Which helpline to call: crisis, abuse, shelter, drugs and alcohol

Do Not Lose Hope is not a hotline and cannot answer calls. This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. It helps you pick a line. To learn how 988 itself works, see Calling or texting 988.

Which line fits what we are going through?

Most of these lines say on their own sites that they are free. Your phone plan may still charge for texts or data.

Is someone thinking about suicide, or in an emotional crisis?

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is free, confidential and open 24/7/365. 988 says it is for everyone: mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, or just needing someone to talk to. You can call for yourself or for someone you are worried about.

For what to do in the next few minutes, see What to do right now.

Your county crisis line. These lines can send trained crisis workers to you. Use them alongside 988, not instead of it.

• For San Mateo County residents: San Mateo County Crisis Line, run by StarVista: (650) 579-0350, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (county crisis resources, checked October 21, 2026).
• For Santa Clara County residents: Santa Clara County crisis teams: (800) 704-0900, then press 1, 24/7. Teams serve adults, and children and young adults ages 4 to 20.
• Another California county: find your county's behavioral health number on the DHCS county list, or call or text 988.

Veterans and their families: dial 988 and then press 1, or text 838255.

Is a young person struggling?

• Teen Line: teens up to 19 talk with trained teen volunteers. Call (800) 852-8336, 6 to 10 p.m., or text TEEN to 839863, 6 to 9 p.m., Pacific time, every night. English only.
• The Trevor Project: for LGBTQ+ young people. Call 1-866-488-7386, text START to 678678, or chat at thetrevorproject.org. 24/7. TTY: 1-866-803-3699.
• Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741, or HOLA for Spanish, 24/7. You usually reach a trained volunteer within five minutes.
• National Runaway Safeline: call 1-800-786-2929, 24/7. It supports youth in crisis, and its directory is also for caregivers. There is no charge. Text and chat are offered on 1800runaway.org.

For more on teens, see Where a teen can talk to someone right now and When your teen is struggling.

Is someone hurting you at home?

You deserve to be safe. These lines help with safety plans, shelter and next steps.

• National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233, text START to 88788, or chat at thehotline.org. Free, confidential, 24/7. Spanish site at espanol.thehotline.org. Deaf and hard of hearing: videophone 855-812-1001.
• CORA, San Mateo County: 24 hour hotline 800-300-1080. CORA helps people affected by intimate partner abuse, with crisis support, safe housing, counseling and legal services.
• Next Door Solutions, Santa Clara County: 24/7 hotline (408) 279-2962. Free and confidential, with shelter, counseling, children's services and restraining order support. It says it serves survivors of every background and status.
• YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley: 24/7 bilingual support line 800-572-2782 for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence and human trafficking. Free and confidential.

If you are in danger now, call 911. For more help after abuse, see Help for survivors.

Was there a sexual assault?

• RAINN: call 800-656-4673, text HOPE to 64673, or chat at rainn.org. Free, 24/7, in English and Spanish.
• YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley: 800-572-2782, 24/7, bilingual.

Is a child being abused?

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: call 1-800-422-4453, or text "GO" to the same number. Professional crisis counselors answer 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with interpreters in more than 170 languages. Anyone worried about a child can call.

Know this first: Childhelp says that if you share names and a place where a child under 18 is being harmed, it may have to share that with the authorities. It also says it will never ask for your name or address.

Is someone being forced to work or to have sex?

National Human Trafficking Hotline: call 1-888-373-7888 (TTY 711), or text 233733. 24/7 and confidential, in English and Spanish, and more than 200 other languages through an interpreter. It helps people in forced labor and forced sex.

Is it drugs or alcohol?

• SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357. Free, confidential, 24/7, 365 days a year, in English and Spanish. It gives treatment referrals and information for people and families facing mental health or substance use problems.
• 988: also takes calls about alcohol or drug use, especially if someone is in distress.
• San Mateo County ACCESS Call Center (for county residents): (800) 686-0101, 24/7, TTY 711. Information, assessment and referral for mental health and substance use services, for county residents with Medi-Cal or no insurance. You can call for someone you are worried about. Staff speak English, Spanish and Chinese, with free interpreters for other languages.
• Santa Clara County Behavioral Health Call Center (for county residents): (800) 704-0900, 24/7, for residents with Medi-Cal, Medicare or no insurance, with interpreters in all languages spoken in the county.

If someone swallowed something harmful and is awake and breathing, call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. If they are unconscious or having trouble breathing, call 911.

For treatment options, see How to find drug and alcohol treatment for an adult and My teen is using drugs or alcohol.

Do you need shelter, food or rent help?

211 Bay Area: dial 211, or 800-273-6222, or text your ZIP code to 898211. Phone and text are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All contacts are confidential. A specialist can point you to shelter, food, counseling, child care, job help and more in San Mateo, Santa Clara and other Bay Area counties.

Outside the Bay Area, dial 211 too: 211 runs in many, but not all, California counties (211 California). 211 is not an emergency line. For more, see 211: free help finding local services and Food help.

Can I get help in my language?

Yes. Here is what each line says it offers.

• Spanish: 988 (dial 988 and then press 2, or text AYUDA to 988, or chat in Spanish), Crisis Text Line (text HOLA to 741741), RAINN, SAMHSA National Helpline, National Human Trafficking Hotline, Childhelp, and the Domestic Violence Hotline's Spanish site.
• Many other languages: 988 offers phone interpreters in more than 240 languages. Ask in English, or say the name of your language. This works on phone calls only.
• Other large interpreter services: 211 Bay Area (150 languages by phone), Poison Control (more than 200), the National Human Trafficking Hotline (more than 200), Childhelp (more than 170).
• County lines: San Mateo ACCESS staff speak English, Spanish and Chinese, with free interpreters. Santa Clara's call center offers interpreters in all languages spoken in the county.
• English only: Teen Line.

If a line does not have your language, say the language name clearly and ask, "Interpreter, please." 988, 211, Poison Control and Childhelp say they use interpreters.

What should I know before I call?

• You can call for someone else. 988, Childhelp and San Mateo's ACCESS line all say this.
• Most lines are confidential, with limits. Many will share information when someone's life is in danger or a child is being abused. Teen lines explain this on Where a teen can talk to someone right now.
• Immigration status. None of these lines' own pages, as we read them, say they ask about immigration status. For more on 988 and privacy, see Calling or texting 988.
• Not in crisis, just need to talk? The California Peer Run Warm Line, 855-600-9276, is for anyone living in California. Call or text, or chat on its site. Hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Thursday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. It lists no weekend hours.

Is there a list I can keep?

Who can help

Most lines on this page say they are free. Childhelp describes its number as toll free and does not say more about cost. Contact them to confirm hours, languages and openings. Being listed here is not a referral or a promise of service.

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988lifeline.org
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: thehotline.org
• CORA: corasupport.org
• Next Door Solutions: nextdoorsolutions.org
• YWCA Golden Gate Silicon Valley: yourywca.org
• RAINN: rainn.org
• Childhelp: childhelphotline.org
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: humantraffickinghotline.org
• SAMHSA National Helpline: samhsa.gov
• 211 Bay Area: 211bayarea.org

You do not have to carry this alone. One call is enough to start.