Hotlines

National Hotline Directory for Parents and Teens in Crisis

When a teenager or family is facing a crisis, knowing where to turn for immediate help can make all the difference. This hotline directory provides quick access to trusted national crisis lines, support services, and emergency resources for issues such as mental health struggles, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse, abuse or neglect, runaway behavior, family conflict, bullying, sexual assault, dating violence, trafficking concerns, poisoning, and other challenges affecting young people. Many of these services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering confidential support, guidance, intervention, and referrals when help is needed most.

This updated directory replaces outdated numbers and older web addresses with current, reputable national resources. Families should call 911 for immediate danger, violence in progress, medical emergencies, overdose emergencies, or any situation where a person may be unable to remain safe. For suicide concerns, mental health crisis, emotional distress, or substance-related emotional crisis, 988 is now the primary national crisis number in the United States.

Call 911 immediately when:• Someone is in immediate physical danger
• A person has attempted suicide or may act imminently
• There is an overdose, poisoning with severe symptoms, seizure, or trouble breathing
• Abuse, assault, or violence is happening now
• A child is missing, abducted, trafficked, or being exploited

Quick Reference Hotline Chart

Crisis NeedResourcePhone / TextWebsite
Immediate dangerEmergency ServicesCall 911Local emergency response
Suicide, emotional crisis, mental health distress988 Suicide & Crisis LifelineCall 988
Text 988
988lifeline.org
Text-based crisis supportCrisis Text LineText HOME to 741741crisistextline.org
Parent, caregiver, youth, or family stressNational Parent & Youth Helpline855-427-2736
Call or text
nationalparentyouthhelpline.org
Teen peer supportTeen Line800-852-8336
Text TEEN to 839863
didihirsch.org/teenline
Youth and family crisis supportBoys Town National Hotline800-448-3000
Text VOICE to 20121
yourlifeyourvoice.org
Youth peer crisis lineYouthLine877-968-8491
Text teen2teen to 839863
theyouthline.org
Runaway, homeless, or at-risk youthNational Runaway Safeline800-RUNAWAY
800-786-2929
1800runaway.org
Child abuse or neglect concernsChildhelp National Child Abuse Hotline800-422-4453
Call or text
childhelphotline.org
Missing child or online exploitationNational Center for Missing & Exploited Children800-THE-LOST
800-843-5678
missingkids.org
report.cybertip.org
Sexual assaultRAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline800-656-HOPE
800-656-4673
rainn.org
Domestic violenceNational Domestic Violence Hotline800-799-SAFE
800-799-7233
Text START to 88788
thehotline.org
Teen dating abuselove is respect866-331-9474
Text LOVEIS to 22522
loveisrespect.org
LGBTQ+ youth crisis supportThe Trevor Project866-488-7386
Text START to 678678
thetrevorproject.org/get-help
LGBTQ+ youth peer supportLGBT National Youth Talkline800-246-7743lgbthotline.org/youth-talkline
Mental health information and referralsNAMI HelpLine800-950-NAMI
800-950-6264
Text HELPLINE to 62640
nami.org/nami-helpline
Substance use and treatment referralsSAMHSA National Helpline800-662-HELP
800-662-4357
samhsa.gov
findtreatment.gov
Eating disorder supportANAD Eating Disorders Helpline888-375-7767anad.org
Poisoning, accidental ingestion, overdose questionPoison Control / Poison Help800-222-1222poison.org
Human trafficking concernsNational Human Trafficking Hotline888-373-7888
Text BEFREE to 233733
humantraffickinghotline.org

Best First Calls for Parents and Teens

The right hotline depends on the kind of crisis happening. A teen having suicidal thoughts or a parent worried that a child may harm themselves should contact 988 or emergency services if the danger is immediate. A family dealing with runaway behavior, abuse, assault, dating violence, substance use, or online exploitation should use the specialized resources listed below because those services are built around those specific risks.

Crisis Routing:• Immediate danger: 911
• Suicide or emotional crisis: 988
• Parent or caregiver stress: 855-427-2736
• Runaway or homeless youth: 800-786-2929
• Child abuse concerns: 800-422-4453
• Missing child or online exploitation: 800-843-5678

Sources Used for This Updated Directory

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: https://988lifeline.org/
• SAMHSA 988 FAQ: https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/988/faqs
• Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org/
• National Parent & Youth Helpline: https://nationalparentyouthhelpline.org/
• Teen Line: https://didihirsch.org/teenline/
• Boys Town / Your Life Your Voice: https://www.yourlifeyourvoice.org/Pages/ways-to-get-help.aspx
• YouthLine: https://www.theyouthline.org/
• National Runaway Safeline: https://www.1800runaway.org/
• Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline: https://childhelphotline.org/
• National Center for Missing & Exploited Children: https://www.missingkids.org/
• CyberTipline: https://report.cybertip.org/
• RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline: https://rainn.org/help-and-healing/hotline/
• National Domestic Violence Hotline: https://www.thehotline.org/
• love is respect: https://www.loveisrespect.org/
• The Trevor Project: https://www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help/
• LGBT National Youth Talkline: https://lgbthotline.org/youth-talkline/
• NAMI HelpLine: https://www.nami.org/nami-helpline/
• SAMHSA National Helpline: https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/helplines/national-helpline
• FindTreatment.gov: https://findtreatment.gov/
• ANAD Eating Disorders Helpline: https://anad.org/get-support/eating-disorders-helpline/
• Poison Control: https://www.poison.org/
• National Human Trafficking Hotline: https://humantraffickinghotline.org/