Emergencies and Crises

Emergencies

An emergency is a situation in which there is imminent risk to your own, or someone else’s, life or safety.

Emergency situations can include:

• Suicidal risk—considering acting on suicidal thoughts
• Physical risk—doing something that physically damages the body
• Assault—sexual or physical assault, or threat of sexual or physical assault
• Substance-related risk—losing consciousness, physical functioning, or the ability to maintain safety as a result of intoxication
• Violence risk—thinking about hurting or killing another person or group of people

United States Emergencies

In the above situations, and any other where you believe your own or someone else’s safety is at risk, call 911 (in the United States). Emergency medical personnel are equipped to address mental, as well as physical, health emergencies.

International Emergencies

International Emergency Contact Numbers

Please note that these numbers can change without notice. If you are outside of the US, check with local sources to confirm an emergency contact number for your area.

Crises

A crisis is a situation that requires prompt attention but does not immediately threaten life or physical safety. There are many different kinds of crisis assistance you can pursue, depending on your situation and location.

If you are not sure which service to contact, just choose any that is answering calls/texts/chats at the moment you are searching. Crisis lines have many purposes, from suicide response to natural disaster response, and responders are trained to address many types of crises. Once you speak with a responder, they can help connect you to the right people. It’s always OK to contact a crisis service, for any reason.

United States Crisis Response

988 Suicide and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline
Call 988 from any US phone.
Chat: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Crisis Text Line (24/7)
Crisis Text Line is a free, 24/7 support for CUNY students in crisis. Text CUNY to 741741 from anywhere in the US to text with a trained Crisis Counselor.
Text: Text CUNY to 741741
Info: https://www.crisistextline.org

Veterans Crisis Line (24/7)
Phone: 1-800-273-8255 Press 1 / TTY: 1-800-799-4889
Text: 838255
Info / Chat: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net

Love Is Respect – Relationships, Interpersonal Distress and Violence
Phone: 1-866-331-9474 (TTY: 1-866-331-8453) (24/7)
Text: loveis to 22522
Info: https://www.loveisrespect.org

National Domestic Violence Hotline
Phone: 1-800-799-7233 / 1-800-787-3224 (TTY)
Info / Chat: https://www.thehotline.org

RAINN: Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network
Phone: 1-800-656-4673(HOPE)
Info / Chat: https://www.rainn.org

Planned Parenthood—Reproductive and health resources
Phone: 1-800 230-7526
Text: PPNOW to 774636
Info / Chat: https://www.plannedparenthood.org

National Center for Victims of Crime
Phone: 1-800-394-2255
Info: https://victimsofcrime.org

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
Phone: 1-800-422-4453 (1-800-4-A-CHILD)
Info: https://www.childhelp.org/hotline

National Runaway Safeline
Phone: 1-800-786-2929 or 1-800-RUNAWAY
Info / Chat: https://www.1800runaway.org

National Eating Disorders Helpline
Phone: 1-800-931-2237
Text: NEDA to 741741
Info / Chat: https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline

Disaster Distress Helpline--Emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disaster, illness outbreak and distressing community events
Phone: 1-800-985-5990 (TTY for Deaf/Hearing Impaired: 1-800-846-8517)
Text: Text TalkWithUS to 66746

National Human Trafficking Hotline
Phone: 1-888-373-7888 (TTY: 711)
Text: 233733
Info / Chat: https://humantraffickinghotline.org

Poison Control Center
Phone: 1-800-222-1222
Info: https://www.poison.org

International Crisis Response

International Mental Health Crisis Resources*

*Please note that the linked website offers this list as a courtesy, for informational purposes only. Neither the site nor SPS regularly verifies its sources and/or endorses the listed services.

If you are an international SPS student and are having trouble finding mental health resources in your area of the world, please contact SPS Counseling Services for assistance.