SAMHSA DISASTER
DISTRESS HELPLINE
Falon Howell, Heather Meeks, Reilly Walsh, and
Christina Wells
History
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National crisis helpline dedicated to helping individuals that experience a disaster
cope with the emotional distress of the event
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Feelings of anxiety, depression, stress, hopelessness, panic, and more can be addressed
Founded in 2012, the SAMHSA disaster crisis line provides crisis counseling to people
affected by natural or human-made disasters, including but not limited to:
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Tornadoes, floods, hurricanes, droughts, wildfires, earthquakes
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Infectious disease outbreaks, such as the Covid-19 pandemic
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Mass violence events, anniversaries/trigger events, community unrest
Provided Services
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24/7, 365 crisis hotline 1800-985-5990
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Provide counseling support to people before, during, or after a disaster
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Referrals for local facilities for aftercare and continuing support
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Crisis counseling for those in distress from a natural or man-made disaster
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Teach healthy coping skills
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How to recognize distress and its effect on individuals and families
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Call or text-no personal information is required
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Also available in ASL and Spanish
Costs
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This 24/7, 365 days a year hotline offers their services for free.
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Standard text and data message rates will apply when texting from mobile phones.
Affected Groups
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The hotline is open to anyone. However, this hotline is mostly used by survivors of
disasters, loved ones of victims, first responders, rescue and recovery workers, and
caregivers.
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Tornadoes and Severe Storms
Hurricanes and Tropical Storms
Floods
Earthquakes
Wildfires
Mass violence
Drought
Anniversaries and Trigger Events
Infectious Disease Outbreaks
The Disaster Distress Hotline also mentions that you may call on behalf of someone
else.
Warning Signs for Adults
Traumatic Events can have lasting effects on physical and mental well-being
Typical signs of distress are:
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Persistent depression and anxiety
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Body aches
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New or increased substance use
Other signs include difficulty adjusting to normal life and susceptibility to emotional triggers.
Triggers can include sirens, certain kinds of weather, and people’s names.
Warning Signs for children and young adults
Typical signs of distress include:
● Significant withdrawal from social life
● Increased emotional instability
● Struggles with proper functioning
● Loss of interest in education and/or habits
● High risk behaviors, such as underage drinking and drug use
Necessary Training
Many employees have higher training and education, such as Bachelor’s and Master’s
degrees. Volunteers are often used in Public disaster responses, and SAMHSA draws
advice from public members and professionals in the mental health field.
All counselors are Trained Crisis counselors.
Benefits
Proper utilization of this resource will provide emotional support during disasters that can
help relieve stress, anxiety, and other depression-like symptoms. This also provides tips for
healthy coping and referrals to local crisis call centers for additional follow-up care and
support to prevent individuals from spiraling into a mental health crisis.