Massachusetts Support Resources
Statewide and national support services for people in Massachusetts seeking crisis help, safety planning, housing, legal support, recovery resources, and survivor-centered care.
If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you are in emotional distress, experiencing a mental health crisis, struggling with substance use, or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. For local service referrals including shelter, food, housing, and crisis resources, dial 211.
You do not need perfect words to ask for help. Start with 911, 988, 211, or one of the resources below.
Domestic Violence
- Jane Doe Inc. – Massachusetts Coalition Against Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence
Statewide coalition connecting survivors with domestic violence programs, rape crisis centers, advocacy services, and prevention resources across Massachusetts.
https://www.janedoe.org/ - Jane Doe Inc. Find Help / Program Directory
Find domestic violence programs, sexual assault programs, rape crisis centers, and survivor support services across Massachusetts.
https://www.janedoe.org/find_help/ - SafeLink Domestic Violence Hotline
Massachusetts statewide 24/7 toll-free domestic violence hotline for people affected by domestic or dating violence.
Call: 1-877-785-2020
https://casamyrna.org/get-support/safelink/ - National Domestic Violence Hotline
24/7 confidential support, safety planning, and crisis help.
Call: 1-800-799-7233
Text: START to 88788
https://www.thehotline.org/ - StrongHearts Native Helpline
Support for Native American and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence.
Call or text: 1-844-762-8483
https://strongheartshelpline.org/ - Love Is Respect
Support for teen dating abuse and unhealthy relationship dynamics.
Call: 1-866-331-9474
Text: LOVEIS to 22522
https://www.loveisrespect.org/ - Domestic Violence Help for Men
Male survivors can contact SafeLink, Jane Doe Inc. member programs, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support and referrals.
Mental Health / Crisis
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988 for suicide prevention, mental health crisis support, emotional distress, and substance-use-related crisis support.
https://988lifeline.org/ - Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line
24/7 mental health and substance use support for Massachusetts residents. Call, text, or chat for help finding urgent care and ongoing services.
Call or text: 833-773-2445
https://www.masshelpline.com/ - Massachusetts Department of Mental Health
State mental health services, treatment programs, crisis supports, and community-based mental health resources.
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-department-of-mental-health - NAMI Massachusetts
Mental health education, advocacy, peer support, and family support resources.
https://namimass.org/ - SAMHSA Find Support
National mental health and substance use support information.
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-support - FindSupport.gov
Federal support resource directory for mental health, substance use, and crisis needs.
https://www.findsupport.gov/
Addiction / Substance Use
- Massachusetts Substance Use Helpline
24/7 free and confidential help finding substance use treatment, harm reduction, recovery, and problem gambling services.
Call: 800-327-5050
https://helplinema.org/ - Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services
State addiction treatment, prevention, recovery support, harm reduction, and substance use disorder services.
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/bureau-of-substance-addiction-services - Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line
24/7 help for mental health and substance use concerns.
Call or text: 833-773-2445
https://www.masshelpline.com/ - FindTreatment.gov
Search for addiction treatment, mental health treatment, detox, outpatient care, inpatient care, and recovery programs by location.
https://findtreatment.gov/ - SAMHSA Find Help
National treatment referral and support resources for substance use and mental health needs.
https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help - Mass 211
Search detox programs, counseling, recovery programs, addiction treatment services, and local support referrals.
https://mass211.org/
Homelessness / Shelter / Housing
- Mass 211
Dial 211 or 877-211-6277 for shelter, housing assistance, food resources, utility help, transportation support, and crisis service referrals.
https://mass211.org/ - Mass 211 Housing / Shelter Resources
Housing and shelter referrals for financial hardship, rent, mortgage, deposits, utilities, emergency shelter, and related housing needs.
https://mass211.org/housing-shelter - Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities
State housing programs, homelessness support, rental assistance, emergency shelter information, and housing stabilization resources.
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/executive-office-of-housing-and-livable-communities - Massachusetts Emergency Housing Assistance
State guidance for people in housing crisis, including emergency assistance, RAFT, and local support options.
https://www.mass.gov/emergency-housing-assistance - Emergency Assistance Family Shelter
Eligibility and application information for Massachusetts Emergency Assistance family shelter.
https://www.mass.gov/how-to/review-eligibility-apply-for-emergency-assistance-ea-family-shelter - HUD Massachusetts
Federal housing resources, rental help, foreclosure information, fair housing support, and local HUD contacts for Massachusetts.
https://www.hud.gov/states/massachusetts - FindHelp
Search local shelter, housing, food, transportation, financial assistance, and social service programs by ZIP code.
https://www.findhelp.org/ - Adult Men’s Shelter and Emergency Housing
Use Mass 211, FindHelp, or local city/town service offices to locate emergency shelters, transitional housing, and local housing programs. - Family Shelter and Housing Support
Use Mass 211, HUD Massachusetts, Massachusetts Emergency Housing Assistance, and state housing programs to locate family shelter, rental help, and emergency housing support.
Legal Help / Protective Orders / Family Law
- Massachusetts Legal Assistance Corporation
Statewide legal aid funding and civil legal help connections for low-income Massachusetts residents.
https://www.mlac.org/ - MassLegalHelp
Free legal information and self-help guidance for Massachusetts residents, including housing, family law, domestic violence, benefits, immigration, and other civil legal issues.
https://www.masslegalhelp.org/ - MassLegalHelp – 209A Restraining Orders
Plain-language information about Massachusetts abuse prevention orders, also called 209A restraining orders.
https://www.masslegalhelp.org/domestic-abuse-crime-victims/209a-restraining-orders - Massachusetts Court Forms – Abuse Prevention Orders
Court forms related to Massachusetts restraining orders and abuse prevention orders.
https://www.mass.gov/lists/restraining-orderabuse-prevention-order-court-forms - Massachusetts Court Self-Help
Legal forms, court information, and self-help resources for people representing themselves.
https://www.mass.gov/self-help - Massachusetts Bar Association Lawyer Referral
Find a private attorney or legal referral option in Massachusetts.
https://www.massbar.org/
Victim Rights / Crime Victim Support
- Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA)
State agency supporting victim rights, victim assistance, service access, and survivor-centered programs across Massachusetts.
https://www.mass.gov/orgs/massachusetts-office-for-victim-assistance - AskMOVA
Help finding victim services, compensation information, emotional support, housing advocacy, education/employment support, and related assistance.
Call: 844-878-MOVA (6682)
https://www.mass.gov/askmova - Massachusetts Victims of Violent Crime Compensation
Financial help for eligible victims of violent crime and certain crime-related expenses.
https://www.mass.gov/massachusetts-victims-of-violent-crime-compensation - Applying for Victims of Violent Crime Assistance
Application guidance and assistance information for Massachusetts victim compensation.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/applying-for-victims-of-violent-crime-assistance - Office for Victims of Crime – Massachusetts State Support
Federal victim assistance and compensation program information for Massachusetts.
https://ovc.ojp.gov/states/massachusetts - Office for Victims of Crime
Federal victim assistance information, rights resources, and support programs.
https://ovc.ojp.gov/
Sexual Assault Support
- Jane Doe Inc.
Statewide sexual assault and domestic violence coalition connecting survivors with rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs, advocacy, and prevention resources.
https://www.janedoe.org/ - Jane Doe Inc. Find Help / Program Directory
Find Massachusetts rape crisis centers, domestic violence programs, and survivor support services.
https://www.janedoe.org/find_help/ - RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline
24/7 confidential sexual assault support and online chat.
Call: 1-800-656-4673
https://www.rainn.org/ - StrongHearts Native Helpline
Support for Native American and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence.
Call or text: 1-844-762-8483
https://strongheartshelpline.org/
County / Local / City Support
Use these tools to find help near you in Massachusetts. Local services can vary by county, city, ZIP code, eligibility, and current availability, because naturally the help exists, but first you must complete the scavenger hunt.
- Mass 211
Search for local shelter, food, housing, transportation, mental health, domestic violence, legal, and crisis services.
https://mass211.org/ - FindHelp
Search for local programs by ZIP code.
https://www.findhelp.org/ - FindTreatment.gov
Search addiction and mental health treatment by location.
https://findtreatment.gov/ - Jane Doe Inc. Program Directory
Find domestic violence programs, sexual assault programs, and survivor advocacy services across Massachusetts.
https://www.janedoe.org/find_help/ - Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line
Find urgent mental health and substance use services near you.
https://www.masshelpline.com/
Special Populations
- Male Survivors
Male survivors can use Jane Doe Inc. member programs, SafeLink, Mass 211, RAINN, 1in6, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline for support and referrals. - Teen Dating Abuse
Love Is Respect provides support for young people experiencing dating abuse or unhealthy relationship dynamics.
https://www.loveisrespect.org/ - Native Survivors
StrongHearts Native Helpline supports Native American and Alaska Native survivors of domestic violence and sexual violence.
Call or text: 1-844-762-8483
https://strongheartshelpline.org/ - Veterans Crisis Line
Support for veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and loved ones.
Call 988, then press 1
Text: 838255
https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/ - LGBTQ+ Youth Support – The Trevor Project
Crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people.
Call: 1-866-488-7386
Text: START to 678678
https://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Quick Reminder
If you are scared, unsafe, struggling with addiction, facing homelessness, or thinking about suicide, start with 911, 988, 211, SafeLink, or the Massachusetts Behavioral Health Help Line above. You do not need to explain everything perfectly. You just need a place to begin.