Lived Experience Forum

[Atalanta]

I have placed this in two areas cause I wasn't sure if it would be seen at the other area.


Hi,
Not sure where to ask this, so I joined the forum. I just wanted to know if it is possible for the counsellors at Lifeline or Beyond Blue to locate the physical whereabouts of someone through their mobile phone? I recall something about it being possible with landlines, but not sure if it is the same with mobile phones.
Thanks

[Mazarita]

Hi @Atalanta, I saw this the first time you posted but unfortunately don't have the answer to the question. I might just tag in the community managers, @NikNik and @CherryBomb, who may be able to answer your question when they are next working. I'm not sure when that is as I don't work for Sane, I'm just one of a number of voluntary guides on the site. In any case, I also just wanted to give you a response so that you know that your post has been noticed. Hope you are able to find the answer you need.

[Kurra]

Only if LifeLine or Beyond Blue call the police @Atalanta.

[Atalanta]

Thanks for responding. It still doesn't really answer the techno question though. For example, I'm on my mobile, lifeline calls the police, what then? If I've given a fake name, turned off wifi, will police be able to trace the location of the mobile phone? Is the technology available to them to do that?

[NikNik]

Hi @Atalanta

Welcome to the Forums. 

Any mental health phone service will have in place a protocol of when and why they will contact emergency services. At the point the police will make a decision as to whether they have reason to break privacy and to trace a call. As there are strong privacy laws, police have to be very certain there is an imminent risk of safety - so it's not taken lightly.

I'm also not a tech guru - so I can't answer the question with certainty. All I can say is that it's the services responsibilty to follow protocol if they feel there is that imminent risk. The service will hand over to police all the information they have (which may or may not be correct, if you're giving a fake name for example) and it's over to them to make the final decision. Due to the privacy, (as far as I know) services do not report back any information (ie: whether they in fact trace the person or anything related to the outcome)

Also, as a FYI, each state has its own process. Just because the police are called, doesn't mean it will be the police that are sent - it could be Mental Health Crisis Assistance and Treatment Team (CATT) or an ambulance, for example. 

Sorry I couldn't give you the specific yes/no you are after, but I have shared everything I know.

Take care,

Nik

PS: I just came across your post in the other discussion topic which is the same question. I will remove that so you have all the responses in one spot.

[BlueBay]

When I called lifeline last year in a very distressed state they called an ambulance to my house. Also police were called but they arrived when I was already taken to hospital.

[Atalanta]

I responded thanking you but my reply hasn't come up. Hopefully you got it.

[Atalanta]

Sorry for your experience...must have been scary. They would have been able to trace your call through your landline. Hope you feel better.

[Former-Member]

Hi @Atalanta ive had police sent from chatting to lifeline on my iPad which is cellular but I can't remember if I was on wifi at the time. Not sure if that helps. I've been told they can trace your phone even if it's turned off these days but as @NikNik said there would have to be very compelling reasons to do that. It is also a really expensive process so they need to be fairly sure there is danger to do so.

[Atalanta]

Yeah, that's what I was worried about.