CRISIS HELP

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat online at 988lifeline.org to reach the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Line.
Crisis Resource Guide
What is a mental health crisis?
Any situation in which an individual's behaviors, accidentally or on purpose, leads a person to hurt themselves or others; or potentally renders them unable to care for themselves or function.
What are the signs? Can include but are not limited to:
- Inability to perform daily tasks
- Suicidal or homicidal thinking and/or behavior
- Acute psychotic symptoms
- Sudden changes in mental status and violence
- Mood swings
- Isolation from school, work, family and friends
- Psychosis or loses touch with reality
- Increased agitation
- Abusive behavior
- Paranoia
Managing your self-care/avoiding a mental health crisis:
- Plan ahead, evaluate the situation, organize your thoughts and specific concerns and prepare prior to meeting with your therapist or psychiatrist. Learn more.
- Managing Your Recovery. This booklet includes information on illness self-management, coping strategies, and wellness tools.
- Support and Education.
What a family member can do:
- Navigating a Mental Health Crisis provides important, potentially life-saving information for people experiencing mental health crises and their loved ones. This guide outlines what can contribute to a crisis, warning signs that a crisis is emerging, strategies to help de-escalate a crisis, a sample crisis plan, available resources and so much more.
- 988 Information Guide
- What to Do in a Psychiatric Crisis in Maryland
- How to File a Petition for an Emergency Evaluation

Crisis Hotlines in Maryland:
- 988: 988 is finally available nationwide! This new, three-digit number is an easy to remember way for people to connect with help and support during a mental health, substance use, or suicide crisis. Anyone in a mental health crisis can call, text, or chat with 988 and be connected to trained crisis counselors in the 988 Sucide and Crisis Lifeline network.
- Maryland's Statewide Information and Referral (for emergency mental health services): 211 press 1 or text zip code to 898-211.
- Listings by County.
- Crisis Text Line - Text "NAMI" to 741741.
- Go to a safe place and dial 911 to ask for immediate assistance if the situation is life-threatening or if serious property damage is occuring.
Recorded Webinars:
Planning Ahead: Helping Families and Individuals Avert a Mental Health Emergency presented by Bette Stewart.
NEW: Fact Sheets!
These fact sheets are based off our recorded webinars. Please feel free to use and distribute as you see fit: