Skip to main content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Is this an Emergency?

Is this an Emergency?

Behavioral Health Emergencies are potentially life-threatening situations that need immediate attention to preserve life.

Examples of behavioral health emergencies include:

  • Intending to kill self, or making threats or taking actions to kill self
  • Intending to kill others, or making threats or taking actions to kill others
  • A self-inflicted injury that needs immediate medical attention
  • Severe impairment due to drug or alcohol ingestion
  • Erratic or unusual behavior that indicates a potential danger to self or others, or an inability to care for self

If you are experiencing a behavioral health emergency, please call 9-1-1 or go to the nearest emergency room.

Is this a Crisis, rather than an Emergency?

Behavioral Health Crises involve emotional distress, but are not potentially life-threatening situations that need immediate attention to preserve life.

If you are experiencing a behavioral health crisis, and need to speak with someone immediately, please consider the following resources:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-TALK (8255), SuicidePreventionLifeline.org
Free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Crisis Text Line Text "Home" to 741741, CrisisTextLine.org
Free, 24/7 support for those in crisis, such as feelings of suicide or any painful emotion for which you need support. Text 741741 from anywhere in the US to text with a trained Crisis Counselor.

NOAA Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment Helpline 1-866-288-6558, NOAASASHHelpline.org
Live, confidential one-on-one support to anyone in the NOAA community who has experienced sexual assault and/or harassment