Finding care
Mental health help lines and public clinics in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama
In a mental health crisis anywhere in the U.S., call or text 988. Each of our four states also runs its own help: Tennessee’s helpline at 800-560-5767, Kentucky’s regional community mental health centers, the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225, and Alabama’s provider directory and county crisis numbers. Public clinics serve people with little or no insurance.
Most of LunahUP’s guides are about finding a private practice therapist. Sometimes you need something else first: help right now, a person to talk to while you wait for an appointment, or a clinic that will see you without insurance. This page lists the state-run and federal options in Tennessee, Kentucky, Georgia and Alabama, with a table comparing all four and then each state in turn.
If you need help now
- Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free and open 24/7. You don’t need insurance or payment information. Counselors speak English and Spanish, with interpreters for more than 240 languages.
- Veterans and service members: call 988 and press 1, or text 838255.
- 988 or 911? SAMHSA says 988 connects you with trained counselors and local resources without relying on police or emergency medical services unless they’re needed. 911 is for medical emergencies, fires, crimes in progress and other situations that need immediate physical help. If someone is in physical danger, the 988 counselor will contact 911.
- Pregnant or postpartum: the National Maternal Mental Health Hotline is free, confidential and open 24/7. Call or text 1-833-852-6262.
The four states at a glance
| State | Crisis | Non-emergency help | Peer warmline | Public or low-cost care |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tennessee | call or text 988 and press 0 | TDMHSAS Helpline, 800-560-5767 | none listed here | the Behavioral Health Safety Net |
| Kentucky | 988, or your region’s 24-hour crisis line | your region’s community mental health center | Participation Station, 877-840-5167 | 14 regional community mental health centers |
| Georgia | GCAL, 1-800-715-4225, or 988 | GCAL, or DBHDD’s provider search | Peer2Peer Warm Line, 888-945-1414 | state-funded providers through GCAL |
| Alabama | 988, or the county crisis number on the ADMH website | ADMH Mental Illness line, 1-800-367-0955 | ADMH Peer Support, 1-800-832-0952, or Wings Across Alabama, 1-844-999-4647 | ADMH’s certified community providers, and CCBHCs |
Each state’s full list follows.
Tennessee
| What you need | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Crisis or mobile crisis | Call or text 988 and press 0, or call your local provider’s crisis line |
| Walk-in crisis care | Tennessee has eleven walk-in centers for adults |
| Non-emergency questions about services | TDMHSAS Helpline, 800-560-5767, or OCA.TDMHSAS@tn.gov |
| Help with addiction | Call or text 800-889-9789 |
| Care without insurance | The Behavioral Health Safety Net |
The Behavioral Health Safety Net provides outpatient mental health care to uninsured adults and children who meet its eligibility rules, through 15 community mental health providers covering all 95 counties. Services may be in a neighboring county or by telehealth. Find the list of providers on the Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services website.
Kentucky
| What you need | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Crisis | Call or text 988, or your region’s 24-hour crisis line |
| Public mental health care | Your region’s community mental health center |
| Someone to talk to who’s been there | Participation Station warmline, 877-840-5167 |
Kentucky has 14 regional community mental health centers, private nonprofits set up under state law. Each has its own 24-hour crisis line. The state’s list, revised September 2025, is at dbhdid.ky.gov/documents/emergency.pdf, organized by county. Examples include Seven Counties Services in the Louisville area and NorthKey in Northern Kentucky.
The Participation Station warmline is staffed by peers. It isn’t open around the clock, and we couldn’t confirm its current hours. If no one answers and you need help now, call or text 988.
Georgia
| What you need | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Crisis, or help finding care | Georgia Crisis and Access Line (GCAL), 1-800-715-4225, or mygcal.com |
| Walk-in crisis care | Behavioral health crisis centers, open 24/7 |
| Someone to talk to who’s been there | Peer2Peer Warm Line, 888-945-1414 |
| Search state-funded providers | DBHDD’s provider search |
GCAL is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year, and it’s also where Georgia’s 988 calls are answered. It isn’t only for crises. Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities says GCAL will help you reach a state-funded provider in your area in a non-emergency, and for people with less intense needs, it can offer a choice of providers and schedule an appointment.
The Peer2Peer Warm Line is run by the Georgia Mental Health Consumer Network under a contract with the state, and it’s available 24 hours a day.
Alabama
| What you need | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Crisis | Call or text 988, or the county crisis number on the ADMH website |
| Walk-in crisis care | Six crisis centers, open 24/7 |
| Find a provider | ADMH provider search, or the Connect Alabama app |
| Information line | ADMH Mental Illness, 1-800-367-0955 |
| Peer support | ADMH Peer Support, 1-800-832-0952, or Wings Across Alabama, 1-844-999-4647 |
The Alabama Department of Mental Health partners with more than 200 certified community providers at more than 600 locations, searchable by county at mh.alabama.gov. Its Connect Alabama app is a services finder that also works offline.
One thing to know: Alabama’s public community mental health programs for adults are for people 18 and older who meet the state’s criteria for serious mental illness. If you’re looking for help with anxiety, mild depression or a life change, ask whether you qualify, or look at Alabama’s certified community behavioral health clinics, below.
Clinics that see you regardless of ability to pay
Certified community behavioral health clinics (CCBHCs) have to serve anyone who asks for mental health or substance use care, regardless of ability to pay, where they live or age. They also have to offer crisis services 24/7. Alabama lists its CCBHCs on the ADMH website, and SAMHSA explains the program nationally.
FindTreatment.gov is SAMHSA’s confidential, anonymous search for certified mental health and substance use treatment facilities across the U.S. You can search by location and type of care. Its helpline is 1-800-662-HELP (4357), open 24/7.
Sliding fees. Many community clinics charge based on income. Our sliding scale guide explains how to ask.
The short version
- In a crisis, call or text 988. Veterans press 1.
- Tennessee: Helpline 800-560-5767, and the Behavioral Health Safety Net for uninsured care.
- Kentucky: 14 regional community mental health centers, each with a 24-hour crisis line.
- Georgia: GCAL, 1-800-715-4225, for crises and for finding a state-funded provider.
- Alabama: the ADMH provider search, county crisis numbers and the Connect Alabama app.
- CCBHCs serve anyone, regardless of ability to pay.
Questions before your next step
What number do I call in a mental health crisis?
Call or text 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org, any time. In Tennessee you can call 988 and press 0 for the state’s crisis services. If someone is in immediate physical danger, call 911.
Link to this answerIs there free mental health care in Tennessee for people without insurance?
The Behavioral Health Safety Net provides outpatient mental health care to uninsured Tennesseans who meet its eligibility rules, through 15 community providers covering all 95 counties.
Link to this answerHow do I find a state-funded mental health provider in Georgia?
Call the Georgia Crisis and Access Line at 1-800-715-4225. In a non-emergency, it can help you reach a state-funded provider and schedule an appointment.
Link to this answerWhere do I get public mental health care in Kentucky?
At your region’s community mental health center. Kentucky has 14, and the state’s list shows which one serves your county and its 24-hour crisis line.
Link to this answerWhat is a warmline?
A warmline is a phone line staffed by peers, people with their own experience of mental health challenges, for support when you’re not in crisis. Georgia’s Peer2Peer Warm Line is 888-945-1414.
Link to this answerSources & approach
LunahUP Directory wrote this guide to explain practical search and appointment choices. Public health and professional references support the general information; the directory’s own workflows describe how LunahUP works. Provider-specific facts are supplied on the linked profiles. This guide has not been clinically reviewed and does not offer individual medical advice.
- SAMHSA 988 FAQ
- SAMHSA 988 FAQ, Veterans text line 838255: NIMH
- NIMH perinatal depression
- Tennessee TDMHSAS:; Helpline 800-560-5767; addiction line 800-889-9789 (tn.gov)
- Tennessee TDMHSAS:; Helpline 800-560-5767; addiction line 800-889-9789 (tn.gov), part 2
- Tennessee TDMHSAS:; Helpline 800-560-5767; addiction line 800-889-9789 (tn.gov), part 3
- Kentucky DBHDID 24-hour crisis lines by region, revised September 2025
- Kentucky DBHDID 24-hour crisis lines by region, Regional boards under KRS Chapter 210
- Kentucky DBHDID 24-hour crisis lines by region, Participation Station warmline
- Georgia DBHDD: GCAL (dbhdd.georgia.gov)
- Georgia DBHDD: GCAL (dbhdd.georgia.gov), part 2
- Georgia DBHDD: GCAL (dbhdd.georgia.gov), part 3
- Georgia DBHDD: Peer2Peer Warm Line
- Alabama ADMH: provider search
- Alabama ADMH: adult services criteria
- Alabama ADMH: county crisis numbers
- Alabama ADMH: crisis centers
- Alabama ADMH: hot and warm lines
- Alabama ADMH: Connect Alabama
- Alabama ADMH: CCBHCs
- SAMHSA CCBHC program
- SAMHSA CCBHC program, FindTreatment.gov
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