A mental health crisis does not keep business hours. In Bexar County, neither does the response.
Call right now
The 24-hour crisis and substance use helpline is (800) 316-9241 or 210-223-SAFE (7233). It is answered 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. You do not need to be an existing client to call, and you do not need to be certain it qualifies as a crisis.
If harm to self or others is imminent, call 911.
Is this a crisis?
People often wait because they are not sure the situation is serious enough. Reasons to call include:
- Thoughts of suicide, a plan for suicide, or talking about having no purpose or no way out
- Thoughts of harming someone else
- Hearing or seeing things others do not, or beliefs that others find difficult to understand
- Being unable to care for yourself — not eating, not sleeping, not able to manage basic daily needs
- Escalating substance use, or withdrawal that feels unsafe
- Giving away possessions, withdrawing sharply from family and friends, or a sudden increase in isolation
Suicidal thoughts or actions should never be dismissed. Suicide affects people regardless of age, gender, race, or background, and risk rises with a mental health condition, a serious health diagnosis, a recent loss, or a major life event such as losing a job.
Not an emergency, but things are not okay? Enrollment starts with one short call.
When a child or teen is in crisis
Children and teenagers face bullying, self-esteem struggles, trauma, conflict with family or friends, and isolation — and those experiences can lead to thoughts of suicide. The Center provides crisis intervention specifically for children and adolescents, connecting families with the right level of care as quickly as possible, whether that is outpatient support, intensive services, or a higher level of care.
The same numbers apply, 24 hours a day: (800) 316-9241 or 210-223-SAFE (7233).
What happens after the crisis
A crisis call is a starting point, not the whole plan. The Center’s Adult Behavioral Health Division offers comprehensive services for people at risk of suicide, and the Complex Care program exists for people who have been cycling between psychiatric hospital units, rearrests, and jail — with the goal of redirecting toward independence and purpose.
To begin ongoing care, call 210-261-2427. There is a short screening, then a comprehensive assessment, then establishing care at a clinic near you. Translation services are available on request, and services are never refused because someone cannot pay.