A woman looking down with her hands covering her both, in deep thought while a woman with glasses looking on caringly in the background.

Crisis Help

Are you or is someone you know experiencing a crisis? The good news is that there are several ways to get help.

Anyone living in Vaya Health’s region can call our toll-free, 24/7 Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-800-849-6127. Your call is confidential. You will speak with a trained professional who can provide immediate crisis intervention by telephone and arrange a face-to-face assessment, based on need, for Vaya members.

The 988 Lifeline is also available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Call or text 988 or use the chat option on 988lifeline.org to speak with a trained crisis counselor any time, day or night.

Individuals who are hearing-impaired can dial 711 to reach NC Relay.

Please note: If you have a medical or life-threatening emergency, call 911 or go to a hospital emergency department immediately.

What is a crisis?

People experience different crisis situations due to mental health, substance use, or intellectual/developmental disability needs. You or your loved one may be:

  • Suicidal or having suicidal thoughts
  • Thinking about hurting themselves or someone else
  • Having trouble knowing what is real and not real
  • Experiencing severe distress due to alcohol or drug use or from withdrawal
  • Displaying uncontrollable behavior
  • Not able to take care of basic health and safety needs

How do you get help in a crisis?

Fortunately, most crisis situations do not require a trip to the emergency department. In addition to Vaya’s Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-800-849-6127, here are some ways to get crisis and post-stabilization care services.

Select the help options below to open or close each section.

If the crisis occurs during the day, and you already have a therapist, psychiatrist, or other provider, call your provider to discuss what you are experiencing.

If you cannot reach your provider or you do not have one, and if the crisis is occurring during regular weekday business hours, you may visit a walk-in center near you. These centers provide same-day services such as assessments, recommendations for care, and treatment information.

For 24/7 mobile crisis services, call our Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 1-800-849-6127. In most cases, mobile crisis teams come to where you are to provide help.

Behavioral Health Urgent Care (BHUC) centers are an alternative to the ED for children and adults experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. An individual can remain in the center for up to 23 hours and receive triage, crisis risk assessment, evaluation, and intervention for urgent or emergent needs.

Vaya supports BHUC centers at the following facilities:

Facility-based Crisis (FBC) centers provide 24/7 non-hospital medical services to individuals who are experiencing a mental health or substance use crisis. The centers provide community-based treatment alternatives for people seeking care voluntarily, and most accept individuals who have been involuntarily committed to treatment. To inquire about admission to an FBC, we encourage you to call the facility first to assess availability and appropriateness. 

Vaya supports FBC centers at the following facilities:

Need Help icon
Need Help?

Finding care can be confusing sometimes. At Vaya Health, we make it easier. The process starts with a phone call to our Member and Recipient Service Line at 1-800-962-9003.

Get help now