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Emergency Hotlines & Crisis Resources
If you or someone you know is in crisis, help is available right now. All hotlines on this page are free and confidential. If there is immediate danger to life, call 911.
On This Page
Call or Text 911 for Immediate Emergencies
If someone is in immediate danger of harming themselves or others, call 911. You can also text 911 in most Massachusetts communities if you cannot safely speak aloud. When you call, let the dispatcher know it is a mental health crisis so they can send the appropriate response.
Start Here: The Two Most Important Numbers
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text: 988 | Chat: 988lifeline.org
Free, confidential support 24/7 for anyone experiencing emotional distress or suicidal thoughts. You do not need to be suicidal to call. Trained crisis counselors answer every contact. Available in Spanish (press 2), with ASL videophone, and with veteran-specific support (press 1). The former number, 1-800-273-8255, still connects to the same Lifeline.
Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line (BHHL)
Call or text: 833-773-2445 | Chat: masshelpline.com
Massachusetts-specific, 24/7. Staffed by trained clinicians and certified peer specialists, not just volunteers. This line provides real-time clinical assessment and direct connection to mental health and substance use treatment across the state, including urgent and immediate crisis care. Staff stay on the line until you are connected to the help you need. This is the line to call if you need help figuring out what kind of care you need and where to get it in Massachusetts.
Note: If you are in a mental health crisis and need someone to come to you, call 877-382-1609 (see Mobile Crisis below).
Mental Health & Emotional Support
Samaritans Statewide Helpline
Call or text: 877-870-4673 | samaritanshope.org
Free, confidential, and anonymous emotional support 24/7. Samaritans is a Massachusetts-based nonprofit operating since 1974. You do not have to be in crisis to call. The line is for anyone feeling isolated, anxious, overwhelmed, or uncertain. Part of the 988 Lifeline network.
Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741
Free, 24/7 crisis support via text message. Good option if you cannot speak privately or prefer to type. Connects you with a trained crisis counselor.
Massachusetts Mobile Crisis Intervention (ESP/MCI)
Call: 877-382-1609 (enter your zip code when prompted)
A 24/7 alternative to the emergency room for mental health and substance use crises. Connects you to the nearest Community Behavioral Health Center, which can send a mobile team of behavioral health professionals directly to where you are: your home, school, or another community location. Available to people of all ages, including those who are uninsured. Services are free or covered by MassHealth and Medicare; many programs also accept commercial insurance.
NAMI Massachusetts Compass Helpline
Call: 617-704-6264 | Email: compass@namimass.org
Available Monday through Friday, 10 am to 6 pm. Not a 24/7 crisis line, but an excellent resource for navigating the mental health system: understanding your options, finding providers, and learning what to do after a crisis. Bilingual in English and Spanish. For 24/7 crisis support, use 988 or 877-870-4673.
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
SafeLink (Massachusetts Domestic Violence Hotline)
Call: 877-785-2020 | TTY: 877-521-2601
Massachusetts’ statewide 24/7 domestic violence hotline, operated by Casa Myrna in Boston. Advocates are bilingual in English and Spanish and have access to translation in over 130 languages. Calls are free, confidential, and anonymous. SafeLink can help with safety planning, connect you to local shelters and programs, and support anyone affected by domestic or dating violence, including friends and family members.
National Sexual Assault Hotline (RAINN)
Call: 800-656-4673 | Text HOPE to 64673 | Chat: rainn.org
Free, confidential 24/7 support for survivors of sexual assault. Routes to a local sexual assault service provider in Massachusetts when available.
National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call: 800-799-7233 | Text START to 88788 | Chat: thehotline.org
24/7 national line for anyone experiencing domestic violence. The website includes a “quick escape” button if you are concerned about someone monitoring your browser activity.
LGBTQ+ Youth Crisis Support
The Trevor Project
Call: 866-488-7386 | Text START to 678-678 | Chat: thetrevorproject.org
24/7 crisis intervention and suicide prevention specifically for LGBTQ+ young people. Trained counselors who understand the specific challenges facing LGBTQ+ youth. All contacts are free and confidential.
Substance Use
Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline
Call: 800-327-5050 | Text HOPE to 800327 | Chat: helplinema.org
Free, confidential, and available 24/7. The only statewide public resource for finding licensed and approved substance use harm reduction, treatment, and recovery services in Massachusetts. Staffed by specialists who can connect you to the right program for your situation, including programs for people who are uninsured. Also covers problem gambling resources.
SAMHSA National Helpline
Call: 800-662-4357
Free, confidential, 24/7 treatment referral and information service for individuals and families facing mental health or substance use disorders. Available in English and Spanish. Does not provide counseling directly, but can connect you to local resources.
Naloxone (Narcan) and Overdose Prevention
Naloxone reverses opioid overdoses and is available without a prescription at most Massachusetts pharmacies. The state also provides it free through harm reduction programs. If you are with someone experiencing a suspected opioid overdose, call 911 immediately and administer naloxone if available. Massachusetts law provides legal protection for people who call 911 to report an overdose.
Additional Resources
- Veterans Crisis Line: Call 988 and press 1, or text 838255. For veterans, service members, and their families.
- Mass 2-1-1: Dial 2-1-1 (or 877-211-6277). Not a crisis line, but connects you to community resources statewide including food, housing, mental health services, and more. Available 24/7 in multiple languages.
- Massachusetts Problem Gambling Helpline: Call 800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org. Free and confidential, 24/7.
- Teen Line: Text TEEN to 839863 or call 800-852-8336. Peer support for teenagers, answered by trained teen volunteers. Teen Line runs on Pacific hours: the phone line answers 9 pm to 1 am Eastern, and the text line answers 9 pm to midnight Eastern. Outside those hours, calling that number still reaches a trained counselor at the Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Center, and 988 answers by call or text 24/7.
- Disaster Distress Helpline: Call or text 800-985-5990. 24/7 crisis counseling for people experiencing distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
Reaching out is a sign of strength. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.