Need to talk to someone? (Warmlines)

Sometimes you just need to talk to someone about your mental health. It’s great when you can reach out to a loved one—but that’s not always possible. Fortunately, warmlines are there to help!

A warmline is a phone number you call to have a conversation with someone who can provide support during hard times. Whether you’re in crisis or just need someone to talk to, a warmline can help. Warmlines are staffed by trained peers who have been through their own mental health struggles and know what it’s like to need help.

Warmlines are free and confidential. They’re different from crisis lines or hotlines like the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, which are more focused on keeping you safe in the moment and getting you connected to crisis resources as quickly as possible. (That doesn’t mean you can’t call a warmline when you’re in crisis—a warmline may even be able to help you find the best place to go for crisis resources, or help you mentally prepare to seek out more formal treatment.)

If you are in crisis and a warmline can’t provide the level of support you need, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-TALK, or text “MHA” to 741-741 to talk to a trained counselor from the Crisis Text Line.

What to know before you call

Most states in the US have warmlines. If possible, it’s a good idea to call a warmline in your state or in another state nearby. If there’s no warmline in your state or if you feel uncomfortable calling a local line, many warmlines do accept calls from all over the country.

While many warmlines are available 24/7, some are open only on certain days and times. Please note: all times of operation are listed according to the time zones where each warmline is located. If you call a warmline in a different timezone, pay attention to the change in time.

Some warmlines have limits on the amount of time you can call. For example, they might tell you up front that they can only speak to you for an hour. Others have unlimited time and do not stop conversations until you are ready.

When you call, they might ask for some information, like where are you calling from.

List of available warmlines

Below is a list of warmlines by state, including the name of the warmline, the phone number(s) to call, the hours of operation, and whether or not the warmline accepts calls from out of state. We keep this list as up-to-date as possible, but you can also check warmline.org for additional listings and more information about warmlines.