HEALTHCAREVA program
Veterans Crisis Line
Free, confidential crisis support available 24/7 by phone (988, press 1), text (838255), or online chat, staffed by VA responders trained in veteran-specific mental health crises.
Step-by-step guide
What you get
Free, confidential support from Veterans Crisis Line responders, by phone, text, or chat, 24 hours a day, every day.
Who the Veterans Crisis Line is for
- A Veteran, enrolled or notVA.gov describes the line for Veterans in crisis. VA says the 988 number reaches support without having to be enrolled in VA benefits or health care.
- A link to VA care after the callThe line links to suicide prevention coordinators across VA health care for follow-up care. A responder can also recommend emergency suicide care, which VA provides or pays for.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: new Veterans Crisis Line phone number (VA Augusta, July 26, 2022) (opens in new tab); 38 CFR 17.1205 (opens in new tab)
Who is reaching out?
- A Veteran in crisis
The Veterans Crisis Line connects Veterans in crisis with caring responders, many of them Veterans themselves. VA.gov says the service is private, free, and available 24/7, by phone, text, or chat.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab); VA.gov: new Veterans Crisis Line phone number (VA Augusta, July 26, 2022) (opens in new tab)
- A family member or friend
Family members and friends who are concerned about a Veteran can reach the same responders, the same ways.
- Concern about a VeteranVA.gov says the line is for Veterans in crisis and for anyone concerned about one, including families and friends. If the Veteran goes to a non-VA emergency room, someone acting for the Veteran can let VA know.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab); VA.gov: getting emergency care at non-VA facilities (opens in new tab)
What to gather, and what it shows VA
| Document | What it shows | How VA gets it | Have it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| DD214 or other discharge papers Your discharge papers. | Your service, for VA care after the call | Not needed to call, text, or chat: VA.gov lists no documents for the line. For emergency suicide care, VA can start care before it confirms your service. You can request service records on VA.gov. | Yes |
| Crisis responder or provider finding A finding by a trained crisis responder or a health care provider that a person is at imminent risk of self-harm. | That emergency suicide care applies | A Veterans Crisis Line responder or the treating provider makes it. VA does not ask you to send anything. | |
| Emergency room notice to VA A non-VA emergency department's notice to VA that a Veteran is getting emergency care there. | That VA should cover the emergency care | Tell the staff the person is a Veteran and ask them to contact VA right away. VA must get the notice within 72 hours of when emergency care starts. If the staff do not send it, the Veteran or someone acting for the Veteran can notify VA. | |
| Application for VA health care VA Form 10-10EZ, the enrollment application for VA health care. | A request to enroll for ongoing VA care | Not needed for the line or for emergency suicide care. Apply online, by phone, by mail, or in person when you want ongoing VA health care. |
Nothing is needed to call, text, or chat. These records matter only for VA care after the call. BeneVets does not ask you to describe a crisis or your health here.
Steps, in order
- Call 988 and press 1
Call 988, then press 1, to reach a Veterans Crisis Line responder, anytime day or night. For TTY, call 711, then 988.
Source: VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab); VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab)
- Or text 838255
Text 838255 to reach a Veterans Crisis Line responder.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab)
- Or start a confidential chat
Start a confidential chat with a responder from the VA.gov mental health or suicide prevention page.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab)
- Other ways to get help right away
You can also call 911, go to the nearest emergency room, or go directly to your nearest VA medical center. VA.gov says it does not matter what your discharge status is or if you are enrolled in VA health care.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab); VA.gov: find VA locations (opens in new tab)
- At a non-VA emergency room, say it is a Veteran
At a non-VA emergency department, tell the staff you are a Veteran, or that the person you are with is one, and ask them to contact VA right away. VA must hear within 72 hours of when emergency care starts.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: getting emergency care at non-VA facilities (opens in new tab)
- For ongoing support, a Vet Center or VA medical center
For counseling after a crisis, call or walk in to any Vet Center during clinic hours, or ask for the suicide prevention coordinator at your VA medical center.
Source: VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab); VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab)
- Free help with VA benefits later
Free help: an accredited VSO can file this with you. Find one near you in the BeneVets VSO directory at Find an accredited VSO near you. A VSO can help with a VA health care application or a benefits claim; the crisis line is for help right now.
Source: VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab); VA.gov: how to apply for VA health care (opens in new tab)
Good to know
VA.gov says the Veterans Crisis Line is private, free, and available 24 hours a day, every day. Many responders are Veterans themselves.
Source: VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab); VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab)
You do not need to be enrolled in VA health care or VA benefits to reach the line. Free emergency suicide care does not need enrollment either.
Source: VA.gov: new Veterans Crisis Line phone number (VA Augusta, July 26, 2022) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: virtual care, urgent care, emergency room, or 911 (opens in new tab)
The line links to suicide prevention coordinators across VA health care, so follow-up care can start after the call. Every VA medical center has them; the VA suicide prevention program chapter covers that care.
Source: VA.gov: new Veterans Crisis Line phone number (VA Augusta, July 26, 2022) (opens in new tab); VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab)
BeneVets is informational and is not an accredited representative. Free help: an accredited VSO can work through VA benefits with you at no cost. Find an accredited VSO near you
Sources checked October 16, 2026: 38 CFR 17.1205 (opens in new tab), 38 CFR 17.1210(b) (opens in new tab), VA.gov: VA mental health services (opens in new tab), VA.gov: suicide prevention (opens in new tab), VA.gov: getting emergency care at non-VA facilities (opens in new tab), VA.gov: virtual care, urgent care, emergency room, or 911 (opens in new tab), VA.gov: new Veterans Crisis Line phone number (VA Augusta, July 26, 2022) (opens in new tab), VA.gov: find VA locations (opens in new tab), VA Form 10-10EZ (opens in new tab), VA.gov: how to apply for VA health care (opens in new tab), VA.gov: request your military service records (opens in new tab), VA.gov: accredited representatives (opens in new tab)