Guide
Mental health resources in Sierra Leone
Care without borders
Mental health care in Sierra Leone has grown in recent years, but it is still limited outside Freetown and a few districts. This page lists public resources we could verify, and is honest about the gaps.
Last reviewed 2026-11-04 · By the Ibraluks Foundation team
Education and peer support only. This guide is general information from Ibraluks Foundation. It is not medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and Ibraluks Foundation is not a crisis service. For personal care, please talk with a qualified health professional.
If you or someone else may be in danger
US: call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or chat at 988lifeline.org. Sierra Leone: the Ministry of Health mental health line is toll-free on 5116. Anywhere else: findahelpline.com lists free, confidential lines by country. In immediate danger, call your local emergency number.
Toll-free mental health line: 5116
The Ministry of Health promotes a free mental health support line on 5116, linked to suicide-prevention awareness (news report, 2026). The country's first toll-free mental health helpline was launched with Partners In Health, offering advice, stigma-busting information, and links to care. Availability can change, so if a call does not connect, try again or use the options below.
Hospitals and services
- Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital (Kissy, Freetown): the country's main psychiatric hospital, including a drug rehabilitation centre, supported by PIH Sierra Leone.
- Kono District: PIH-supported mental health care at Koidu Government Hospital, Wellbody Clinic, and in the community.
- Ministry of Health, NCD and Mental Health: Youyi Building, Freetown; mohs.gov.sl.
- Your nearest government hospital or health centre can often refer you onward.
We list only organisations with public information online. We do not endorse or verify individual clinics.
Being honest about the gaps
There are still very few psychiatrists and psychologists for the population, and services are concentrated in a few places. If you cannot find local help, international options such as findahelpline.com and the WHO mental health pages are good starting points.
Stigma, faith and family
Many families first turn to faith leaders, elders, or traditional healers. Those relationships can offer real comfort. Medical and psychological care can sit alongside them, and nobody should be chained, shamed, or hidden because of a mental health condition.
Substance use and “kush”
Sierra Leone has declared a national emergency on drug use. If you or a loved one is struggling, the Psychiatric Teaching Hospital's rehabilitation centre and the 5116 line are places to start.
For the diaspora
If you are supporting family back home from the US, UK, or elsewhere, our guide on supporting a loved one from a distance may help. In the US, you can call or text 988 for yourself any time.
Common questions
- Is there a mental health hotline in Sierra Leone?
- Yes. The Ministry of Health promotes a toll-free mental health support line on 5116. If it does not connect, try again, contact your nearest hospital, or see findahelpline.com.
- Where is the psychiatric hospital in Sierra Leone?
- The Sierra Leone Psychiatric Teaching Hospital is in Kissy, Freetown. It is supported by the Ministry of Health and Partners In Health.
- Does Ibraluks Foundation provide therapy in Sierra Leone?
- No. Ibraluks Foundation offers education and peer support only. We point to public services and do not provide therapy, diagnosis, or crisis care.