Getting Started
What to Do in a Mental Health Crisis
What Should You Do in a Mental Health Crisis?
The national mental health crisis line is 988: call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time, for free, confidential support from a trained crisis counselor. Veterans and service members can dial 988 and press 1. If someone is in danger or having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. The crisis line finder shows your state's crisis line and how to reach a mobile crisis team.
A mental health crisis can feel like it has no way through. It does, and you don’t have to figure it out alone. This page explains who to contact, what happens when you do, what help can come to you, and when to call 911.
If you need help right now:
- Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It’s free, confidential and open 24 hours a day.
- Veterans, service members and their families: dial 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
- If someone is in danger or having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
The National Mental Health Crisis Line: 988
The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national hotline for anyone, anywhere in the U.S., who needs support with mental health, suicidal thoughts or substance use. SAMHSA says there is no reason too big or too small to reach out. People contact 988 about emotional distress, anxiety, depression, drug or alcohol use, loneliness, trauma, bullying, relationship troubles, or simply needing someone to talk to. You can also contact 988 if you’re worried about someone else.
| How to reach 988 | What to do | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Call | Dial 988 | Press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line, press 2 for Spanish, or stay on for your local center |
| Text | Text 988 | Text AYUDA for Spanish; veterans can text 838255 |
| Chat | Go to 988lifeline.org | A few short questions come first |
| Videophone | Dial 988 | Counselors who use ASL answer for Deaf and hard of hearing callers |
988 is free. You don’t need insurance or any payment information, though your carrier’s usual text rates may apply. On calls, interpreters are available in more than 240 languages at no cost. SAMHSA says calls are answered by more than 200 local, state and territory crisis centers, and if your local center can’t answer, a national backup center picks up. The old Lifeline number, 1-800-273-8255, still works too.
What Happens When You Contact 988
Knowing what to expect can make it easier to reach out. Here is what 988 describes for a call.
- A short greeting and menu. You hear options for veterans, Spanish or your local center. You can skip the menu by dialing zero.
- A brief hold. You hear music while you’re connected. SAMHSA says the average wait is typically under a minute.
- A counselor answers. They introduce themselves and ask whether you’re safe.
- They listen and help. The counselor works to understand how the problem is affecting you, gives support, and shares resources that may help.
Texting and chat work the same way after a few short intake questions. You don’t have to give your name. SAMHSA says the counselor will see your phone number or IP address, but not who you are or where you are.
SAMHSA also says most people who reach out are helped by the counselor, the resources shared, or community connections, without involving 911. For people who need more, the next step is often a mobile crisis team.
Mobile Crisis Teams: Help That Comes to You
A mobile crisis team is a small team of trained people who come to you, at home, at school or wherever the crisis is happening. SAMHSA describes them as staffed by mental health and substance use professionals, paraprofessionals and peer support workers, as an alternative to police. Their goal is to help in the community and avoid unnecessary police involvement, emergency room visits and hospital stays.
SAMHSA says teams typically:
- check your immediate needs, including screening for suicidal thoughts;
- assess your emotional health;
- calm and resolve the crisis;
- offer peer support from people with lived experience of recovery;
- make a safety plan with you;
- connect you to follow-up care and community support.
Some areas use co-responder teams instead, where a mental health professional responds together with police or emergency medical staff. SAMHSA notes that availability and models vary by location, and most teams send two people.
How to Reach a Mobile Crisis Team in Your State
Each state organizes this differently, but the pattern is clear from state agency information:
- In most states, 988 is the way in. You call or text 988, and the counselor can send a mobile team if phone support isn’t enough. Tennessee, for example, says to call or text 988 and press 0.
- Some states run their own crisis line too. Georgia’s Crisis and Access Line (1-800-715-4225) answers 988 in Georgia and can dispatch teams. Illinois uses its CARES Line (1-800-345-9049). In Massachusetts, the Behavioral Health Help Line (833-773-2445) connects you to your nearest Community Behavioral Health Center.
- Some programs are just for young people. Ohio’s Mobile Response and Stabilization Services serve youth 20 and under, and you reach them by calling 988 and asking for MRSS.
- Some areas use county lines. In Wisconsin, you call your county crisis line.
The crisis line finder shows your state’s crisis line and mobile crisis route in one place, and each state page, such as mental health care in Georgia or Massachusetts, lists the details.
Where to Find It: Walk-in Psychiatric Emergency by State
SAMHSA's FindTreatment.gov lists 3,048 mental health facilities with this service (walk-in psychiatric emergency) across 53 states and territories, checked October 2026. Pick a state for its facilities, cities and treatment agency.
Crisis Receiving and Stabilization Centers
SAMHSA’s national crisis care guidance rests on three things everyone should have: someone to contact (988), someone to respond (mobile crisis teams) and a safe place for help. That safe place is a crisis receiving and stabilization center or a similar setting where you can walk in and get care right away.
| Type of crisis setting | How it works |
|---|---|
| High-intensity crisis center | Open 24/7/365 and accepts everyone, including walk-ins and drop-offs by first responders, with no prescreening or prior approval and a “no wrong door” policy; stabilization usually happens within 24 hours |
| Moderate-intensity crisis center | Accepts people who come voluntarily, often with less intense needs |
| Hospital-based emergency stabilization unit | Linked to a hospital emergency department; stays are usually under 23 hours |
| Behavioral health urgent care | Immediate, unscheduled in-person assessment, often with night and weekend hours |
| Peer respite | A voluntary short stay in a home-like setting run by people with lived experience |
SAMHSA lists 3,048 mental health facilities with walk-in psychiatric emergency services, 3,580 with onsite psychiatric emergency care and 2,455 with mobile crisis services (October 2026). Find them with the care finder, or open your state’s crisis page, such as crisis centers in Texas or crisis centers in Ohio. SAMHSA notes these centers don’t yet exist in every community, which is why 988 is the best first call.
When to Call 911 Instead
988 is built for emotional and mental health crises, with as little police involvement as possible. 911 is for medical emergencies, fires, crimes in progress and situations that need immediate physical help.
SAMHSA gives these examples of when to call 911:
- a suicide attempt is in progress;
- someone may be having an overdose;
- someone has physical symptoms such as chest pain or shortness of breath, which could be a panic attack or a medical emergency.
If you’re on with 988 and someone’s life is in immediate danger, the counselor will contact 911. SAMHSA says this happens for a small share of contacts and often with the caller’s agreement. It also encourages reaching out to 988 early in a crisis, before it reaches that point.
Related on rehab.help: how naloxone reverses an opioid overdose.
How to Help Someone in a Crisis
If you’re worried about someone, you can make a real difference. 988 lists warning signs to watch for, especially if they are new, getting worse, or seem tied to a painful event, loss or change:
- talking about wanting to die, feeling hopeless or having no reason to live;
- talking about feeling trapped, in unbearable pain, or like a burden to others;
- drinking or using drugs more;
- acting anxious, agitated or reckless;
- sleeping too little or too much;
- withdrawing from people;
- showing rage, talking about revenge, or having extreme mood swings.
If you see these signs, contact 988 for guidance. 988 offers five action steps: ask, be there, help keep them safe, help them connect, and follow up. Its tips for the conversation:
- Be direct. Talk openly and matter-of-factly about suicide.
- Listen, and accept their feelings without judging or lecturing.
- Don’t promise to keep it secret. 988 says never keep it a secret if someone tells you about a plan to hurt themselves.
- Offer hope that help exists, without brushing their pain aside.
- Help keep them safe by removing things they could use to hurt themselves, as 988 advises.
- Get help from people who specialize in crisis care, starting with 988.
Supporting someone in crisis is hard. 988 encourages you to reach out for support yourself, too.
Getting Care After a Crisis
A crisis call or visit is a starting point, not the end of care. Mobile teams and crisis centers aim to connect you to follow-up care, and you can use that link to start ongoing treatment.
Cost shouldn’t stop you from getting crisis help. SAMHSA recommends that no one be denied or delayed crisis care because they can’t pay, and says that’s standard practice for most mobile crisis teams. Some states also cover mobile crisis services through Medicaid. For ongoing care after the crisis:
- Community mental health centers are a common starting point for affordable outpatient care.
- Free mental health care explains no-cost options near you.
- Medicaid coverage of therapy explains what your state’s program pays for.
- The low-cost care checker matches your state and coverage to affordable options.
If the crisis grew out of trauma, the guide to PTSD therapy explains trauma-focused care and VA options for veterans. For longer-term help with depression or intense emotions, see therapy for depression and DBT. When you’re ready, how to find a therapist walks through the first steps, and your first therapy session explains what that appointment is like.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 988 Only for Suicidal Thoughts?
No. SAMHSA says 988 responds to anyone who needs support for suicidal, mental health or substance use crises. People reach out about drug or alcohol use, emotional distress, anxiety, depression, loneliness, trauma, bullying, stress, relationship troubles and just needing someone to talk with. There is no reason too big or too small.
Will 988 Track My Location?
SAMHSA says the counselor sees your phone number if you call, or your IP address if you chat, but otherwise won't know who you are or where you are, and you don't have to give personal information. Calls are routed by approximate location or area code. Only in rare cases of immediate risk to life might 911 be asked to find a precise location.
Does the Old Lifeline Number Still Work?
Yes. SAMHSA says the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-8255, became the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline in July 2022, and the 10-digit number still connects you to 988 services.
Can I Get Help in Spanish or Another Language?
Yes. 988 offers call, text and chat in English and Spanish; press 2 on a call or text AYUDA. SAMHSA says interpreters are available on calls in more than 240 other languages at no cost. People who are Deaf or hard of hearing can dial 988 on a videophone to reach counselors who use ASL.
Is There a Helpline That Isn't for a Crisis?
Yes. SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, offers free, confidential treatment referrals and information 24 hours a day in English and Spanish. You can also text your ZIP code to 435748. For distress after a disaster or traumatic event, the Disaster Distress Helpline is 1-800-985-5990 (call or text).
Can Calling 988 Lead to a Hospital Stay?
Usually not. SAMHSA says most people's needs are resolved during the call, text or chat, and that crisis centers work in the least restrictive setting possible. For people who need more, a mobile crisis team visit can often help without a hospital stay. Involuntary hospitalization may be needed only when there is imminent risk and other efforts haven't worked.
More on Getting Started
- Finding a TherapistA step-by-step way to find, check and pay for a therapist
- First SessionWhat to expect, what to ask and how to prepare
- Checking a LicenseLicense types and how to verify one in your state
- Anxiety MedicationThe medicines FDA has approved for anxiety disorders, from their labels
- AnxietyThe therapies NIMH describes for anxiety disorders and how to find one near you
- DepressionTherapy for depression, who provides it and how to pay for it
This guide explains mental health care in plain language from official sources. It isn't medical advice; a licensed clinician can assess what care fits your situation.
Sources
- 988 Lifeline: What to Expect
- 988 Lifeline: Help Someone Else
- 988 Lifeline: Warning Signs
- SAMHSA: 988 Frequently Asked Questions
- SAMHSA: Crisis Help
- SAMHSA: National Behavioral Health Crisis Care Guidance
- SAMHSA: 2025 Model Definitions for Behavioral Health Emergency, Crisis, and Crisis-Related Services
- VA National Center for PTSD: Get Help in a Crisis
- SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov listing data, checked October 2026