An Indigenous-led crisis hotline has been established to provide culturally appropriate mental health support for First Nations communities.

Funded through the Federal Department of Health and Gayaa Dhuwi, 13YARN is run by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with support from Lifeline.

All crisis supports will be of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage and are provided with clinical and cultural support.

National Program manager Marjorie Anderson said every aspect of 13YARN had been co-designed with the Indigenous community.

"It's been designed with a diverse community group who include people from the stolen generation, people with a lived or living experience of suicide, mental health professionals, Indigenous elders and community members," she said.

"They've all had input into the way that the line should feel for their help seeker when they ring the line.

"And we've taken all that advice and we've implemented it. There hasn't been a piece of advice where we've said 'no we can't do that'.

"This line is absolutely built from the ground up by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people."

13YARN hopes to embed helpline staff in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia.

This includes a virtual workforce and training model ensuring information and expertise can be shared nationwide.

Ms Anderson said that 13YARN would provide culturally appropriate care in the mental health space.

"The community have told us when they reach out for support, they often have to teach the person who they go see about themselves, their culture, Aboriginal family dynamics and the way the Aboriginal community operates before they can get help," she said.

"If they ring 13YARN, they'll get people on the other end of the line who are Aboriginal and will understand where they're coming from.

"And 13YARN is building up a referral director of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander mental health services so hopefully we can refer them to a service for ongoing care that's culturally appropriate as well."

Ms Anderson the service could be used at any time.

"If you want confidential help, reach out to us and get help. It doesn't matter if you're not in crisis, if you're just feeling a bit anxious and you just want to talk somebody, ring," she said.

"We want to make sure that we're referring people to mental health services that will give them ongoing support and care and bring down the horrible suicide rate in Aboriginal communities, especially in youth.

Ms Anderson said the service had been decades in the making.