Crisis and urgent help

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

The 988 lifeline provides free, confidential support to anyone struggling with mental health, emotional distress or alcohol or drug use, or who just wants someone to talk to. You can call or text 988 or start a chat on the 988lifeline.org website. The line is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and trained counselors provide one-on-one support. Deaf and hard-of-hearing users have a dedicated page on the site, and text and chat are available in Spanish. Texas Health and Human Services notes that TTY users can use a relay service or dial 711 and then 988.

Veterans and their supporters can call 988 and press 1, text 838255, or chat online with the Veterans Crisis Line, whether or not they are enrolled in VA healthcare.

Immediate danger

For immediate danger, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. Do not wait for a callback, an appointment or a referral. NIMH lists the Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990, for distress related to a disaster, with counseling in more than 100 languages.

Travis County

Integral Care provides low-cost healthcare and social services in Travis County for people affected by mental health conditions, substance use disorders and intellectual or developmental disabilities, and serves nearly 30,000 people there each year. Its 24-hour helpline is 512-472-HELP (4357), with a toll-free number at 844-398-8252 and a TTY line at 512-703-1395. Integral Care lists in-patient psychiatric emergency care among its services, and the helpline can tell you where to go.

Williamson County area and statewide

Bluebonnet Trails Community Services serves eight Central Texas counties and has locations in Round Rock, Cedar Park and Liberty Hill. Its 24-hour crisis line is 1-800-841-1255, and its appointment and information line is 844-309-6385. Texas Health and Human Services advises calling the crisis line of the local mental health authority for your county in a mental health crisis, and lists crisis numbers by county. Texas residents can also call or text 2-1-1, or visit 211texas.org, for local services. The SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-4357, is a free, confidential 24-hour referral line in English and Spanish.

After the crisis

Once the immediate danger has passed, follow-up care matters. A primary care provider can refer you to a specialist, and the directory lists psychiatry offices around Austin. Read your first psychiatry visit to prepare, and cost and insurance for ways to pay.

Common questions