California Support Resources
Statewide and national support services for people in California 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
- California Partnership to End Domestic Violence
Statewide domestic violence coalition supporting advocacy, prevention, survivor-centered services, policy, training, and program connections.
https://www.cpedv.org/ - California Partnership to End Domestic Violence – Get Help
Find domestic violence programs, safety resources, and advocacy services in California.
https://www.cpedv.org/domestic-violence-organizations-california - 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 California domestic violence programs, 211 California, the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence, or the National Domestic Violence Hotline for referrals and support.
Mental Health / Crisis
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
National crisis support for mental health, suicide prevention, substance use crisis, and emotional distress.
Call or text: 988
https://988lifeline.org/ - CalHOPE
California emotional support, crisis support connection, mental health resources, and stress support.
https://www.calhope.org/ - California Department of Health Care Services – Behavioral Health
State mental health, substance use, behavioral health, Medi-Cal behavioral health, and treatment system information.
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/services/Pages/MentalHealthPrograms-Svcs.aspx - NAMI California
Mental health education, advocacy, family support, peer support, and local affiliate connections.
https://namica.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
- California Department of Health Care Services – Substance Use Disorder Services
State substance use treatment, recovery support, prevention resources, behavioral health services, and program information.
https://www.dhcs.ca.gov/provgovpart/Pages/SUD-Services.aspx - Choose Change California
California substance use treatment and recovery campaign with support resources and treatment information.
https://choosechangeca.org/ - 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 - 211 California
Search detox programs, counseling, recovery programs, addiction treatment services, housing help, food, and local support referrals.
Dial: 211
https://www.211ca.org/
Homelessness / Shelter / Housing
- 211 California
Search for shelter, housing assistance, food, utility assistance, transportation, crisis resources, and other local services.
Dial: 211
https://www.211ca.org/ - California Department of Housing and Community Development
State housing programs, homelessness funding information, affordable housing resources, and housing policy support.
https://www.hcd.ca.gov/ - HUD California
Federal housing resources, rental help, homelessness assistance direction, fair housing support, and local HUD contacts for California.
https://www.hud.gov/states/california - FindHelp California
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 211 California, FindHelp, HUD California, California HCD, or local county/city service offices to locate emergency shelters, transitional housing, and housing support. - Family Shelter and Housing Support
Use 211 California, California HCD, HUD California, and local community agencies to locate family shelter, rental help, and emergency housing support.
Legal Help / Protective Orders / Family Law
- LawHelpCA
Legal information and legal aid referrals for California residents, including family law, housing, benefits, immigration, consumer issues, and domestic violence-related legal needs.
https://www.lawhelpca.org/ - California Courts Self-Help
Self-help court information, forms, custody, divorce, family law, protection orders, and court navigation resources.
https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/ - California Courts – Restraining Orders
Information about domestic violence restraining orders, civil harassment restraining orders, elder abuse restraining orders, and other protective orders.
https://selfhelp.courts.ca.gov/restraining-orders - State Bar of California Lawyer Referral
Find legal help, lawyer referral services, and private attorneys in California.
https://www.calbar.ca.gov/Public/Need-Legal-Help
Victim Rights / Crime Victim Support
- California Victim Compensation Board
Financial help for eligible victims of violent crime and certain crime-related expenses, including medical care, counseling, income loss, relocation, and funeral costs.
https://victims.ca.gov/ - California Attorney General – Victims’ Services
Victims’ rights information, resources, victim services, and criminal justice support information.
https://oag.ca.gov/victimservices - Office for Victims of Crime – California Help in Your State
Federal victim assistance resource page for California, including victim support links and national assistance tools.
https://ovc.ojp.gov/help-for-victims/help-in-your-state/california - Victim Connect Resource Center
National referral helpline for victims of crime.
Call: 1-855-484-2846
https://victimconnect.org/
Sexual Assault Support
- ValorUS
California statewide sexual violence prevention and advocacy organization, formerly known as CALCASA, supporting survivor-centered systems change and sexual assault prevention.
https://www.valor.us/ - California Coalition Against Sexual Assault / ValorUS Resources
Statewide sexual assault advocacy resources, prevention information, and survivor support connections.
https://www.valor.us/ - 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 California. Local services can vary by county, city, ZIP code, funding, availability, and eligibility, because apparently getting help requires a scavenger hunt with paperwork now.
- 211 California
Search for local shelter, food, housing, transportation, mental health, domestic violence, legal, and crisis services.
Dial: 211
https://www.211ca.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/ - California Partnership Domestic Violence Organization Directory
Find domestic violence programs and advocacy services across California.
https://www.cpedv.org/domestic-violence-organizations-california - HUD California
Federal housing and homelessness support information for California.
https://www.hud.gov/states/california
Special Populations
- Male Survivors
Male survivors can use California victim service programs, 211 California, 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, or one of the resources above. You do not need to explain everything perfectly. You just need a place to begin.