Free Crisis Support Services in California
A mental health crisis is when someone’s behaviors prevent them from functioning or indicate they might harm themselves or others. Anyone can experience a mental health crisis, even people without a history of mental health illness. A stressful situation or traumatic event can lead to a crisis which can be frightening, overwhelming, and unsure of where to get help. BeWellLine is ready to help 24/7 in the event of a crisis. Our crisis support services in California can provide emotional support, advice, coping skills, resources, and referrals to higher levels of care.
BeWellLine is available to all California residents for free. We will connect you with a trained peer support counselor from the community within minutes and help you get through a crisis. Services are available through online chat or over the phone by calling 866-349-0854 24 hours a day. We have helped many Californians experiencing a crisis, with 80% of help seekers with suicidal ideation reporting feeling better after using our services.
Our virtual mental health services in California are also available to others who are only struggling emotionally or mentally, even if they are not experiencing a crisis. Peer support counselors can help with a wide range of issues, including feelings of anxiety or depression, everyday stress, grief from the loss of a loved one, experiencing financial hardships, and struggles with school or work. Reaching out for help from our emotional support can help prevent a mental health crisis and get you on track toward taking care of your mental health.
Contact BeWellLine by calling our help center at 866-349-0854 to learn more about using virtual mental health services.
What Does a Crisis Look Like?
Every person will experience a mental health crisis differently. However, a crisis can look similar in how a person experiences and behaves. During a crisis, many people are unable to take care of themselves, have worsened symptoms of preexisting mental illnesses, and threaten or attempt self-harm or harm to others. A crisis can also be severely distressed even without thinking or planning suicide.
Individuals with preexisting mental health disorders are at higher risk for a crisis, but anyone can experience one. They can slowly build up over time or happen suddenly without warning. Situations that can lead to a mental health crisis include stress at home, like conflicts with loved ones, exposure to trauma, or violence. Stress at school, work, and other environments can also contribute to a mental health crisis.
There is no one indicator that a person is experiencing a mental health crisis, but some signs that point to a mental health crisis include:
- Difficulty functioning, such as having a hard time getting out of bed, going to work, or doing daily tasks
- Having challenges or inability to care for oneself, such as hygiene (i.e., brushing your teeth, bathing, or changing clothes)
- Withdrawing from friends, family, and typical social situations
- Impulsive or reckless behavior
- Having dramatic shifts in mood, sleeping, or eating patterns
- Feeling agitated, angry, or violent
- Experiencing psychosis, such as hallucinations or delusions
- Paranoia
- Self-harming behaviors or self-medicating with drugs, alcohol, or medications that have not been prescribed
- Threatening or attempting harm to others
- Planning, thinking, or attempting suicide
Can an Emotional Support Line Help During a Crisis?
Emotional support lines have been shown to help during a crisis. The goal of crisis support services is to de-escalate the situation and provide the help seeker with the best option for seeking help locally. Calling an emotional support line can help bring comfort in the moment and reduce the help seeker’s distress and suicidal feelings. Peer support counselors can also provide resources, coping strategies, and referrals to higher levels of care. Knowing where to get help during a crisis can be challenging, so calling an emotional support line can provide you with places to go or how to seek out professional mental health services.
However, it is essential to note that calling crisis support services once may not fix all suicidal ideation or future mental health crises. Taking care of your mental health takes work and time. Getting long-term professional treatment from mental healthcare providers can help you gain the knowledge and tools needed to manage mental health symptoms. In any case, talking to someone through an emotional support line can help you work through any difficulties you are experiencing and on your way toward better mental health.
Who Should Contact BeWellLine Virtual Services?
Anyone experiencing any of the signs of a mental health crisis should contact BeWellLine. Assistance is available via phone and web chat to fit every person’s comfort level. We will connect you with a peer support counselor in minutes. You can also choose to speak to someone in Spanish if that is more comfortable for you. Our unique approach to care combines practical advice with peer companionship. Services are confidential and private, so you never have to worry about your information being shared.
BeWellLine can also be used if you are not experiencing a crisis. California residents struggling mentally or emotionally are also encouraged to contact our crisis support services. Our unique approach to mental care combines practical advice with peer companionship. Emotional support lines are available to help with any mental health struggle severity, even if you just had a tough day and need someone to talk to. We have helped thousands of California residents with a wide range of issues, including:
- Feelings of anxiety or depression
- Experiencing financial hardships or job loss
- College students are experiencing academic hardships
- Bullying issues
- Experiencing homelessness
- Relationship issues, including with romantic partners, friends, or family members
- Work or school stress
- Grief related to the loss of a loved one, including pets
- Feelings of isolation
- Struggling with mental health symptoms and need referrals to higher levels of care
Contact BeWellLine by calling our help center at 866-349-0854 to learn more about using virtual mental health services.
How Much Does BeWellLine Cost?
BeWellLine is free to all California residents. A partnership between the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) and Alter Health Group has made it possible to offer free non-clinical social, emotional, and crisis support to Californians via the phone or over online chat. The crisis support services helpline is part of the CalHope Connect initiative. Finances are no longer an obstacle when needing help.
Alter Health Group will continue to service CalHope Connect to provide chat-based support and the BeWellLine to provide voice-based support. They also use its Mindfuli platform to provide free ongoing virtual peer counseling services through video conferencing, voice, and text communication. Users can access up to six free peer support counseling sessions through Mindfuli. This virtual platform also enables peer counselors to refer help seekers to higher levels of care if needed. Peer support counselors can connect users to personalized mental health providers in minutes.
Contact BeWellLine for Crisis Support Services
If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health crisis, including but limited to suicidal thoughts, please get in touch with BeWellLine. Our peer support counselors are available around the clock and are ready to help you start feeling as soon as possible. Services are completely confidential and free. There is someone who is trained and compassionate available immediately to help you work through rough patches and access local resources. Reaching out during times of crisis is brave, and no problem is too big or too small to contact us today.
You can chat online with a counselor or call our crisis support services helpline at 866-349-0854 right now.
