Who this helps: Anyone in New York City — insured, uninsured, documented, undocumented — who is in mental health crisis, who is worried about a family member or neighbor, or who needs short-term counseling and doesn’t know where to start. NYC 988 is free, confidential, available in more than 200 languages, and operates 24/7/365.
NYC 988 — the service that used to be called NYC Well — is the single phone number, text line, and chat that connects every New Yorker to mental health and substance use support. Most people in the city still don’t know it exists, or they remember the old name, or they assume calling will end with police at the door. None of that reflects what the service actually does. Here is the practical guide: how to reach it, what happens when you do, and what 988 can and cannot do for you and the people you love.
Three ways to reach NYC 988
- Call 988. If your phone has a 212, 718, 646, 917, 347, or 929 area code, dialing 988 routes you directly to NYC 988. From any other area code, dial 988 and ask the counselor to transfer you to NYC 988.
- Text 988. Same number, same staff, same availability. Useful if you can’t talk where you are.
- Chat online. Visit nyc988.cityofnewyork.us and click the chat button. Available 24/7.
- Deaf or Hard of Hearing. Use your preferred relay service, or dial 711 then 988.
According to the NYC Department of Health, 988 counselors can provide support in over 200 languages over the phone. There is no cost to call, text, or chat.
What happens when you call
A trained counselor — not a recorded menu, not a triage bot — answers. They listen. They ask what is going on, what kind of support you are looking for, and whether you are calling about yourself or someone else. From there, they can do four things, depending on what you need.
- Crisis counseling and suicide prevention — they will stay on the line as long as you need.
- Short-term counseling and peer support — for situations that don’t rise to the level of immediate crisis but need someone to talk to.
- Referrals to ongoing care — to therapists, psychiatrists, substance use programs, and outpatient clinics, with referrals matched to your insurance, your language, and your borough.
- A Mobile Crisis Team dispatch — a face-to-face response from a behavioral health professional, not police.
Mobile Crisis Teams: the part most people don’t know about
NYC 988 is the single point of access for Mobile Crisis Team Services in New York City. If you are worried about a family member, friend, or neighbor experiencing or at risk of a behavioral health crisis — and 911 is not the right call because there is no immediate danger to life — you can request a Mobile Crisis Team through 988.
Mobile Crisis Teams are clinicians who come to where the person is, in person, and conduct face-to-face interventions with the individual and, when appropriate, with their family or other support systems. They can connect the person to ongoing services, follow up over the days that follow, and provide short-term counseling. The teams operate 24/7/365.
Why this matters: a lot of New Yorkers have a family member who is struggling and who they know is not safe to leave alone, but they also know calling 911 will bring NYPD, and that is not the response they want. Mobile Crisis is the alternative. Call 988, explain the situation, ask for a Mobile Crisis Team referral.
When 988 is not the right call
- Immediate danger to life — someone is actively attempting suicide, has overdosed, or is in medical emergency. Call 911. You can request a co-response that includes mental health professionals, but a medical emergency needs medical responders.
- You need a primary care doctor or general medical care — call 311 and ask about NYC Care, or visit nyccare.nyc or call 1-646-NYC-CARE (1-646-692-2273).
- You need long-term therapy and you have insurance — your insurance company’s behavioral health line can give you a list of in-network providers faster than 988’s referral process.
How to Take Action
- Save 988 in your phone now. Add it as a contact called “NYC Mental Health 24/7” so you and anyone with access to your phone can find it fast.
- Visit nyc988.cityofnewyork.us to bookmark the chat option.
- If you are calling about someone else, have ready: their name, address, age, what you have observed, whether weapons or substances are involved, and whether they have a history of mental health treatment. The counselor will ask.
- If you want a Mobile Crisis Team, say that explicitly: “I’d like to request a Mobile Crisis Team referral.”
- Follow up. NYC 988 offers follow-up services after a crisis call. If a counselor offers, take it.
- For ongoing low-cost care, ask the 988 counselor for referrals to NYC Health + Hospitals behavioral health clinics, which serve patients regardless of immigration status or ability to pay through NYC Care.
This article is general information about how to access NYC 988 services. It is not medical advice. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911. Contact your healthcare provider for medical advice specific to your situation.
