Depending on how serious a person’s mental health crisis is, there are several places people can go for help.
In Cuyahoga County, health officials are working to open four new spaces under one roof by 2025. This new facility is expected to have a “living room,” a crisis stabilization center, an emergency psychiatric department and possibly a detox center.
Until then, deciding where to go or where to take a loved one for care may be confusing. So we broke down what services each type of care provides.
Crisis stabilization center
Crisis stabilization centers provide short-term observation for people experiencing a psychiatric crisis in a comfortable clinic space. Those who are in crisis can stay for up to 24 hours, giving them time to wind down and receive care from behavioral health professionals.
These centers are often for people in need of urgent care for mental health issues or substance use disorders or both.
FrontLine Service, located at 1744 Payne Ave., offers crisis stabilization services for adults. Applewood Centers Inc. and Bellefaire JCB in Cuyahoga and Lorain counties offer crisis stabilization care for children and youth.
Mental health support
If you or someone you know is in crisis, experiencing stress, or needs emergency mental health and substance use services, here is a list of agencies that can offer support:
- 24-Hour National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 988
- Frontline Services: 24-hour crisis hotline 216-623-6888
- ADAMHS Board 24-Hour Mental Health/ Addiction Crisis Information & Referral Hotline: 216-623-6888
- United Way 2-1-1
- Crisis Text Line: text “4Hope” to 741741
- 24-Hour Warm Line: 440-886-5950 (A peer supporter will listen and talk you through a hard day)
- OhioMHAS Emotional Support Careline: 800-720-9616
Psychiatric emergency department
Psychiatric emergency services (PES) provide immediate care or management in a hospital or healthcare setting by a variety of behavioral health professionals. The goal of many PES departments is to make sure the individual is safe and help them return to their home and community.
Most PES programs accept patients around the clock, either directly from the police or an ambulance or by self check-in. Some units also may have mobile crisis teams onsite as well as clinics to ensure quick follow-up appointments for discharged patients.
The Cleveland Clinic, MetroHealth System and University Hospitals offer 24-hour, inpatient psychiatric emergency services. St. Vincent Charity Community Health Center also operates a psychiatric emergency department at 2351 E. 22nd St. in the Central neighborhood.
Detox center
A detox center is often the first step for someone with substance use addiction who wants to get treatment.
An intoxicated person, whether they’re using alcohol or drugs, goes through detoxification. The person is monitored and assisted as they experience withdrawal to ensure they do so safely. Medical professionals sometimes give the person medicine to help with withdrawal symptoms.
The person then meets with a medical professional to come up with a treatment plan. Detox centers also often provide mental health care, as people who experience alcohol or drug addiction often also experience mental illness. While people are learning to not depend on substances, they’re also taught new ways to deal with stress and mental illness.
In Cleveland, a person seeking detox services and addiction recovery can call or visit Stella Maris in the Flats.
The Cuyahoga County Diversion Center also offers detox services. County officials are looking to move those services to the new behavioral health center in 2025.
Living room
Living room models are a new concept for mental health care. They are designed to look and feel like a living room in a home. They have couches, tables, bookshelves, and small rooms for people who need some alone time. People can talk informally to a therapist, counselor or someone with lived experience who is trained to provide support.
People experiencing a panic attack or depression or who just want to get connected to services in the community can use this space. They can also stop by if they need a place to rest and recover or get connected to their doctors for a prescription refill.
The intent is to get people the care they need early on and in a comfortable setting so they can avoid having to go to an emergency psychiatric department.
Healthcare officials Signal Cleveland talked to were not aware of any living rooms currently operating in Cleveland. But the plans call for the new facility to have one.
Services around the state
For more information about services available in other Ohio counties, visit the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services’ Crisis Services Dashboard.