Disaster Distress Helpline offers crisis counseling | News

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV)- The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration wants to help you deal with your feelings about the mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut.

A "Disaster Distress Helpline" is available to provide immediate counseling to anyone who needs help dealing with the shooting. 

The Helpline immediately connects callers to trained and caring professionals from the closest crisis counseling center in the nationwide network of centers. Helpline staff provide confidential counseling, referrals, and other needed support services.

The Disaster Distress Helpline is a 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week national hotline dedicated to providing disaster crisis counseling. The toll-free Helpline is confidential and multilingual, and available for those who are experiencing psychological distress as a result of natural or man-made disasters, incidents of mass violence, or any other tragedy affecting America's communities.

Call 1-800-985-5990 or text "TalkWithUs" to 66746.

Text services are also available to Spanish speakers. Text "Hablanos" to 66746.

TTY for Dear/Hearing Impaired: 1-800-846-8517.

You can also access the Helpline here.

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