King County’s Crisis Teams: Help is just a call away

When you or someone you love is facing a mental health or substance use crisis, calling for help can feel overwhelming.  The good news is, in King County, dialing or texting 988 connects you to immediate support from trained crisis counselors. If a situation needs an in-person response, they can dispatch Crisis Teams, who respond in less than 35 minutes on average. Crisis teams consist of mental health clinicians and peer specialists—people who have their own lived experience with similar challenges. They travel to you, whether you are at home, in a park, at a transit station, or any other location in King County.

Crisis teams respond to a variety of urgent situations, including feeling overwhelmed by:

• Severe anxiety or panic attacks.

• Thoughts of suicide or self-harm.

• Confusion or disorientation (psychosis).

• Difficulties with drugs or alcohol. 

It is important to know that these teams provide a safe and compassionate non-police response. In Seattle, they are staffed by the YMCA and Downtown Emergency Services Center (DESC). YMCA's teams support youth and families, and DESC's teams help adults. Unlike a traditional emergency call, teams arrive in vehicles and do not involve law enforcement unless there is an immediate safety threat. In Seattle, the Community Assisted Response and Engagement (CARE) team respond to 911 calls in the city when someone is in behavioral health crisis and both a behavioral health professional and law enforcement respond. King County’s crisis services are free and available 24/7 for everyone in King County, regardless of insurance. Learn more: kingcounty.gov/crisis