Crisis Services

Do you or someone you know need help with a Crisis?

Anyone may request crisis or emergency services in North Carolina for mental health, substance use disorders, intellectual and developmental disabilities issues.

Find help for a mental health and substance use crisis in your county.
If this is a medical or a life-threatening emergency please call 911.
If you need to contact the police, request a Crisis Intervention Team officer.
If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis call or text 988 or chat at www.988lifeline.org.

NCDHHS Suicide Prevention Month Fact Sheet 2019

Behavioral Health Urgent Care

Behavioral Health Urgent Care sites provide immediate care to adults, adolescents or families in crisis.
Care may include:

Assessment and diagnosis for mental illness, substance use disorders and intellectual and developmental disability issues
Planning and referral for future treatment
Medication management
Outpatient treatment
Short-term follow-up care

Until the consumer is established with a local clinical provider, they may return to the community from a state psychiatric hospital or alcohol and drug abuse treatment center.

Crisis Solutions Coalition

The Crisis Solutions Coalition is comprised of client advocates, along with leaders from healthcare, government, law enforcement and magistrates, schools, healthcare providers, paramedics, emergency departments, community health centers and others. They focus on identifying and implementing best known strategies for crisis care while reducing avoidable visits to emergency departments and involvement with the criminal justice system. This includes:

Recommending and establishing community partnerships to strengthen the continuum of care for mental health and substance use disorders services.
Promoting education and awareness of alternative community resources to the use of emergency departments.
Making recommendations related to data sharing to help identify who, when and where people in crisis are served, and what the results of those services are.
Creating a repository of evidence-based practices and providing technical assistance to Local Management Entities-Managed Care Organizations (LME/MCOs), law enforcement and providers on how to respond to crisis scenarios.
Recommending legislative, policy and funding changes to help break down barriers associated with accessing care.

If you have any further questions regarding Crisis Services within NC, please contact 984-236-5300, or 800-662-7030 for Spanish. For resources to assist you with a crisis immediately, select your county from the drop-down box on Crisis Solutions NC.

Coalition Documents
Crisis Solutions Coalition Sunset

Mobile Crisis Teams

Mobile Crisis Management services are available full time for crisis prevention or if you or someone you know is experiencing a crisis related to mental health, substance use disorders or developmental disabilities. Mobile Crisis teams can meet you in a safe location, including your home, school or workplace.

Professional Treatment Services in Facility-Based Crisis Program

This service provides an alternative to hospitalization for adults in crisis who have a mental illness, substance use disorder or intellectual/developmental disability. Services are provided in a full time residential facility.
Services include:

Short-term intensive evaluation
Treatment intervention
Behavioral management

Before contacting your local facility-based crisis provider, contact your current mental health, substance use disorders or developmental disabilities service provider or your local management entity’s access and crisis line.
Facility-Based Crisis Programs

Behavioral Health Crisis Referral System

The North Carolina Behavioral Health Crisis Referral System (BH-CRSys) is a secure web-based network that connects BHUCs, Mobile Crisis Providers, and Emergency Departments with FBC's, Inpatient Units and Facilities, the State Psychiatric Facilities, and ADATC's to facilitate treatment of individuals experiencing behavioral health crisis that are in need of a higher level of care.

Users can search for availability at appropriate placement facilities and send select referral/screening information to the potential receiving facility.
By providing a single location for information, a streamlined process and mechanism to identify needs, BH-CRSys has the potential for impact at every level, from the individual seeking treatment to identifying the services needed statewide.

BH-CRSys cannot provide direct crisis support and cannot locate inpatient care for indivduals as assesment is necessary to determine appropriate treatment needs. FOR THOSE IN CRISIS OR CALLING ON BEHALF OF SOMEONE IN CRISIS OR IN NEED OF URGENT OR EMERGENT ASSESSMENT: Call 911 if this a life-threatening emergency. If you need police, ask for a CIT Officer, they have received training for these circumstances. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please call HOPE4NC: 1-855-587-3463 or text "hope" to 1-855-587-3463. If you are seeking crisis behavioral health care on behalf of family member or friend, or if you are a medical or other professional serving an individual who is in crisis or needs urgent assessment, the crisis provider for your area can be located here.