-donation-funded national digital mental health provider.
• Headspace (National Youth Mental Health Foundation): Federally funded national mental health provider for young Australians aged 12–25, with online chat, telehealth, and community forums. Comparable to SANE in operating as a government-commissioned digital mental health platform serving a defined segment.
• Orygen: Youth mental health research and clinical service provider partnering in the Digital Navigation Project consortium. Comparable to SANE on research-led, digitally-enabled complex-mental-health programming and government-funded delivery.
• ReachOut Australia: Digital-first mental health service for young Australians with peer support forums, fact sheets, and moderated online communities. Directly comparable to SANE on digital delivery model and community-led peer support architecture.
• Phoenix Australia: National centre for posttraumatic mental health delivering clinical guidelines, research, and practitioner training. Comparable to SANE as a Digital Navigation Project consortium partner with trauma-focused expertise.
• Butterfly Foundation: National nonprofit for eating disorders and body image, providing helpline, online support, and education. Comparable to SANE as a fellow Digital Navigation Project consortium member with a free helpline and digital peer community.
• Mind Australia: Community-managed mental health provider offering psychosocial support, recovery programs, and digital services across Australia. Comparable to SANE on complex mental illness focus and consortium participation in the Digital Navigation Project.
• Lifeline Australia: National crisis support and suicide prevention service operating a 24/7 phone line and digital text support. Closely comparable to SANE on mission (crisis intervention, complex mental health) and funding model (government grants plus community fundraising).

Broad incumbents

• Black Dog Institute: University-affiliated translational research institute focused on depression, suicide prevention, and digital mental health programs (LifeSpan). Comparable to SANE on digital mental health research and government-commissioned national programs.

Regional players

• Kids Helpline (Your Town): Free 24/7 phone and online counselling service for children and young people, operated by Your Town. Comparable to SANE on free-to-user, government-and-donation-funded national helpline and digital support model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/saneaustralia

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SANE Australia