If you or someone you know is having a mental health crisis, you can
- call or text 988 (the new national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – you will be referred to the nearest crisis call center based on your area code; Spanish available as an option)
- call the crisis line for the county where the person in crisis is located (a better option if your area code is not local and you are in Southeastern Pennsylvania (numbers shown below))
- call 911 (e.g., if there is immediate danger of physical harm; connects you to local 911 call center based on GPS)
- go to https://988lifeline.org/ for specialized call lines for veterans, mothers, or people who are hard of hearing, and helpful information for many groups, including ethnic minorities
- go to https://www.thebandanaproj.
org/org/national for specialized call lines for LGBTQ youth, sexual assault, domestic violence, substance abuse and disaster-related distress.
In Southeastern Pennsylvania, the county crisis lines are:
Bucks County: 800.499.7455
Chester County: 877.918.2100
Delaware County: 855.889.7827
Montgomery County: 855.634.4673
Philadelphia County: 215.686.4420
These crisis lines provide access to free, confidential, compassionate crisis counselors who are specifically trained for dealing with mental health crises and may provide better help and reduced risk of arrest. Someone is available 24/7 to assess the situation, arrange for an in-person evaluation, and/or make referrals as needed.
Lifeline Chat, available 24/7, is a service of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, connecting individuals with counselors for emotional support and other services via web chat at https://988lifeline.org/chat/.
For resources to help you cope with, prepare for and/or prevent a crisis, see https://namimainlinepa.org/
Page last updated in August 2023.