Hotlines

Listed below are hotlines, help lines, and information lines, that you may find helpful.

Supportive Crisis  Services

Safe Place

What they do: Safe Place is a national youth outreach and prevention program for young people under the age of 18 (up to 21 years of age in some communities) in need of immediate help and safety.

Here’s how Safe Place works:

Step One – A young person enters a Safe Place and asks for help.

Step Two – The site employee finds a comfortable place for the youth to wait while they call the licensed Safe Place agency.

Step Three – Within 30 minutes, a qualified Safe Place volunteer or agency staff member will arrive to talk with the youth and, if necessary, provide transportation to the agency.

Step Four – Once at the agency, counselors meet with the youth and provide support. Agency staff makes sure the youth and their families receive the help and professional services they need.

How to get in touch: Visit any Safe Place (listed here) or Text the word “safe” and your current location (address, city, state) to 4HELP (44357). The text line a nationwide, text-for-support service for youth in crisis.

Child Abuse and Runaway Services

Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline

What they do: Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline provides 24/7 service with professional crisis counselors in over 170 languages. They provide crisis intervention, information, literature, and referrals to thousands of emergency, social service, and support resources.

How to get in touch: Call 800-422-4453

National Runaway Safeline

What they do: Provide confidential, 24/7 support to youth considering running away from home or who have already run away from home.

How to get in touch: Call 1-800-RUNAWAY

Health Care

CHOICE Hotline

What they do: Provide education, counseling, and referrals related to sexual and reproductive health care.

How to get in touch:Call 215-985-3300

Mental Health and Emotional Support

Teen Line

What they do: If you have a problem or just want to talk with another teen who understands, then this is the right place for you. This line provides support for teens when they are facing depression, pregnancy and countless other experiences.

How to get in touch: Call 310-855-HOPE or 800-TLC-TEEN (nationwide toll-free) from 6pm to 10pm PST. Text "TEEN" to 839863 between 6:00pm-9:00pm PST to speak with one of our teens.

Crisis Textline

What they do: This is a national crisis text line with trained counselors who provide support to anyone via text.

How to get in touch: Text START to 741741

Postpartum Support International Warmline

What they do: The PSI Warmline is a toll-free telephone number anyone can call to get basic information, support, and resources. Dial extension 1 for Spanish and extension 2 for English. The Warmline messages are returned every day of the week. You are welcome to leave a confidential message any time, and one of the warmline volunteers will return your call as soon as possible.

How to get in touch: Call 1-800-944-4773

Philadelphia Suicide/Crisis Intervention Hotline

What they do: A professional person is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to talk with you and to help you with any emotional problems and mental or substance abuse crisises, including obtaining necessary services promptly.

How to get in touch: Call 215-686-4420

LGBTQIA

LGBT National Youth Talkline

What they do: They speak with teens and young adults up to age 25 about coming-out issues, relationship concerns, parent issues, school problems, HIV/AIDS anxiety, safer-sex information, and lots more!
How to get in touch: Call 1-800-246-7743

The Trevor Project

What they do: The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQIA youth. Trained counselors are there to support you 24/7. If you are a young person in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgment-free place to talk reach out.

How to get in touch: Call 1-866-488-7386 or TEXT "Trevor" to 1-202-304-1200

Dating Violence and Abuse and Sexual Violence

Love is Respect Hotline

What they do: Trained peer advocates are available 24/7/365 to offer education, support and advocacy to teens and young adults, as well as their concerned friends and family members, who have questions or concerns about their dating relationships.

How to get in touch: Call 1-866-331-9474 or text love is to 22522

Philadelphia DV hotline

What they do: Call the citywide, 24-hour Philadelphia Domestic Violence Hotline (1-866-723-3014) any time for crisis intervention, safety planning, resources and referrals. All calls are free, confidential and anonymous.

How to get in touch:1-866-723-3014

National Sexual Assault Hotline

What they do: Calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline gives you access to a range of free services including: confidential support from a trained staff member, support finding a local health facility that is trained to care for survivors of sexual assault and local resources that can assist with your next steps toward healing and recovery.

How to get in touch: Call 800-656-4673

Legal Assistance

Women's Law Project Telephone Counseling Service

What they do: The Women's Law Project's in-house line provides callers free information and guidance on many issues, primarily in the area of family law. The service is free and runs 9: A.M.-4: P.M. Monday through Friday.

How to get in touch: Call 215-928-9801

Defenders Association of Philadelphia Expungement Services

What they do: Attorneys here offer help to get juvenile record expunged/erased so they don't get in the way of you going to school or getting a job.  FYI the case had to happen in Philly. 

How to get in touch: Call 267-765-6770

Public Benefits

SNAP Hotline

What they do: The Coalition helps thousands of residents apply for SNAP through their SNAP Hotline. Experienced hotline counselors will go through the application step-by-step, provide information on what to expect and help clients gather the necessary documents needed for the application.

How to get in touch: Call 215-430-0556 Monday-Thursday from 9:00 A.M. -5:00 P.M. and on Friday from 9:00 A.M. -4:00 P.M.

USDA National Hunger Hotline

What they do: Operators will connect you to the following resources within your local community:

Emergency food providers

Government assistance programs

Various social services

How to get in touch: Call 1-866-3-Hungry Monday-Friday from 8:00 A.M. -8:00 P.M.

Commissioner’s Action Response Office (CARO) of Department of Human Services

What they do: Responds to individuals who have questions, concerns, or complaints about any services provided by the Department of Human Services (DHS) or its providers, including CUAs

How to get in touch: Call 215-683-6000

Homeless Services

Project Home

What they do: Hotline for homeless in Philly in need of help. Helps provide services, housing and street outreach.

How to get in touch: Call 215-232-7272

Covenant House Street Outreach 

Covenant House Street Outreach meets youth where they are, by going to them. They spent about 4-5 days a week traveling through Philadelphia by van, foot, bus or train. They provide youth with food, drinks, hygiene products, blankets, clothing, underwear, hats and gloves and identifying shelter support. 

How to get in touch: Call 267-235-4239

The Synergy Project with Valley Youth House 

The Synergy Project also offers mobile drop-in centers for youth to shower, receive a hot meal, and find shelter from the outdoors.  Their mission is to meet youth where they are – to go to them.  Street outreach coordinators visit freight train yards, transportation stations, and homeless camps and other places to offer assistance to many youth, including youth who may not want to go into shelters.

How to get in touch: Call 18884687315

Office of Homeless Services Comment Line

What they do: Respond to the questions, feedback and complaints of participants in any of the City funded homeless service programs. The Comment Line is staffed Monday thru Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM; however, messages can be left 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Messages will be responded to during regular business hours and all complaints will be investigated.

How to get in touch: Call 215-686-4700

Homeless Youth Systems Navigator at Youth Service INC. (YSI)

The Homeless Youth Systems Navigator is a social worker at YSI who works with youth ages 18-24 experiencing homelessness or who are housing unstable in Philadelphia by connecting them to resources like employment, job training, education, permanent housing, counseling services, and more. To contact the Homeless Youth Systems Coorindator for assistance please call M-F 9:30am- 5:30pm. 

How to get in touch: Call 2152223262