If You or Someone You Know is in Crisis or Needs Immediate Help

Share this page

Please reach out for help if you need it.

We all need support sometimes, and there are people who care about you.

If you need to share these resources, download an accessible PDF version of these resources PDF (with an abbreviated list of contacts)

Please call 911 if you have a medical emergency or feel in immediate danger. Be sure the 911 operator knows you have a disability, and any other information that may be relevant for first responders or your safety, including your race, gender, or other information to prevent miscommunication or additional trauma.

If it is difficult for you to communicate in a crisis or you are concerned about using 911, consider having a letter or ID card that explains your disability or any of your characteristics that may alarm people trying to help you (e.g., if you make "odd" noises or don't like being touched), and what you may need (e.g., "tell me before you touch me").

Bring your insurance card, ID, and any important papers, including a psychiatric advanced directive , distress plan PDF , or safety plan PDF , be sure to have that with you.

See examples of cards/letters for people who stutter , who are autistic , or who are deaf, deafblind, or hard of hearing . Also, consider having a friend, family member, or ally with you when you make the call or go to the emergency room. We want you to be safe and supported.

Help and Support
988 suicide and crisis lifeline

24-Hour Hotlines

  • The 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the United States. The former hotline 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) will remain in place indefinitely.
  • Crisis Text Line: Free, 24/7, Confidential Text START to 741-741 (Text "Steve" if you are a student of color and you will be prioritized for getting a counselor who is a POC; some culturally Deaf counselors are available, so if you prefer one, ask if any are available)
  • Project LETS has several crisis resources . Project LETS is a national grassroots organization and movement led by and for folks with lived experience of mental illness/madness, Disability, trauma, & neurodivergence. They specialize in building just, responsive, and transformative peer support collectives and community mental health care structures that do not depend on state-sanctioned systems that trap people in the medical/prison-industrial complex.
  • The Trevor Lifeline (Suicide Prevention for LGBTQ Youth): 866-4-U-TREVOR (1-866-488-7386)
  • CDC-INFO (Formerly known as the CDC National STD and AIDS Hotline) 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636)
  • Veterans’ Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988, press 1 or former line, in place indefinitely 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255), press 1
  • National Sexual Assault 24-hour hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673) or https://www.rainn.org/ for a 24/7 text-based chat line
  • Trans Lifeline US: 877-565-8860; Canada: 877-330-6366 If you have medical/police/EMT trauma, they do not call 911 without consent.
  • National Eating Disorders Association Helpline and Online Chat (only available 9 am-9 pm Monday through Thursday, and 9 am-5 pm Friday (Eastern Standard Time: 1-800-931-2337. Online chat is available at https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org )
  • Treatment Referral Hotline (Substance Abuse) 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357)

Addiction Resources

Poster

Poster with Crisis Resources (PDF)

A free poster with crisis resources in PDF format to download for your office or room.

Find Resources on Your Campus, in Your Community, or Online

TTY, Text, and VP Hotlines for Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People

  • Crisis Line for VideoPhone users who use American Sign Language (available 24/7):
    • 321-800-3323 (321-800-DEAF)
  • National Suicide Prevention Hotline:
  • Crisis text line: text START to 741-741 (free, available 24/7, sometimes have Deaf counselors available)
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline:

Dealing with Coronavirus and Natural Disasters

  • SAMHSA has an online Disaster Distress Helpline with resources, including information for tribal communities. Resources include tip sheets and guides for survivors, displaced people , and more.
  • The Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 is toll-free for anyone who needs counseling about the coronavirus (COVID-19) or natural disasters.
  • The Disability Underground at the Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies has set up a National Disability COVID-19 Healthcare Support and Advocacy Hotline at 1-800-626-4959 or send an email to contact@disabilityunderground.org

Grief and Resources for Those Who Have Lost Someone to Suicide

  • Resources for those who have lost someone to suicide are listed at the Suicide Prevention Lifeline website. There is a link to national resources at the bottom of the page.
  • Actively Moving Forward connects college students who are grieving and has a network of campus chapters.
  • HealGrief.org provides state and national resources about grieving and death, including information about the death of parents, funeral and grief customs, grieving the loss of pets, and information about living wills and other legal documents.