Vaya Health

Vaya Health North Carolina

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 western North Carolina can our toll-free, 24/7 Access to Care 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 Health members.

For individuals who are hearing-impaired, 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 him/herself 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 basis health and safety needs

How do I get help in a crisis?

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

Click on links below to open and collapse

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, also known as Comprehensive Care Centers, provide same-day services such as assessments, recommendations for care and treatment information.

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

Vaya supports two behavioral health urgent care centers in western North Carolina. These centers offer 24/7 assessments and urgent care services for individuals experiencing a behavioral health crisis.

  • The Comprehensive Care Center at 356 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801 (known as C3356) offers behavioral health urgent care, as well as a drop-in peer living room where members can speak with certified peer support specialists and engage in recovery activities.
  • Behavioral health urgent care is also available at The Balsam Center, 91 Timberlane Road, Waynesville, NC 28786.

For more information on behavioral health urgent care, call our Access to Care Line at 1-800-849-6127.

Facility-based crisis centers provide 24/7 non-hospital medical services for people at risk of hurting themselves or others due to mental health or substance use needs. They also accept involuntary commitments. Facility-based crisis centers are an important part of helping people get better and develop a plan for treatment after leaving the facility.

Vaya supports facility-based crisis units for adults age 18 and older at the following facilities:

A facility-based crisis center for children and adolescents is located in Buncombe County and serves all of western North Carolina:

  • Caiyalynn Burrell Child Crisis Center, 277 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801

For more information on facility-based crisis centers or other crisis options, call our Access to Care Line at 1-800-849-6127.