Kern Behavioral Health 24-Hour Crisis Hotline
Last updated August 2026
Call (800) 991-5272, or just 988, any hour, any day. Kern Behavioral Health's crisis line is free and confidential, for mental health or substance use crises, or just to talk to a trained counselor without judgment. Any age. TTY users: dial 711, then (800) 991-5272.
A call works like this: a trained counselor picks up, listens, and works through what's happening with you. There's no script you have to fit and no minimum level of crisis that justifies dialing. "I just need to talk to someone" is reason enough, and the counselor takes it from there.
If the situation needs more than a phone call, say so; the line can dispatch a Mobile Crisis Response team. And when the immediate moment passes, the same call becomes a door into ongoing care, because counselors connect people to treatment. One hard night can start something that outlasts it.
Calling about someone else is normal here. Describe what you're seeing (a family member spiraling, a friend talking in ways that scare you) and the counselor helps you figure out what to do next, including whether a Mobile Crisis visit makes sense.
Related doors: 988 works anywhere in the country if you're outside Kern County. Violence at home is the Open Door Network's territory, 24 hours a day at (661) 327-1091. A life-threatening emergency is 911, every time. And save this number in your phone now, while you're thinking about it. Future you may not have the bandwidth to search for it.
Phone (800) 991-5272
Hours 24/7
Help available in English and Spanish.
Updated August 2026 Program details can change — confirm with the program directly.
Who qualifies
- Anyone in Kern County, any age; call (800) 991-5272 or 988
- TTY users: dial 711, then (800) 991-5272
You may qualify. The program makes the final decision.
What the application looks like
Common questions
Do I have to be suicidal to call?
No. The line covers any mental health or substance use crisis, and "I just need to talk to someone" counts.
What happens after the call?
Whatever the situation needs. Sometimes the call itself is enough; sometimes the counselor arranges a Mobile Crisis Response visit; and when ongoing treatment makes sense, they connect you to care. You're not signing up for anything by dialing.
Can they come to me?
They can dispatch a Mobile Crisis Response team, and connect you to ongoing care afterward. Ask for it directly if the situation on the ground needs someone present.
Is help available in Spanish?
Yes. The line serves callers in English and Spanish, at any age.
Will calling cost me anything or create a record?
The line is free and confidential. It exists so that talking to a trained counselor is the easy option, not the complicated one.
Can teenagers or kids call?
Any age. The line serves everyone. Parents and caregivers can also call about a child and talk through what they're seeing.
What if I'm deaf or hard of hearing?
Dial 711, then (800) 991-5272. That's the TTY route into the same 24-hour line.
Not sure this is the right program for your situation?
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