What to do when someone is in crisis right now
If you or someone near you is in immediate danger—talking about suicide, showing signs of harming themselves or others, or in severe distress—call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. That is the fastest route to crisis stabilization and assessment by trained clinicians.
If the situation is urgent but not immediately dangerous, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline connects you to a counselor by phone or text within minutes. You can also text "HELLO" to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line, which operates 24/7. Both services are free and confidential, and neither requires insurance or personal information to use.
Some areas also run mobile crisis teams—clinicians who come to your home or location instead of requiring you to travel. Ask 988 or your local emergency dispatch whether this option exists in your area, because response time and availability vary widely by region.
Key Takeaways
- Call 911 or go to an emergency room if there is immediate danger to yourself or others, or if you cannot keep yourself safe.
- The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline and Crisis Text Line (741741) connect you to a counselor within minutes and work 24/7 without requiring insurance.
- Some communities have mobile crisis teams that come to you instead of requiring a trip to the hospital, though availability depends on your location.
- After the immediate crisis passes, ask the clinician or counselor about follow-up care options, because the crisis line itself does not provide ongoing treatment.
- If you are concerned about someone else, you can call 988 or 911 on their behalf, and many areas allow you to request a welfare check through local police.
Understanding 988 and how it differs from emergency services
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a national phone and text service that routes your call to a local crisis center. When you call or text, you reach a trained counselor—not a dispatcher—who listens, assesses your safety, and helps you think through what comes next. The conversation stays confidential unless you are in immediate danger or unable to care for yourself.
988 is designed for moments when you need to talk to someone urgently but are not in immediate physical danger. If you call 988 and the counselor determines you are unsafe, they can dispatch emergency services or help you get to a hospital. But the starting point is conversation, not an ambulance.
The service is free, does not appear on your phone bill, and does not require you to give your name or insurance information. You can call or text from any phone, and the wait is typically a few minutes. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, you can use a relay service or video relay service to reach 988.
When to call 911 versus 988
Call 911 if you or someone else is showing signs of immediate danger: talking about suicide with a plan, actively harming themselves, threatening to harm others, unable to stay safe, or experiencing severe confusion or loss of consciousness. Also call 911 if someone is under the influence of drugs or alcohol and cannot be safely managed at home, or if they are refusing to go to the hospital and you believe they are in danger.
Call 988 if you are having thoughts of suicide but no plan, experiencing severe anxiety or panic, in emotional crisis but physically safe, or unsure whether you need emergency care. You can also call 988 if you are worried about someone else and want guidance on how to help them, or if you have already called 911 and want support while waiting for help to arrive.
The line between the two is not always clear, and that is normal. If you are unsure, calling 988 first is safe—the counselor can tell you whether 911 is needed. You can also call 911 and ask for a mental health crisis response instead of police, and some dispatch centers will send a mobile crisis team or clinician first.
What happens after you reach a crisis service
When you contact 988 or call 911 for a mental health crisis, the first step is safety assessment. The counselor or clinician asks about your current thoughts and plans, whether you have access to means of harm, your support system, and what triggered the crisis. This conversation usually takes 15 to 30 minutes and determines what happens next.
If you are safe and have support at home, the counselor may help you develop a safety plan—specific steps you will take if thoughts return, people you will contact, and reasons to stay alive. They will also discuss follow-up care: whether you need to see a therapist, psychiatrist, or primary care doctor in the coming days or weeks. Some crisis centers can schedule that appointment for you before you hang up.
If you are not safe or do not have adequate support, the clinician will discuss going to an emergency room or psychiatric hospital. In some cases, they can arrange transport or send a mobile crisis team to your location. If you refuse, and the clinician believes you are in danger, they can contact emergency services on your behalf—this is one of the few situations where confidentiality does not apply.
Finding crisis services in your area beyond the national lines
In addition to 988 and the Crisis Text Line, many cities and counties run their own crisis services. Some operate mobile crisis teams that respond to homes, schools, or public spaces. Others run crisis stabilization units—short-term facilities that are less intensive than a hospital but more structured than outpatient care. Your local mental health authority or county health department can tell you what exists in your area.
If you have a therapist or psychiatrist, their office usually has an emergency number or protocol for after-hours crises. Some practices use a crisis line that routes to an on-call clinician. If you are a patient at a community mental health center, they often have same-day or next-day crisis appointments. Call during business hours and ask what to do if you are in crisis outside of office hours.
Veterans can call the Veterans Crisis Line at 988 then press 1, which connects to counselors trained in military culture and trauma. If you are a student, your school's counseling center usually has emergency protocols and can connect you to community services. LGBTQ+ individuals can reach the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 for crisis support specific to their community.
How to help someone else in crisis
If you are concerned about someone's safety, you can call 988 on their behalf and describe what you are seeing. The counselor can give you guidance on how to approach the person, whether to call 911, and what to say. You can also call 911 and request a welfare check, which sends officers to the person's location to assess their safety.
If the person is willing to talk, listen without judgment and avoid arguing about whether their feelings are valid. Ask directly whether they are thinking about suicide—this does not plant the idea and often opens the conversation. Offer specific help: "I can drive you to the hospital" or "I can stay with you tonight." Do not leave them alone if you believe they are in immediate danger.
If the person refuses help and you believe they are unsafe, you can contact local police or mental health crisis services and request an involuntary evaluation. The legal process varies by state, but generally a clinician or officer can take someone to a hospital for assessment if they are deemed a danger to themselves or others. This is a last resort and can damage trust, but it can also save a life.
What to expect at an emergency room or psychiatric hospital
When you arrive at an emergency room for a mental health crisis, you will be triaged and assessed by a nurse or clinician. They will ask about your symptoms, any previous psychiatric history, current medications, and substance use. You may wait several hours before seeing a psychiatrist, especially if the emergency room is busy. Bring your insurance card and a list of current medications if you have them.
The psychiatrist will conduct a more detailed evaluation and may order blood work or other tests to rule out medical causes of your symptoms. Based on that assessment, they will recommend admission to a psychiatric hospital, referral to outpatient care, or discharge home with a follow-up plan. If you are admitted, you will typically stay for 3 to 7 days while your medications are adjusted and a discharge plan is made.
Hospital stays are covered by most insurance plans, though you may have a copay or deductible. If you do not have insurance, the hospital is required to provide care regardless, and you can discuss payment plans or financial assistance with the billing department. Ask before discharge about follow-up appointments, prescriptions, and whether the hospital can connect you to ongoing mental health treatment.
Building a safety plan for future crises
A safety plan is a written list of warning signs that a crisis is building, coping strategies you can use on your own, people and social settings that provide distraction, people you can ask for help, and professionals you can contact. You create it during a calm moment—ideally with a therapist—so that when a crisis hits, you have a concrete guide instead of trying to think clearly in the moment.
Your plan should include the phone numbers for 988, your therapist, your psychiatrist, and trusted people in your life. It should list specific things that have helped in the past: going for a walk, calling a friend, taking a shower, listening to music. It should also identify warning signs unique to you—the thoughts, feelings, or behaviors that tell you a crisis is starting. Keep the plan somewhere accessible, like your phone or wallet, and share it with people who might need to help you.
If you have been hospitalized or had a crisis, ask the clinician before you leave whether they can help you create a safety plan. Many hospitals provide one automatically. If you work with a therapist, this is a standard part of treatment for people at risk of crisis. The plan is not a may provide, but it gives you and the people around you a roadmap for what to do when things get hard.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will calling 988 result in police showing up at my house?
Not automatically. The 988 counselor will only contact emergency services if you are in immediate danger and refuse to go to the hospital. If you are safe and have support, the conversation stays between you and the counselor. You can also tell the counselor upfront that you do not want police involved, which helps them understand your concerns and find alternatives.
What if I call 988 but I am not sure I am in crisis?
That is what 988 is for. The counselor is trained to listen and help you figure out whether you need emergency care, a therapist appointment, or just someone to talk to. There is no such thing as "not bad enough" to call. If you are struggling, the line is open.
Can I use 988 if I do not have a phone plan or minutes?
Yes. You can call 988 from any phone, including a phone without an active plan, as long as you can dial. You can also text 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. Both work without requiring payment or a data connection.
What if the person I am worried about does not want help?
You cannot force someone into treatment unless they are in immediate danger. What you can do is express your concern clearly, offer specific help, and set boundaries about what you can and cannot do. If you believe they are unsafe, you can contact 988 or 911 on their behalf and describe what you are seeing. The rest is up to them and the professionals who assess them.
Does a crisis line visit stay on my medical record?
Calling 988 does not create a medical record unless you are referred to a hospital or other treatment facility. The call is confidential and separate from your healthcare records. If you go to an emergency room or are admitted to a hospital, that will appear in your medical record, but the initial 988 call itself does not.