When a Crisis Occurs

The three most common forms of mental health crisis are:

  • Thoughts of suicide or other self harm.

  • Having a panic/anxiety attack and feeling you are going to die.

  • Psychotic episodes. For example, seeing or hearing things that are not really there, or having delusions that one is being persecuted, poisoned, or followed.

There are other types of crises as well. Sometimes, concerned family members will access crises services on behalf of an individual because they are acting in an unusual way. The crisis line is for emergencies only. We have a Qualified Mental Health Professional on call 24/7 to respond if you need help.

If you are having a mental health crisis or want to help someone who is, follow these instructions:

  • Try not to panic.

  • Are you in one of the following Oregon counties: Morrow, Wheeler, Gilliam, or Grant? If not, please call your local crisis line, or call a national crisis line such as the National Suicide Hotline (1-800-SUICIDE[784-2433]). Otherwise, continue on down the list…

  • Call 9-1-1, and tell the dispatch operator that you need to speak to the on-call crisis worker. They will obtain some basic information about you, such as the nature of your crisis situation, your name, your location, and a telephone number at which you can be reached.

  • A crisis worker on call will call you right back at the number you provide. She or he will attempt to understand what you are going through, help you get the immediate assistance you need, develop a plan with you for your safety and recovery, and refer you to appropriate services. In severe cases, the crisis worker may decide that hospitalization is necessary. However, the crisis worker will attempt to provide you the help you need without hospitalization as much as possible.

  • Follow the safety plan and recommendations that the crisis worker provides. This will help you get the help you need.

There are some cases where we really need to talk but are not actually in crisis. If this is your situation, do not call the crisis line. Instead, call the Warmline, a free service available to any resident of Oregon over the age of 18. The number is 1-800-698-2392. If you are not in crisis but would like to seek mental health services, please contact one of our offices near you.