A mental health crisis is a terrible time to figure out who to call, what helps, and what you want done. Write it down on a good day, so the hard day has instructions.
If you or someone else is in immediate danger right now, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988. This site is not a crisis service.
When distress peaks, it gets harder to remember phone numbers, weigh options, or recall what helped last time. A written plan is not a promise to feel better. It is a list you made when you could think clearly, kept where you can reach it when you cannot.
Your warning signs, what you can do on your own, who you can be with, who to call, how to make your space safer, and what you are holding on for. Short enough to fit on one page.
How to make one →Family and friends are usually the first to see a crisis coming. What to say, when to call 911 and when to call 988, and what to have ready before you ever need it.
Helping someone in crisis →The weeks after a psychiatric hospital stay carry real risk and very little structure. What to line up before discharge, and what to watch in the first 30 days.
After a hospital stay →The worksheet walks through each part of a safety plan in plain words, with examples to get you started. Print it, fill it in by hand, and give a copy to someone you trust.
No account, no form, nothing to submit. The page has no tracking scripts.
In the research, safety plans were built with a clinician who helped think through each step. If you see a therapist or counselor, build it with them. If you are not working with anyone right now, start it on your own and bring it to your next appointment, or call or text 988 and ask for help with it.
Each guide takes on one part of planning for a mental health crisis and lists its sources at the bottom. The newest three are below.
How to put your mental health treatment wishes in writing, and name someone to speak for you.
Read the guide →The five things to have in hand before discharge, and what to watch in the first 30 days.
Read the guide →What to say, when to call 911 instead of 988, and what to have ready before a crisis ever happens.
Read the guide →If someone is in immediate danger, has made an attempt, or has taken something, call 911. For a mental health crisis, call or text 988, or text HOME to 741741. For an accidental poisoning or a medication mix-up, when the person is awake and breathing normally, Poison Control can help 24/7.