HHS National Disaster Distress Helpline 1-800-985-5990 can give immediate crisis counseling

The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS) National Disaster Distress Helpline is ready to help people when mass violence incidents have an enormous impact on them.

The Disaster Distress Helpline, at 1-800-985-5990, can provide immediate counseling in 100+ languages and ASL, to anyone who is seeking help in coping with the mental or emotional effects of disaster or distress such as Tuesday night’s mass shooting (Tuesday, Nov. 22) in a Chesapeake, Va. store.

Those affected could be survivors, first responders, eyewitnesses, and even those who watch related media reports on television and social media.

The Disaster Distress Helpline is paid for with US tax dollars and sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Counselors are available 24/7 to respond to people who need crisis counseling after experiencing a traumatic event or a disaster.  Counselors are trained to offer support to people who may be experiencing a range of symptoms.

“People who have been through a traumatic event can experience anxiety, worry or insomnia,” said Miriam E. Delphin-Rittmon, Ph.D., the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use and the leader of SAMHSA. “People seeking emotional help in the wake of disaster or tragedy can call or text 1-800-985-5990 and begin the healing process,” she said.

The Helpline immediately connects callers to trained and caring professionals from the nearest crisis counseling center in the nationwide network of centers. The Helpline staff provide confidential counseling, referrals and other needed support services. Spanish-speakers can press “2” for bilingual support. Callers can also connect with counselors in more than 100 other languages via third-party interpretation services by indicating their preferred language to the responding counselor.

A videophone option with direct crisis counseling and support for deaf or hard-of-hearing American Sign Language users is also available. Disaster survivors and responders can connect with trained DDH crisis workers fluent in ASL by dialing 1-800-985-5990 from a videophone-enabled device or via an “ASL Now” link accessible at DisasterDistress.samhsa.gov.  More on the Helpline can be found at https://www.disasterdistress.samhsa.gov/.

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org.