Calgary crisis and mental health resources guide

When someone is in emotional distress, overwhelmed, unsafe, or unsure where to turn, finding the right mental health resource can feel difficult. Calgary has several crisis, mental health, youth, addiction, and community support options, but it is not always obvious which one fits the situation.

This guide brings together crisis and mental health resources in Calgary and Alberta, including emergency supports, crisis lines, public mental health navigation, youth support, addiction helplines, sexual violence support, and counselling options.

If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 911. If suicide is a concern, call or text 9-8-8 for the Suicide Crisis Helpline in Canada.

This article is for general information only. Services, hours, eligibility, and contact details can change, so always check directly with the organization if you are unsure.

Quick guide: who to contact first

If you are not sure where to start, use this quick guide:

  • Immediate danger or medical emergency: Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department.
  • Suicide crisis or concern for someone at risk: Call or text 9-8-8.
  • Emotional crisis in Calgary: Contact Distress Centre Calgary.
  • Non-urgent public mental health navigation: Contact Access Mental Health.
  • General community resource navigation: Contact 211 Alberta.
  • Addiction or mental health helpline support in Alberta: Contact Recovery Alberta helplines.
  • Child or youth mental health support: Consider The Summit, Wood’s Homes Eastside, ConnecTeen, or Kids Help Phone.
  • Sexual assault or sexual abuse support: Contact Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse.

1. Emergency services and the nearest emergency department

If there is immediate danger, a life-threatening medical emergency, violence, a suicide attempt in progress, or a situation where someone cannot stay safe, call 911.

You can also go to the nearest emergency department if urgent medical or psychiatric care is needed. Emergency care is the right choice when safety cannot wait for a callback, intake appointment, or scheduled counselling session.

  • Call: 911
  • Best for: immediate danger, life-threatening emergencies, suicide attempt, severe confusion, violence, or situations where someone cannot stay safe
  • Cost: public emergency response and hospital care, depending on circumstances and coverage

2. 9-8-8 Suicide Crisis Helpline

9-8-8 is Canada’s national Suicide Crisis Helpline. You can call or text 9-8-8 if you are thinking about suicide, worried about someone else, or experiencing intense emotional distress related to suicide or safety.

You do not have to be certain that something is “serious enough” before reaching out. If suicide is part of the concern, 9-8-8 is there to help.

  • Call or text: 9-8-8
  • Website: 988.ca
  • Best for: suicide crisis support, concern for someone at risk, urgent emotional support
  • Cost: free

3. Distress Centre Calgary

Distress Centre Calgary provides 24-hour crisis support by phone, text, and online chat for Calgary and Southern Alberta. This can be a helpful place to start if you are overwhelmed, anxious, depressed, isolated, unsafe, grieving, or unsure what support you need.

Distress Centre Calgary can also help with crisis counselling and referrals to community resources.

4. Access Mental Health

Access Mental Health is a non-urgent service for people in the Calgary Zone who need help finding addiction and mental health services. It can help connect people with public and community-based mental health resources.

This is a good option if you are not in immediate crisis, but you are trying to understand what kind of service may fit your situation.

5. Recovery Alberta mental health and addiction helplines

Recovery Alberta lists confidential 24/7 helplines for Albertans experiencing mental health or addiction concerns. These lines can provide support, information, and referrals.

6. Mobile Response Team

The Mobile Response Team provides urgent mental health support and consultation in crisis situations. The service is voluntary and is accessed through crisis/referral pathways.

In Calgary, the Mobile Response Team is commonly accessed through Distress Centre Calgary, which can help determine whether mobile crisis support is appropriate.

7. Urgent Mental Health at Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre

For people who need urgent in-person mental health assessment or support, Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre is often listed as a Calgary access point for urgent mental health services.

For sexual assault within the last 168 hours, Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse advises going to Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre and asking for the Sexual Assault Response Team.

  • Location: 1213 4 Street SW, Calgary, AB
  • Phone: 403-955-6200
  • Best for: urgent in-person mental health assessment, urgent care, and specialized response pathways such as the Sexual Assault Response Team
  • Cost: public health service, depending on circumstances and coverage

8. 211 Alberta

211 Alberta helps people find community, social, health, and government services. If you need help locating mental health resources, housing support, food support, family violence services, addiction resources, financial support, or community programs, 211 can help point you in the right direction.

This can be useful when your mental health concern is connected to practical pressures like housing, finances, safety, food, family stress, or caregiving.

  • Call: 2-1-1
  • Text: INFO to 211
  • Website: ab.211.ca
  • Best for: community resource navigation, social supports, and local service referrals
  • Cost: free

9. The Summit: Marian & Jim Sinneave Centre for Youth Resilience

The Summit is an AHS child and youth mental health facility in Calgary. It is designed for children and youth 18 and under and their families.

The Summit offers walk-in mental health support for children, youth, and families, along with other therapeutic and community-based services.

  • Location: 1015 17 Street NW, Calgary, AB
  • Phone: 587-534-7200
  • Website: The Summit
  • Best for: children and youth 18 and under, family support, walk-in mental health services, and youth mental health navigation
  • Cost: public service

10. Wood’s Homes Eastside Community Mental Health Services

Eastside Community Mental Health Services, operated by Wood’s Homes, provides mental health support for children, youth, adults, and families.

Services can include phone, text, chat, walk-in support, crisis counselling, family support, and system navigation.

11. ConnecTeen

ConnecTeen is a Calgary youth support service connected to Distress Centre Calgary. Youth can call, text, or chat online when they need someone to talk to.

ConnecTeen can be helpful for school stress, family conflict, relationship issues, loneliness, bullying, anxiety, depression, peer pressure, or situations where a young person does not know who else to tell.

12. Kids Help Phone

Kids Help Phone provides free, confidential mental health support for young people across Canada. Support is available by phone, text, and online services.

This is a good option for kids, teens, young adults, and people supporting a young person who may need help.

13. Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse

Calgary Communities Against Sexual Abuse, also known as CCASA, provides specialized support for people impacted by sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual violence.

CCASA provides a support and information line, counselling intake, police and court support information, and specialized sexual violence support. If a sexual assault happened within the last 168 hours, CCASA advises going to Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre and asking for the Sexual Assault Response Team.

  • Support and Information Line: 403-237-5888
  • Website: calgarycasa.com
  • Best for: sexual assault, sexual abuse, sexual violence, trauma support, counselling intake, and police/court support information
  • Cost: varies by service

Bonus #14: JB Music Therapy

JB Music Therapy is a Calgary-based team of certified music therapists offering in-person music therapy in Calgary and online music therapy options. Music therapy may support emotional expression, connection, communication, stress reduction, coping, and overall wellbeing for people of different ages and needs.

This is not a crisis line or emergency mental health service, but it may be a helpful supportive therapy option for people who connect with music, creativity, non-verbal expression, or a more experiential form of support.

When private counselling may be the next step

Crisis lines and public resources can be extremely important, especially when someone needs immediate support, safety planning, urgent help, or service navigation.

Private counselling may be worth considering when you are looking for more ongoing support, a consistent therapist, specific therapy goals, couples or family counselling, trauma-focused therapy, or support for concerns that are affecting daily life.

At Your Counselling, we support individuals, couples, children, teens, and families with concerns such as:

If cost is a concern, you can also review our guide to free mental health services in Calgary or learn more about our sliding scale counselling program.

How to choose the right crisis or mental health resource

The right resource depends on the level of urgency and the kind of support you need.

  • If someone is in immediate danger: call 911.
  • If suicide is a concern: call or text 9-8-8.
  • If you need to talk to someone right now: contact Distress Centre Calgary.
  • If you need help navigating public services: call Access Mental Health.
  • If addiction is part of the concern: call the Addiction Help Line.
  • If the concern involves a child or teen: consider The Summit, Wood’s Homes Eastside, ConnecTeen, or Kids Help Phone.
  • If the concern involves sexual assault or sexual abuse: contact CCASA.
  • If you need ongoing therapy: consider private counselling, sliding scale counselling, or a public referral pathway.

You do not need to know the perfect next step before reaching out. Starting with one safe call, text, chat, or consultation can help you move from feeling stuck to having a plan.

Frequently asked questions about Calgary crisis and mental health resources

What number should I call for a mental health crisis in Calgary?

If there is immediate danger, call 911. If suicide is a concern, call or text 9-8-8. For emotional crisis support in Calgary and Southern Alberta, contact Distress Centre Calgary at 403-266-HELP (403-266-4357).

Where can I get free crisis support in Calgary?

Free crisis support is available through services such as 9-8-8, Distress Centre Calgary, ConnecTeen, Kids Help Phone, and some public mental health services. The right option depends on the person’s age, level of risk, and type of support needed.

What is Access Mental Health in Calgary?

Access Mental Health is a non-urgent Calgary Zone service that helps people find addiction and mental health services. It can help connect people with public and community-based options, but it is not a replacement for emergency care.

Where can teens get mental health support in Calgary?

Teens in Calgary can contact ConnecTeen, Kids Help Phone, Wood’s Homes Eastside Community Mental Health Services, or The Summit. If there is immediate danger, call 911. If suicide is a concern, call or text 9-8-8.

What should I do if someone is thinking about suicide?

If there is immediate danger, call 911. If the person is thinking about suicide but is not in immediate physical danger, call or text 9-8-8 for suicide crisis support. Stay with the person if it is safe to do so, reduce access to immediate means of harm where possible, and help them connect with emergency or crisis support.

Does Your Counselling provide crisis counselling?

Your Counselling provides professional counselling for individuals, couples, children, teens, and families, but it is not an emergency crisis line. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If suicide is a concern, call or text 9-8-8. If you are looking for ongoing counselling support, you can book a consultation with Your Counselling.

If you are ready to explore ongoing counselling, you can book a free consultation with Your Counselling. If you are in crisis or need urgent support, please use one of the emergency or crisis resources listed above.