988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
24/7The national line for suicidal thoughts, emotional distress, and mental health or substance use crisis. Press 2 for Spanish, or use the 988 videophone for ASL.
Crisis Hotline Support
Free · Confidential · Most lines 24/7
If you are in danger, in pain, or out of options right now, someone is awake and waiting to take your call. Every number below is a national U.S. line, staffed by trained people, free to use, and confidential. You do not need insurance, an ID, or the right words.
If you need help right now
Tap any number to call from a phone. These six cover most emergencies.
911
Emergency services
Immediate danger to life — police, fire, or ambulance.
Call now
988
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Thoughts of suicide, emotional crisis, substance use. Call or text.
Call or text
800‑799‑7233
Domestic Violence Hotline
Abuse, safety planning, and emergency shelter placement.
Call now
741741
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME if talking out loud isn't safe or possible.
Text HOME
211
Local help & shelter
Shelter, food, rent, utilities, and services near you.
Call now
800‑222‑1222
Poison Control
Overdose, poisoning, or a dangerous mix of substances.
Call now
Find the numbers for your area
Everything above works anywhere in the United States. Some help is run state by state — domestic violence shelters, gambling helplines, peer support warm lines, and city services. Enter a ZIP code or pick a state to see what is available where you are.
Nothing leaves your device. This lookup runs entirely inside your browser. There is no location tracking, no third-party service, and nothing is saved or sent anywhere.
Suicide prevention & mental health
Suicide prevention and mental health crisis lines
If you are thinking about suicide, self-harm, or you simply cannot carry the day, these lines exist for exactly that moment. You do not have to be at the edge to be worth calling.
Crisis Text Line
24/7Free crisis counseling entirely over text, for any kind of crisis. Text HOLA instead of HOME for Spanish.
Veterans Crisis Line
24/7Responders including many veterans themselves. You do not need to be enrolled in VA benefits or VA health care to use it.
SAMHSA National Helpline
24/7Free, confidential treatment referral and information for mental health and substance use, in English and Spanish. Not a counseling line — a route into treatment.
NAMI HelpLine
Mon–Fri, 10a–10p ETInformation, resources, and support for people living with mental illness and for the families caring for them. For after-hours crisis, use 988.
Disaster Distress Helpline
24/7Emotional support after a natural or human-caused disaster — storms, fires, shootings, evacuations, and the months of aftermath.
The Trevor Project
24/7Crisis support built for LGBTQ young people under 25, staffed by counselors trained for exactly those conversations.
Trans Lifeline
Mon–Fri, 1p–9p ETPeer support run by and for trans people. Callers are never traced and emergency services are not contacted without consent.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
24/7For pregnant and new parents facing depression, anxiety, or crisis. English and Spanish, with interpreters in 60 languages.
Postpartum Support International
Call or textHelpLine for perinatal and postpartum mood concerns, connecting parents to local providers and support groups. Not an emergency line.
National Alliance for Eating Disorders
Mon–Fri, 9a–7p ETHelpline staffed by licensed therapists who specialize in eating disorders, with treatment referrals nationwide.
Women's shelters & domestic violence
Women's shelters and domestic violence hotlines
Advocates on these lines do more than listen. They check real-time bed availability at women's shelters near you, help build a safety plan, and can arrange transport — whether you are leaving tonight or only starting to think about it.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
24/7The main U.S. line for physical, emotional, sexual, or financial abuse. Advocates connect you to local shelters and services, and will talk with friends and family who are worried about someone.
DomesticShelters.org
Search by ZIPThe largest searchable directory of domestic violence shelters and programs in the U.S. and Canada — filter by location, services, and who they serve.
StrongHearts Native Helpline
24/7Culturally appropriate support for Native Americans and Alaska Natives experiencing domestic or sexual violence, with knowledge of tribal jurisdictions and resources.
love is respect
24/7Dating abuse and unhealthy relationship support for teens and young adults — and for the parents, friends, and teachers trying to help them.
Deaf Hotline
24/7Domestic and sexual violence support by and for Deaf, DeafBlind, and hard of hearing survivors, in American Sign Language over video.
WomensLaw.org
Email supportPlain-language legal information by state — restraining orders, custody, housing rights, and immigration protections for survivors.
Two things worth knowing before you call
Shelter placement usually starts with a phone call, not a walk-in. Most women's shelters keep their addresses confidential and place residents through the hotline or through 211, so calling first is faster than driving around.
Devices can be monitored. If you share a phone, a plan, or a car with the person you are afraid of, consider using a friend's phone or a library computer, and clearing your browsing history afterward.
Sexual assault & abuse
Sexual assault, child abuse, and trafficking hotlines
For abuse happening now, abuse that happened years ago, and abuse you suspect is happening to someone else. You can call without giving your name and without deciding anything.
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN)
24/7Confidential support for survivors of sexual assault and abuse, recent or long past. Routes you to a trained staff member at a local affiliate.
Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline
24/7Professional crisis counselors for children, parents, and anyone who suspects a child is being abused or neglected. Interpreters in 170+ languages.
National Human Trafficking Hotline
24/7For victims of labor or sex trafficking and for anyone reporting a suspected situation. Anonymous, and available in more than 200 languages.
DoD Safe Helpline
24/7Sexual assault support built specifically for the military community — service members, veterans, and their families. Anonymous and independent of the chain of command.
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
24/7Report a missing child or online child exploitation, and get help removing explicit images of a minor from the internet.
Eldercare Locator
WeekdaysConnects you to Adult Protective Services and local aging agencies for elder abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of an older adult.
Veteran support
Veteran crisis lines and support services
You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care, and you do not need a service-connected rating, to use any of these. Family members and caregivers can call on a veteran's behalf.
Veterans Crisis Line
24/7Confidential crisis support for veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve, and their families. Many responders are veterans themselves.
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
24/7For veterans who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. Connects to VA housing programs, emergency shelter, and case management.
Women Veterans Call Center
Mon–Sat, see hoursStaffed entirely by women, many of them veterans. Answers questions about VA benefits and health care services available to women veterans. Mon–Fri 8a–10p ET, Sat 8a–6:30p ET.
VA Caregiver Support Line
WeekdaysFor family members and friends caring for a veteran — support, referrals, and a licensed caregiver support coordinator in your area.
VA Benefits Hotline
WeekdaysGeneral questions about disability compensation, pension, education, and survivor benefits.
DoD Safe Helpline
24/7Anonymous sexual assault support for the military community, independent of the chain of command and of any report you may or may not file.
Homeless & housing support
Homeless shelters, housing help, and emergency assistance
Whether you need a bed tonight, help with rent before an eviction, or a place for a young person who has left home, these are the fastest routes to local help.
211 — Local Community Services
24/7 in most areasThe single best first call for emergency shelter, food, rent and utility assistance, health care, and disaster relief. Free, confidential, and staffed by people who know your county.
HUD Find Shelter
Search by ZIPThe federal directory of emergency shelters, transitional housing, free clinics, and food pantries, searchable by address.
National Call Center for Homeless Veterans
24/7A dedicated route for veterans who are homeless or about to be — often faster than the general shelter system.
National Runaway Safeline
24/7For youth who have run away, are thinking about it, or are already on the street — and for the parents trying to find them. Free transport home may be available.
National Safe Place — TXT 4 HELP
24/7Text your city, state, or ZIP and get the nearest Safe Place site — a business or agency where a young person can wait safely for help to arrive.
Domestic violence shelter placement
24/7If you are leaving an abusive home, go through the Domestic Violence Hotline rather than the general shelter system — confidential-location shelters are placed this way.
Gambling support
Problem gambling helplines and recovery support
Gambling problems rarely arrive alone — they come tangled up with debt, secrecy, and shame. These lines handle all of it, for the person gambling and for the family living with the consequences.
National Problem Gambling Helpline
24/7Operated by the National Council on Problem Gambling. Routes you to treatment and support in your own state, with no cost and no judgment.
Gamblers Anonymous
Meetings nationwideFree peer recovery meetings, in person and online, in every state. No dues, no fees, and no requirement beyond a desire to stop gambling.
Gam-Anon
For familySupport for spouses, partners, parents, and children affected by someone else's gambling — including the financial fallout.
The national gambling number changed — check the one you have saved
Following a 2025 court decision, the National Council on Problem Gambling no longer operates 1-800-GAMBLER as its national helpline. Its national number is now 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), which takes both calls and texts, 24/7. Many individual states still route 1-800-GAMBLER to their own programs, so that number may still work where you live — but 1-800-MY-RESET is the current national line.
Substance use & overdose
Substance use, addiction, and overdose help
For someone using, someone in withdrawal, or someone who just found a person unresponsive. In an overdose, call 911 first.
SAMHSA National Helpline
24/7Free, confidential treatment referral for substance use and mental health, in English and Spanish. They will find options that match what you can afford.
Poison Control
24/7Immediate expert guidance on overdose, poisoning, dangerous drug interactions, and accidental ingestion. Free and confidential.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
24/7988 handles substance use crisis, not only suicide. Use it when someone is spiraling and you are not sure what else to do.
Three-digit numbers
911, 988, 211, and 311 — which one to dial
Four short numbers, four different jobs. Dialing the right one gets you to the right person faster.
911
Emergency services
Immediate threat to life or property — police, fire, or ambulance. Use it for an overdose, a violent situation in progress, or a medical emergency. Available everywhere in the U.S.
988
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis. You reach a trained crisis counselor, not a dispatcher. Call or text 988, or press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
211
Community services
Emergency shelter, food, rent and utility help, health care, childcare, disaster relief. Free, confidential, and available in most of the country, 24 hours a day.
311
City services (where offered)
Non-emergency municipal services in many U.S. cities — homeless outreach teams, housing code complaints, sanitation, noise. If 311 does not work where you live, dial 211 instead.
If you use TTY or a relay service
Dial 711 to reach Telecommunications Relay Service, then give the operator any number on this page. 988 also accepts TTY through 711, and offers ASL support by videophone.
Common questions
Questions people ask before they call
Uncertainty keeps people from dialing. Here is what actually happens.
How do I know if my state has its own hotline?
Use the Find the numbers for your area box near the top of this page. Enter a ZIP code or pick a state and it shows that state’s domestic violence line, gambling helpline, peer support warm line, and which cities run 311. The lookup runs entirely in your browser — no location tracking and nothing sent anywhere. Worth knowing: only about 23 states run a true 24/7 statewide domestic violence hotline. In the rest, the state coalition is an advocacy office, so the page points you to the National Domestic Violence Hotline instead of a number that will not pick up.
What is the difference between 911 and 988?
Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency that needs police, fire, or an ambulance right now. Call or text 988 for a mental health, suicide, or substance use crisis — you reach a trained crisis counselor rather than a dispatcher. Most 988 calls are resolved on the phone without any emergency response being sent.
Are these hotlines really free and confidential?
Yes. Every national line listed here is free to call or text and confidential. You do not need insurance, an ID, a diagnosis, or immigration status. Most are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week; the ones that are not show their hours on the card.
How do I find a women's shelter near me?
Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233, or text START to 88788. Advocates check real-time bed availability in your area, arrange transport where it is available, and help with a safety plan. You can also dial 211 for local emergency shelter, or search DomesticShelters.org by ZIP code. Most domestic violence shelters keep their addresses confidential and place residents by phone, so calling is faster than showing up.
Can I text instead of calling?
Yes, and it is often the better option if speaking out loud is not safe. Text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, HOME to 741741 for Crisis Text Line, START to 88788 for the National Domestic Violence Hotline, and 838255 for the Veterans Crisis Line.
Will calling a crisis line get the police sent to my house?
In the large majority of calls, no. Crisis counselors work to resolve the situation on the phone, and emergency services are involved only when there is an imminent risk to life that cannot be addressed any other way. If this is a specific worry for you, say so at the start of the call — counselors can talk it through with you. Trans Lifeline states that it does not contact emergency services without the caller's consent.
Do I have to be in crisis to call?
No. These lines take calls from people who are worried, exhausted, isolated, or unsure whether what they are experiencing "counts." They also take calls from friends and family members who want to help someone else and do not know how. You do not have to be at the worst point to be worth a phone call.
Is 1-800-GAMBLER still the national gambling helpline?
No. As of September 2025, the National Council on Problem Gambling operates its national helpline as 1-800-MY-RESET (1-800-697-3738), available by call and text 24/7. Many individual states still route 1-800-GAMBLER to their own programs, so it may still connect you locally — but 1-800-MY-RESET is the current national number.
What if I am outside the United States?
The numbers on this page are U.S. lines. Find A Helpline lists free, confidential crisis services by country, including text and chat options.
How can I help someone who will not call?
You can call for guidance yourself. The National Domestic Violence Hotline, Childhelp, 988, the Veterans Crisis Line, and the SAMHSA National Helpline all take calls from concerned friends and family. Ask what to say, what not to say, and what options exist in that person's area — then stay in the relationship. People usually reach out when someone has made it safe to.