2025 Mental Health Awareness Month - Action Guide

If someone is in immediate danger of hurting themselves or others, or needs immediate medical attention, call 911.

An emergency is a life threatening or potentially violent situation that demands an immediate response.

Some examples of such emergencies are when someone is:

• Talking about suicide, has a specific plan, and is taking steps to carry it out, especially if the person has a history of suicide attempts and has been recently discharged from a hospital.
• Expressing thoughts or intentions of hurting or killing someone else.
• Experiencing new or escalating psychotic symptoms such as seeing or hearing things other people cannot, causing suffering and restlessness.
• Physically hurting themselves or someone else.
• In danger of a medical emergency.
• Severely disoriented and confused, for example, not knowing who or where they are.
• Experiencing a drug overdose or intoxication leading to dangerous behavior.

911 should be used for these types of high-level emergencies that need immediate response. Calling 911 activates police officers and/or Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel to respond and assess the situation to determine next steps. In many of these cases, a person may be taken to the hospital to receive further assessment.

In some neighborhoods and based on a description of the circumstances and need, 911 operators are trained to triage and assign non-violent, low-risk mental health calls to specialized teams of EMS personnel and mental health professionals, as part of the Behavioral Health Emergency Assistance Response Division (B-HEARD) pilot program.

For more information about this program, please visit the "B-HEARD" page on our website.

For non-emergency situations when you or someone else is experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis and needs prompt attention, New Yorkers can call 988 on behalf of themselves or someone else 24/7, every day of the year. Support is available for people of all ages and in over 200 languages.

• Find Services at nyc.gov/988
• Call or Text 9-8-8
• Chat Now at 988lifeline.org/chat/ (currently only available in English)
• Espanol 9-8-8, Aprete 2
• Deaf or Hard of Hearing People: Use your preferred relay service or dial 711 then 988. 988 Counselors are trained to accept calls from deaf and hard of hearing individuals using video relay services
• Veteran’s Crisis Line: Dial 988, press 1
• LGBTQIA+ and Youth & Young Adults: Dial 988, press 3
• When you call 988, you are actually reaching a central number for the entire US and based on your area code, the call will get routed to the local 988 call center for that geographic area.

NYC 988 crisis counselors can provide you with immediate support, crisis intervention, suicide prevention counseling, emotional support, coping strategies, connection to peer support specialists and referrals to additional resources or services as needed. Crisis counselors and peer support specialists can be very helpful in preventing a crisis from getting worse.

Peer support specialists are trained and certified to provide support and information using their own experience living with a mental health and/or substance use condition.

If the situation does not appear to be an emergency, you can get help for someone who may be experiencing homelessness by calling 311 and requesting a street outreach team or submit an online Service Request via 311 Online. Street outreach teams offer assistance, ongoing case management, and assessment for medical, mental health or substance use crises.

Remember:

• CALL or TEXT 911 for an emergency if someone is in danger of hurting themselves or others or needs immediate medical attention. Calling 911 activates police officers and/or Emergency Medical Services personnel to respond.
• CALL, TEXT, OR CHAT 988 for non-emergency, confidential mental health and substance use support, information about and connection to mental health and substance use services.
• CALL 311 or TEXT 311-692 for assistance for individuals who may be experiencing homelessness.

If you reach out for services on behalf of someone else, always provide as much detail as possible about why you think help is needed. Be prepared to describe:

• Behaviors of concern
• Where the person can be located or which direction they're moving
• If and how the person can be contacted
• How long you have been noticing the need for help

NYC Health + Hospitals offers expert care provided by bilingual and culturally responsive therapists in family therapy programs offered at clinics citywide.

• To make an appointment or find the NYC Health + Hospitals site closest to you, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692).

In addition to traditional Emergency Departments, some NYC hospitals have a special emergency department dedicated to severe and intense mental and emotional crisis situations, known as Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Programs (CPEP).

Like any emergency department, CPEPs are open 24 hours, 7 days a week, offering the person in crisis, assessments to determine urgency, stabilization, observation, evaluation, short-term treatment, referrals and peer support, in a safe environment. In addition to walk-ins, people can go to a CPEP in various ways including but not limited to referrals from providers, ambulance transport, and police transport. The CPEP staff will make a reasonable effort to obtain as much information from the individual(s) accompanying them to the CPEP.

CPEPs are available in every borough.

• Call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692) to find the NYC Health + Hospitals Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Services Program (CPEP) closest to you.
• Visit nyc.gov/988, click "Find Services" in the menu to find all CPEPs in New York City.

NYC Health + Hospitals offers expert care provided by bilingual and culturally responsive therapists in family therapy programs offered at clinics citywide.

• To make an appointment or find the NYC Health + Hospitals site closest to you, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692).

New York City Health + Hospitals also offers virtual mental health and substance use urgent care called Virtual ExpressCare for non-emergency concerns 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Through this service, patients can speak to a provider on demand via video or phone for help with anxiety, depression, stress, burnout, substance use disorders, withdrawal or emotional distress.

• Call 631-EXP-CARE (631-397-2273) to access Virtual ExpressCare

NYC Health + Hospitals offers expert care provided by bilingual and culturally responsive therapists in family therapy programs offered at clinics citywide.

• To make an appointment or find the NYC Health + Hospitals site closest to you, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692).

Inpatient care or in-hospital psychiatric treatment can help to stabilize people experiencing severe mental health symptoms that require intensive supervision and treatment. For example, someone may have one or more of the following symptoms:

• Active suicidal thoughts or actions
• Severe depression or mania
• Psychosis (loss of touch with reality)
• Dangerous behavior towards oneself or others
• Disorganized thinking or behaviors
• Inability to care for oneself or maintain safety

During a hospital stay, doctors and other mental health professionals establish a diagnosis and begin a treatment plan in collaboration with the patient. Hospitalizations may extend for several days or longer while a patient stabilizes.

Hospital staff will reach out and engage with family members and community providers to create a discharge plan with the patient to ensure the patient has a safe place to return to and can continue treatment after leaving the hospital.

There will be follow-up contacts after discharge to ensure the patient was able to schedule appointments for services that were outlined in the treatment plan.

NYC Health Department protects and promotes the health of more than 8 million New Yorkers by providing essential health services, promoting public health initiatives, preventing the spread of disease, and many other unseen efforts that keep our city safe and healthy.

NYC Health offers a range of services for New Yorkers with serious mental health conditions who have high service or complex needs but are unable to connect or stay connected to services provided at a fixed location.

• Serious mental health conditions include a range of mental health disorders that significantly impact an individual’s well-being and ability to function day-to-day such as going to work or school or engaging with family.

These conditions may include schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and severe depression, that often require specialized treatment and support. These specialized services can include care coordination or ongoing clinical support from a mobile treatment team that consists of different mental health professionals.

A referral is needed for these services, and the individual's short-term outpatient or inpatient mental health provider can start the process of qualifying the individual for these services.

• Visit the Mental Health Single Point of Access website for more information.

This website includes a description of services available for children and adults and the requirements for submitting a referral, which includes a recent psychosocial evaluation and a client consent form.

• For answers to questions about adult Single Point Of Access (SPOA), email SPOA@health.nyc.gov, or call 347-396-7258
• For answers to questions about Children’s Single Point Of Access (CSPOA), or the referral process, call 347-396-7205

For people who are transitioning from psychiatric hospitalization back into the community, there is a program called Pathway Home™ – CBC (cbcare.org) that provides intensive, mobile, short-term care management services.

For more information and discuss as possible referral, email PathwayHomeInfo@cbc.org or call (646) 930-8841.

NYC Health Department protects and promotes the health of more than 8 million New Yorkers by providing essential health services, promoting public health initiatives, preventing the spread of disease, and many other unseen efforts that keep our city safe and healthy.

In New York State, people with mental illness who may not be able to live safely in the community without intensive and customized support might be mandated by a court to engage in mental health services under a law called Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT), or Kendra's Law (Assisted Outpatient Treatment (ny.gov).

These services are suitable for rare cases when a person has been in and out of psychiatric hospitalizations and emergency department visits over several years, does not stay engaged in any kind of mental health services on their own and are unable to maintain mental health stability for extended periods of time to move forward with their life goals.

In New York State, individuals who can petition for Assisted Outpatient Treatment (AOT) under Kendra's Law can be someone with personal or professional contact with the person of concern. This includes close family members, roommates, healthcare professionals, treatment providers, corrections, parole, or probation officials.

• The court must determine whether the person meets the legal criteria for AOT.
• Once eligibility has been determined, the judge mandates a treatment plan consisting of care coordination and other necessary services.

The person will then be connected with the City's AOT program operated by the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which will monitor their adherence to the mandated treatment plan to help them live and stay successfully in the community.

To learn more about the AOT process visit the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene AOT page, or call one of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program's main numbers:

• Manhattan AOT Team: 1-347-396-7373
• Queens AOT Team: 1-347-396-7004
• Bronx AOT Team: 1-347-396-7375
• Brooklyn/Staten Island AOT Team: 1-347-396-7374

NYC Health + Hospitals offers expert care provided by bilingual and culturally responsive therapists in family therapy programs offered at clinics citywide.

• To make an appointment or find the NYC Health + Hospitals site closest to you, call 1-844-NYC-4NYC (1-844-692-4692).

For mental health resources and support for children, youth and families, you can Call, Text, or Chat 988 24/7 – calls are confidential. Caregivers can also call and ask for help on behalf of their child.

NYC Teenspace is a free mental health support program available to any teenager age 13 to 17 living in New York City.

Mental health support and resources are also available for all children in New York City public schools and their families. Ask the school's Parent Coordinator, School Social Worker, or Guidance Counselor for more information, or visit NYC Schools Mental Health page to learn how to access mental health services in the City's public schools.

Peer support services are available for families and youth. For information, please use this family support directory.

NYC Health Department protects and promotes the health of more than 8 million New Yorkers by providing essential health services, promoting public health initiatives, preventing the spread of disease, and many other unseen efforts that keep our city safe and healthy.

NYC Teenspace is a free mental health support program available to any NYC teen ages 13 to 17. For a young person, whether you struggle with mental health challenges or just want somebody to talk to, you can sign up for Teenspace to be connected to a licensed therapist for ongoing support. You will also get access to online mental health exercises to complete at your own pace.

Teenspace is offered by the NYC Health Department and powered by Talkspace.

Follow these steps to register:

1. Visit Talkspace and enter your address and birthday.
2. Enter your parent or guardian's info and email so they can provide consent.
3. Complete a simple online assessment to share your mental health needs and preferences.

You will then get matched with a licensed therapist for ongoing virtual support, access to online mental health exercises or both.

Additional Resources

• To learn more or sign up visit Talkspace
• Teenspace FAQ for Parents/Guardians (PDF)
  • Other Languages: Español | Русский | 繁體中文 | 简体中文 | Kreyòl ayisyen | 한국어 | বাংলা | Italiano | Polski | العربية | Français | ײִדיש | اردو | O'zbek
• Teenspace FAQ for Schools (PDF)
  • Other Languages: Español | Русский | 繁體中文 | 简体中文 | Kreyòl ayisyen | 한국어 | বাংলা | Italiano | Polski | العربية | Français | ײִדיש | اردو
• Teenspace Poster (PDF)
  • Other Languages: Español | Русский | 繁體中文 | 简体中文 | Kreyòl ayisyen | 한국어 | বাংলা | Italiano | Polski | العربية | Français | ײִדיש | اردو
• Teenspace Postcard (PDF)
  • Other Languages: Español | Русский | 繁體中文 | 简体中文 | Kreyòl ayisyen | 한국어 | বাংলা | Italiano | Polski | العربية | Français | ײִדיש | اردو

For young adults ages 16-30 who are experiencing unexpected changes in their personality, behavior or thoughts, OnTrack NY is a mental health treatment program that empowers young people to better understand their condition, and to pursue their goals for school, work, and relationships.

Family counseling (or marriage and family therapy) from a professional mental health provider can help to improve communication, help you and your family members better understand family dynamics, and build stronger connections with one another.

Whether you’re navigating challenges, or looking to improve your relationships, family counseling provides a safe space to work through issues and build a stronger family bond. You can communicate with your insurance provider to find a list of family therapists that are covered by your insurance plan.

NYC Department for the Aging is deeply committed to helping older adults age in their homes and creating a community-care approach that reflects a model age-inclusive city. 

Mental health is vital for every stage in life including as we age. If you feel sad, lonely, need help to cope with grief or any other mental health needs or have questions about mental health, you can connect to crisis counseling and information on mental health and substance use services 24/7 at NYC 988. Information is also available for caregivers of older adults.

Call, text, or chat 9-8-8 and ask for support for older adults.

Older New Yorkers (60+) who are isolated or homebound due to health challenges can request volunteer support through the Friendly Visiting program. Older adults and volunteers are matched based on shared interests, hobbies and geography. Visits can take place in the adult’s home, on the phone or video.

To learn more about Friendly Visiting and other NYC Aging programs, call Aging Connect at 1-212-244-6469.

NYC Department of Veterans' Services provides essential services and programs focused on pivotal areas such as economic empowerment, housing security, benefits, health and wellness, and culture.

Veterans, family members and friends can access information about mental health and substance use resources and services on their veteran's mental health page or call 877-222-8387.

Veterans can access mental health support by calling the Veterans Crisis Line: Dial 988, then press 1.

US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) services range from peer support with their Veterans to counseling, therapy, medication, or a combination of these options. Veterans are eligible for some services even if they’re not enrolled in VA health care.

Mayor’s Office to End Domestic and Gender-Based Violence (ENDGBV) supports survivors of domestic and gender-based violence by developing and delivering accessible and inclusive services to survivors, their families, and communities through collaboration with government agencies, community partners, survivors, and philanthropy.

ENDGBV operates Family Justice Centers that provide free, walk-in services including immigration, legal and family law services, mental health counseling, housing assistance and case management.

• Call 1-800-621-HOPE (1-800-621-4673) for 24/7 confidential help or search online for community-based resources through the City’s NYC Hope portal.

For people with mental health conditions, oftentimes if conditions worsen, daily functioning can become challenging, and it can impact various aspects of life. Activities like working, schooling and socializing can become challenging, but there are mental health rehabilitation services that can help get people back on their feet. Some people may not be interested in clinical treatment and rehabilitation services offer an alternative or additional support. Rehabilitation services are non-clinical supports for people with diagnosed serious mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia, severe depression and bipolar disorder that do not involve psychiatric medication or talk therapy, and you do not need to be receiving treatment to access rehabilitation services.

The following are the types of mental health rehabilitation services that are available, and you can find specific programs in the NYC 988 directory Find Services page by typing in the kind of service you are looking for in the search box.

• Supported employment (vocational rehabilitation): These services help people get and keep jobs.
• Education support services: These services help people get into and graduate from formal education programs to support career goals.
• Peer support: These services provide support and mentoring by a trained and certified specialist using their own experience living with a mental health and/or substance use condition.
• Clubhouse: These programs offer an array of services to help people develop lifelong friendships, get and keep jobs, finish school and spend meaningful time. Clubhouse members are in a safe, fun and energetic environment working side by side with others who are also living with a mental health condition.

Mental health support groups come in various forms, including professionally facilitated groups with mental health clinicians, online forums for virtual support, family support groups for caregivers or family members of individuals with mental illnesses, or mutual self-help or peer-led support groups.

While these groups cater to different needs and preferences, they are helpful and all aim to provide a safe and supportive environment for individuals to connect, share and learn from each other's experiences.

The following programs offer support groups for many different topics and audiences as well as mental health resources:

• Baltic Steet Wellness Solutions – (718) 833-5929
• NAMI NYC – (212) 684-3264

For New Yorkers who do not have health insurance, the NYC Care: Health Care Access Program guarantees low-cost and no-cost physical, mental health and substance use services. All services are provided through NYC Health + Hospitals.

To enroll: Call 1-646-NYC-CARE (1-646-692-2273) or visit NYC Care: Health Care Access Program

Many New Yorkers struggle to find in-network mental health and substance use providers, facing costly premiums and co-pays, and the risk of not receiving life-saving care. These barriers raise concerns about potential disparities in how health insurance plans treat access to mental health and substance use services compared to other medical or surgical services. Federal and New York State parity laws require most comprehensive health insurance plans to cover medically necessary mental health and substance use services similarly to medical and surgical benefits, without additional limitations.

If the services or medications you need are being denied by your health insurance plan, or you believe you are being required to pay unexpected out-of-pocket costs unjustly, you can contact the New York State's health insurance advocacy program for mental health or substance use disorder care called the Community Health Access to Addiction & Mental Healthcare Project (CHAMP). CHAMP is designed to help individuals and their families resolve issues in accessing mental health and substance use services which involve insurance plan denials.

Call the free and confidential CHAMP helpline at 888-614-5400

Supportive housing combines affordable housing with support services for individuals and families facing various challenges, such as homelessness, mental illness, substance use disorders or HIV/AIDS. Supportive and subsidized housing for people with mental health conditions provide a stable foundation for recovery, which is especially crucial after experiences like homelessness, hospitalization, or incarceration.

There are two primary types of supportive housing known as single-site or congregate and scattered-site. Congregate housing is usually a residential apartment building located in the community where each individual or family has private living quarters and might share kitchens, common recreational areas or other facilities. Scattered-site supportive housing consists of units within apartment buildings spread throughout a neighborhood or community, accompanied by off-site supportive services. Participation in these services is voluntary and can include:

• Case management
• Educational, vocational and other recovery-oriented services
• Medication management and counseling
• Assistance in gaining access to government benefits
• Referrals to medical services, mental health care and treatment for drug and alcohol use
• Recommendations for other needed services, such as legal support

To find out if you are eligible for supportive housing and the process to obtain supportive housing, visit NYC Human Resources Administration (HRA) Supportive Housing.

You can get paid to use your experience living with a mental health condition to help others.

There is a high demand for full-time and part-time NYS Certified Peer Specialists. Peer Specialists are trained and certified by NYS to support people with mental health conditions in their recovery, drawing on their own personal experiences. They work in various settings, including mental health programs operated by non-profit organizations, clinics, and hospitals. Certified Peer Specialists help individuals understand their condition, learn coping skills, access public benefits, connect to mental health services, and more. The required education level is a high school diploma or equivalency.

Training and certification costs are covered by New York State and New York City.

You can complete the training in-class at the following programs:

• Community Access Howie the Harp Peer Training Program: (212) 865-0775
• Creedmoor Hospital Peer Academy: (718) 464-7500
• NYC Health + Hospitals Peer Academy: (212) 788-3524
• LaGuardia Community College Mental Health Peer Specialist Training Program: (718) 482-5398
• Northwell Health Peer Training Program: (718) 264-1789

You can also complete the training online by going to Rutgers University Academy of Peer Services.

For information about the certification process and requirements, visit the New York State Peer Specialist Certification Board.

There are employment opportunities for individuals who, in addition to having a mental health condition, also have personal life experience with the criminal legal system, homelessness, or substance use, as well as for Spanish speakers.

To learn more about career pathways in the mental health and substance use field on the "Workforce" section of our website.

If someone is collecting Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) because of a disability, they can collect benefits and keep their earnings from work at the same time during an extended trial period. The Social Security Administration has a special work incentive program called Ticket to Work to motivate people so they can improve their financial situations to accomplish their life goals.

Depending on your wages, your benefits may start to decrease eventually, but your case is never completely closed. If you have a setback and need to fully resume benefits, Social Security can efficiently reopen your case. Additionally, you will always have the opportunity to retain your Medicaid benefits if you wish.

For more details, please go to the following link on the Social Security Administration’s website. You can even calculate how much more income you will have by working.

Don't hesitate to take action; there is nothing to lose and much to gain by giving work a chance!