Mental Health Crisis Resources in Pennsylvania: Where to Turn When You Need Help Now

If you or someone you know is in a mental health crisis right now, this page is for you. The resources below are organized to help you find the right help quickly.

If This Is an Emergency

Call 911 if someone is in immediate physical danger — attempting suicide, unconscious, or a threat to others.

Call or text 988 for any mental health crisis that isn’t an immediate physical emergency. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7 and connects you to a trained crisis counselor in Pennsylvania. You don’t have to be suicidal to call 988. Any mental health crisis is appropriate for this line.

The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline in Pennsylvania

988 — call or text, available 24/7

Pennsylvania participates in the national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline network with local crisis call centers. When you call or text 988 from a Pennsylvania number, you are connected to a trained counselor at a Pennsylvania crisis center whenever possible.

988 is appropriate for:
– Suicidal thoughts or feelings
– Thoughts of self-harm
– Overwhelming anxiety, panic, or distress
– Psychotic episodes or breaks from reality
– Severe depression or inability to function
– Concern about someone else who may be in crisis

The 988 counselor can help you through the immediate crisis, connect you with local resources, and arrange for follow-up care or emergency services if needed.

Veterans: Call 988 and press 1 to reach the Veterans Crisis Line, staffed specifically by people with training in veteran mental health.

Spanish speakers: 988 has Spanish-language options.

Deaf or hard of hearing: Chat at 988lifeline.org or use TTY at 1-800-799-4889.

Pennsylvania Crisis Lines by Region

In addition to 988, most Pennsylvania counties operate local crisis lines with knowledge of county-specific resources. Contact your county’s Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities (MH/ID) office for local crisis line information, or call 988 and ask to be connected to county-specific resources.

Selected regional crisis resources:

• York/Adams County Crisis Line: Contact York-Adams MH/IDD through their published crisis contact line; the 988 dispatch network also serves this region.
• Lancaster County Crisis Line: Contact Compass Mark / Lancaster County Crisis Intervention for county-specific crisis services.
• Dauphin County (Harrisburg area): Contact Dauphin County MH/ID for crisis services in the Harrisburg region.
• Philadelphia County: Philadelphia crisis services are operated through Community Behavioral Health (CBH). Philadelphia also has a 24-hour crisis line: 215-685-6440.
• Allegheny County (Pittsburgh): Resolve Crisis Services: 1-888-796-8226 (24/7).

For any Pennsylvania county not listed here: call 988 and ask for local resources, or dial 211 to be connected with local social services information.

Mobile Crisis Units in Pennsylvania

Many Pennsylvania counties have mobile crisis teams — trained mental health professionals who can come to you during a mental health emergency. Mobile crisis is often a better option than police response for mental health situations where no one is in immediate physical danger.

Mobile crisis teams can:
– Come to your home, a public location, or another setting
– Provide crisis assessment and stabilization
– Connect you with follow-up care and resources
– Help you avoid an emergency room visit when that level of care isn’t necessary

Availability of mobile crisis varies significantly by county. To access mobile crisis in Pennsylvania, call 988 and let the counselor know you may need a mobile response, or contact your county’s MH/ID office directly.

Some counties have particularly developed mobile crisis infrastructure:
– Allegheny County: Mobile crisis through Resolve Crisis Services (1-888-796-8226)
– Philadelphia: Philadelphia Mobile Crisis Team through Community Behavioral Health
– Dauphin County: Mobile crisis through Dauphin County MH/ID

Emergency Rooms vs. Crisis Centers

Emergency rooms are appropriate for mental health crises that involve immediate physical safety concerns — an active suicide attempt, severe overdose, or a situation where immediate medical stabilization is required. ERs can provide a psychiatric evaluation, arrange for inpatient psychiatric admission if indicated, and bridge medical and psychiatric care.

ERs are not ideal for all mental health crises. Wait times can be long. ERs are high-stimulation environments that can worsen some mental health crises. If you’re experiencing significant distress but are not in immediate physical danger, 988 or a crisis stabilization unit may be a better first step.

Crisis stabilization units are short-term residential facilities that provide a safe, lower-stimulation alternative to hospitalization. Pennsylvania has several crisis stabilization facilities. Your county MH/ID office or 988 counselor can help identify the nearest option.

When to Call 911 vs. 988

Call 911 when:
– Someone is actively attempting suicide
– Someone is unconscious or medically compromised from a self-harm attempt
– There is an immediate threat to the physical safety of any person
– The situation involves weapons

Call 988 when:
– Someone is expressing suicidal thoughts but is not in immediate physical danger
– Someone is in significant mental health distress and needs support
– You are concerned about someone but they’re not in immediate physical danger
– You need help knowing what to do or what resources to contact

In many Pennsylvania communities, requesting a crisis team through 988 rather than calling 911 can result in a mental health professional responding rather than law enforcement, which is often a better outcome for mental health crises.

Crisis Resources for Specific Populations

Veterans: Call 988 and press 1, or text 838255, or chat at VeteransCrisisLine.net. Staffed 24/7 by people trained specifically in veteran mental health.

LGBTQ+ youth:
– Trevor Project TrevorLifeline: 1-866-488-7386 (24/7)
– TrevorText: Text “START” to 678-678
– TrevorChat: TheTrevorProject.org

Youth and teens (general):
– Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
– 988: Appropriate for youth of all ages

Substance use crisis:
– SAMHSA National Helpline: 1-800-662-4357 (free, confidential, 24/7)
– Pennsylvania Get Help Now: 1-800-662-HELP

After the Crisis: Connecting with Ongoing Care

A crisis is often a turning point — a moment when it becomes clear that ongoing mental health support is needed. After the immediate crisis has stabilized, connecting with regular outpatient care is the most important next step for sustained wellbeing.

Your 988 counselor or crisis team can provide a “warm handoff” — a direct connection to follow-up mental health care in your area. Don’t let the transition from crisis to ongoing care become a gap. The period immediately following a crisis is both a time of vulnerability and a time of openness to change.

If you’re looking for therapy in York, PA or throughout Pennsylvania via telehealth, Arise Counseling Services is here to help. Visit arise-pa.com to learn more or schedule a consultation.

This article is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional mental health treatment. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please reach out to a qualified mental health provider or call 988.