Suicide Crisis

Talk or Chat  with Someone Now at the National Suicide Prevention Hotline:

If you’re thinking about suicide, are worried about a friend or loved one, or would like emotional support, the Lifeline network is available 24/7 across the United States.

Visit a Local Hospital

 Anyone can go to any emergency room at a public hospital, they can’t deny you. If person is looking specifically for mental health care, most ER’s will page the local mental health services to assess and give referrals and/or support, if they don’t already have those staff on-site, but sometimes people have to ask directly for that.

If someone is looking for a mental health hospital admission, they often go to their local ER first, or call local mental health services for a screening.  Most psychiatric hospital units require a medical clearance prior to admission anyway, so the ED is a good choice, unless the person may be interested in other less intensive options, such as outpatient therapy. Generally, the least restrictive option is best to try first, but always depends on the situation, of course.

Once someone is screened by staff for a possible hospital admission, the next step is determining if the person meets criteria for hospitalization, which is usually some level of concern around safety. Then staff call hospitals for available beds, sometimes they are in short supply.  Most pubic hospitals will work with people without insurance and try to help them apply for insurance or do paperwork for special funds sometimes available for low income people.

Local Hospitals: