Skip to main content
VisitDelaware.gov

Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families Logo Department of Services for Children, Youth and their Families

Division of Prevention & Behavioral Health Services

Youth Suicide Prevention & Support


  1. Home
  2. Division of Prevention and Behavioral Health Services (DPBHS)
  3. Youth Suicide Prevention & Support


For Immediate Assistance

24/7 Youth Crisis Support: 1-800-969-HELP(4357)

Crisis Text and Chat Line: 988

Emergency Response: Dial 9-1-1

Mental Health and Substance Use Emergencies

A mental health or substance use emergency is any situation in which the child’s behaviors puts them at risk of hurting themselves or others and/or when the parent isn’t able to resolve the situation with the skills and resources available.

As with any medical emergency, a mental health or substance use emergency can be life threatening. Most of the time, mental health or substance use emergencies are those involving the threat of suicide or an actual suicide attempt. Other types of mental health or substance use emergencies may involve the threat of harm to another person. These are typically times of intense difficulty, trouble or danger.

Parents and caregivers should take suicidal thoughts or attempts seriously. Thoughts of killing or injuring someone are very serious too. Traumatic events, such as witnessing a murder or suicide, or being a victim of bullying or a violent crime can also cause a crisis for your child.

If your child is under 18 years of age

Call the DPBHS 24-hour Mobile Response and Stabilization Services call center in this kind of emergency: 1-800-969-4357

NOTE: If your child is injured or is an immediate threat to hurt someone, call 911 before calling the DPBHS Mental Health/Substance Use Emergency hotline.

When you call the hotline, someone will ask you to provide:

  • Your child’s age, and
  • A description of the emergency situation.

The person on the phone will arrange an appropriate service response that could include verbal de-escalation of the situation, a meeting in your home or a meeting somewhere else if help is needed right away.

If appropriate, a therapist will talk to you and your child and help you develop a safety plan. The Hotline worker will also assist you to obtain other mental health services if help is not needed immediately.

If your child is 18 years or older and is in a mental health or substance use-related emergency

Call Delaware Division of Substance Abuse & Mental Health Crisis Intervention Services (Mobile Crisis):

New Castle County: 1-800-652-2929
Kent and Sussex counties: 1-800-345-6785

Note: Any police department, hospital or walk-in clinic can call a mobile crisis unit for anyone in distress.

Suicide Prevention Gun Safety Campaign

Suicide Warning Signs

changing emotions

Feelings

  • Hopelessness: feeling like things are bad and won’t get any better. Fear of losing control, going crazy, harming himself/herself or others.
  • Worthlessness: feeling like an awful person and people would be better off if he/she were dead. Hating himself/herself, feeling guilty or ashamed. Being extremely sad and lonely, feeling anxious, worried or angry all the time.
a person consoling another person

Actions

  • Drug or alcohol abuse
  • Talking or writing about death or destruction
  • Aggression: getting into fights or having arguments with people
  • Recklessness: doing risky or dangerous things
a sad person and another person there supporting them

Changes

  • Personality: behaving like a different person, becoming withdrawn, tired all the time, not caring about anything, or becoming more talkative, outgoing
  • Behavior: can’t concentrate on school or regular tasks
  • Sleeping and eating patterns: sleeping all the time or not being able to sleep at all, or waking up in the middle of the night or early in the morning and not being able to get back to sleep, losing appetite and/or overeating and gaining weight
  • Losing interest in friends, hobbies, and appearance, or in activities or sports previously enjoyed
speech bubbles

Threats

  • Statements like “How long does it take to bleed to death?”
  • Threats like “I won’t be around much longer” or “Don’t tell anyone else..you won’t be my friend if you tell!”
  • Plans like giving away favorite things, studying about ways to die, obtaining a weapon or a stash of pills: the risk is very high if a person has a plan and the way to do it

a broken heart with a bandaid

Situations

  • Getting into trouble at school, home or with the law
  • Recent loss through death, divorce, or separation; the break-up of a relationship; losing an opportunity or a dream; losing self-esteem
  • Changes in life that feel overwhelming
  • Being exposed to suicide or the death of a peer under any circumstances

Source: Lifelines: A Suicide Prevention Program

Suicide Prevention Resources

Free Social Media Graphics & Materials

Click. Save. Share.

You Are Not Alone Campaign Materials Social Media Graphics

Social media graphic. It's okay to...not feel okay. You are not alone. #NotAloneDE
Social media graphic. "It's okay to ... not feel okay. You are not alone." #NotaloneDE Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP
Social media graphic. "It's okay to ... not feel okay. You are not alone." #NotaloneDE Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP
Social media graphic. "It's okay to...get help for a friend in need. You are not alone." #NotaloneDE Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP
Social media graphic. "It's okay to...ask for help. You are not alone." #NotaloneDE Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP
Social media graphic. It's okay to... not feel okay. 66% of Delaware teens report feeling sad. #NotaloneDE Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP
It's okay to...be there for a friend in need. You are not alone. #NotaloneDE. Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP
Social media graphic. "It's okay to...talk about it." You are not alone. #NotaloneDE Text 988 or call 1-800-969-HELP

Suicide Prevention Materials

Spanish poster for preventing youth suicide
Download PDF file for Hay esperanza. Hay ayuda. El suicdideio puede evitarse
Preventing Teen Suicide: Tips for Peers
Download PDF file for Preventing Teen Suicide: Tips for Peers
Suicide Warning Signs
Download PDF file for Do you know the FACTS? Suicide Warning Signs