Mental Health Resources

Emergency & Crisis Resources

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or emergency, please use the following resources.

National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline - Call or Text 988

If you are in a mental health crisis or contemplating suicide, please call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org. The Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress.

SC Mobile Crisis Line & SC Crisis Text Line
If you are in SC and in a mental health crisis or contemplating suicide:
  • Call the SCDMH mobile crisis line at 1-833-364-2274. This statewide service provides on-site emergency mental health screening, assessment, and referral, as appropriate, 7 days a week.
  • Text “HOPE4SC” to 741741 to access mental health resources and chat with someone to help guide you through a crisis.
Medical Emergency - Call 911

For a medical emergency (someone’s health is in immediate danger), please call 911.

National Domestic Violence Hotline

If you are in an abusive relationship and looking for help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-7233, clicking here to chat, or texting “START” to 88788. Here’s what to expect.

Resources for Youth, Teens & Young Adults

We should not underestimate mental health struggles by age. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for young people between 10 to 24.

  • BE A GOOD LISTENER. – Listen with empathy and provide support.
  • BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEAR. – Never dismiss what your loved one is saying. If your child/adolescent, friend, or family member confides thoughts of depression, anxiety or suicide, believe them.
  • BE AN EXAMPLE. – Model self care. Normalize therapy and mental health treatment. Seeking therapy and treatment is healthcare.
  • SEEK HELP. – Don’t keep your friend or family member’s depression, anxiety, or ideations of suicide a secret.
  • BE INFORMED. – Learn the warning signs for mental health issues and suicide.
    • Be the One to Help Save a Life
    • Youth Suicide Warning Signs
    • Emotional Well Being – Sesame Street Workshop – Children who are healthy in mind, body, and heart can thrive in every way. Mental health IS health.
    • The Pandemic Population – Tim Elmore – identifies eight strategies to help Generation Z rediscover hope after coronavirus. It is a timely treatment on how to lead youth in a crisis. Students today are already the most anxious generation in modern history and now they live in the most anxious time. This book provides best practices for leading in a crisis as well as creative ideas to sustain morale and collaboration among students. It’s perfect for educators, parents, and coaches who lead kids.

Parenting Resources

Teen Resources

  • Sometimes You Win. Sometimes You Learn for Teens by John Maxwell – Any setback – a championship loss, a bad grade, a botched audition – can be seen as a step forward when teens possess the right tools to turn that loss into a gain of knowledge. Dr. Maxwell provides a road map for becoming a true learner – someone who wins in the face of problems, failures, and losses.
  • Brave: A Teen Girl’s Guide to Beating Worry and Anxiety by Sissy Goff – This guide – created for girls ages 13 to 18 – will help your daughter understand anxiety’s roots and why her brain is often working against her when she starts to worry. She will learn practical ways to fight back when worries come up. She will find more of her voice and her confidence. In essence, she will find more of herself and the brave, strong, deeply loved girl God made her to be.
  • Defined: Who God Says You Are (Bible Study for Teen Girls and Young Women) by Priscilla Shirer – Join Priscilla Shirer in this teen Bible study for girls for eight weeks and begin to understand what it means to be created in God’s image and recreated in Christ’s image as His masterpiece. Once you discover who God says you are and the spiritual inheritance that you have, you can start walking in your true identity as a daughter of the most high King.
  • Radiant: His Light, Your Life for Teen Girls and Young Women by Priscilla Shirer – Did you know that God’s light can shine through every facet of your identity? Radiant is an invitation for teen girls and young women to enjoy a candid conversation on identity. The culture will try to define you, but this world is starving for something different that comes only from the creative genius of your God. You were created to reflect His light…. You were created to be radiant.
  • Kingdom Men Rising – Teen Guys Bible Study Book by Tony Evans – Our culture is confused about what it means to be a man. In this study, young men will be encouraged to wrestle honestly with the unique questions and circumstances they face today and will face tomorrow as they grow into manhood. They will be invited to discover God’s true intent for masculinity and rise to follow Him faithfully.
  • Boys Devotional: Bible Devotions for Preteen Boys Aged 10-12 by Anders Bennett – Encourage your preteen boy to grow a lifelong relationship with God. Even at a young age, you already understand that life isn’t always easy. Things can go wrong, and some events in life can be very hard to face. That’s why it’s important to keep yourself close to God. Remember, you are never alone. As you read His word, you’ll begin to understand how God works in different aspects of your life.
  • Becoming Who I Am: Faith Devotional for Teen Boys (Bible for Boys) by Anders Bennett – Modern and practical devotional for fast-growing Teen guys to cultivate Faith, Hope, and Grace.“Becoming Who I am” is a collection of carefully chosen Bible scriptures that address the needs of growing teenage boys. Content has been developed, considering the mind and soul of teen boys. The devotions are articulated in easy to understand language to keep them interested.
  • Unseen: The Prince Warriors 365 Devotional by Priscilla Shirer – You are God’s warrior, and His armor is waiting for you. This devotional will give middle-grade readers daily power from God’s Word and grow them into warriors who use their spiritual armor daily. Each day’s strategy session is divided up into two sections: Reconnaissance (Recon) and Actionable Intelligence (Actionable Intel) to help readers recognize the enemy, build their defenses, and claim the victory God has planned for them.

General Mental Health Resources

Help normalize therapy, counseling, and mental health treatments as healthcare.

Self-Check Questionnaire – Safe and easy service that allows you to anonymously take a Self-Check Questionnaire and connect with a professional counselor who can offer guidance, support, and resources to help connect you with mental health and addiction services. Using this service is completely voluntary and confidential.

Dial 211 to connect with community services near you – child care, senior services, counseling, food, shelter, job services, and more.

Due to cultural stigma, lack of culturally competent providers, distrust of medical providers due to historical abuse, cost or a lack of insurance, and/or limited options in their area, Black adults and youth often struggle to get access to the mental health care they may need.

  • 988 lifeline – Black Mental Health
  • The Aakoma Project – Mental health resources for youth of color.
  • Black Mental Health Alliance
  • The Confess Project – The Confess Project of America is the national organization supporting local chapters that train barbers and stylists to become mental health advocates, with the mission to build awareness and break stigmas around mental health within the Black community.
  • Therapy for Black Girls – Focuses on making mental health topics more relevant and accessible for Black women.
  • NAMI – Access the Sharing Hope three-part video series that explores the journey of mental wellness in Black communities.

Make a Safety Plan – A safety plan is a prioritized list of coping strategies and sources of support. You create a Safety Plan to use for the times you’re in a crisis. Having it written down and planned out means you don’t have to develop a plan when the crisis is happening — it’ll be ready to go when you need it.