If you witnessed or survived a mass shooting and need help now, call or text the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990. It is free, confidential in that you do not have to provide identifying information, and available 24/7 for disaster-related emotional distress, including mass violence. For a broader mental-health crisis, call or text 988. For continuing therapy, use FindTreatment.gov or call SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
This is a U.S.-focused navigation guide. People elsewhere should use their local emergency, public-health and victim-services systems rather than assume that U.S. numbers work from abroad.
Choose the right route for your situation
These services overlap, but they are designed for different needs. Use the option that matches your urgency and the kind of help you want.
| What you need | Best starting point | How to access it | What it provides |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distress connected to the shooting or another disaster | SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline | Call or text 1-800-985-5990 | 24/7 crisis counseling, coping information and referrals to local crisis centers |
| An immediate mental-health crisis | 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline | Call or text 988 | 24-hour crisis support; use emergency medical services when there is immediate physical danger or a medical emergency |
| Ongoing therapy or substance-use treatment | FindTreatment.gov or SAMHSA National Helpline | Search online or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357) | Confidential, anonymous treatment locating and free 24/7 referral and information |
| Connection with other survivors | Local victim-services organization, incident recovery center or behavioral-health provider | Ask about current groups and eligibility | Survivor-to-survivor or community support when a suitable local group exists |
No single response is required after a shooting. Some people want to talk immediately; others need time, practical help or distance from reminders. Seeking counseling or peer contact does not mean you have a diagnosis, and declining a group today does not prevent you from joining one later.
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If you need support right now
Call or text the Disaster Distress Helpline
SAMHSA specifically includes incidents of mass violence among the disasters covered by the Disaster Distress Helpline. Call or text 1-800-985-5990 for emotional support, coping guidance and a connection to local crisis centers for follow-up care. The service is free to contact and does not require identifying information. Standard text and data rates may apply.
Spanish-language callers can press 2. SAMHSA says interpretation is available in more than 100 languages. People who are deaf or hard of hearing can use their preferred relay provider. Tell the counselor what happened, what you are feeling now and whether you need a local referral; you do not have to provide a polished account of the event.
Use 988 for a mental-health crisis
SAMHSA lists call or text 988 for 24-hour crisis support. Explain that your distress follows a mass shooting so the counselor understands the context. 988 is a crisis route, not a substitute for emergency medical care. If someone is in immediate physical danger, has a life-threatening injury or cannot stay safe, contact local emergency services.
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Make the first contact easier
- If speaking feels impossible, start with a text to the Disaster Distress Helpline or 988.
- Ask a trusted person to sit with you, make the call, or help write down the number.
- Move to a place where you can talk privately if doing so is safe.
- Tell the counselor about urgent needs such as injuries, medication, housing, transportation or a child who needs care.
Arrange continuing counseling
Search FindTreatment.gov
FindTreatment.gov is SAMHSA’s confidential and anonymous locator for mental-health and substance-use treatment in the United States and its territories. Use the search filters to identify services in your area, then contact prospective providers directly. A listing does not establish that a clinician has a particular trauma credential, has an open appointment or accepts your insurance.
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- Review the listed organization’s phone number, address, telehealth information and services.
- Call or message several practices rather than relying on a single listing; availability changes.
- Ask whether the clinician works with survivors of violence or mass shootings and whether they can accommodate your language, disability, transportation or scheduling needs.
- Confirm the earliest appointment, cancellation policy, fees, insurance or sliding-scale options and how to reach help between visits.
Call the National Helpline when searching feels overwhelming
SAMHSA’s National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), provides free and confidential treatment referral and information 24/7. A specialist can help you think through treatment categories and local options. Have your location, insurance information (if any), preferred language and accessibility needs ready, but share only what you are comfortable disclosing.
Check practical access before committing
Provider directories cannot guarantee current fees, wait times, coverage or accommodations. Before scheduling, ask:
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- “Do you have experience working with survivors of violence or mass shootings?”
- “How do you explain your approach to trauma treatment?”
- “Can we discuss pacing and what happens if I feel overwhelmed?”
- “What are your fees, insurance options and telehealth or accessibility arrangements?”
- “If you are full, can you recommend another clinician or a crisis or community service?”
These questions help you judge fit; they are not a test you must pass. You can pause, change providers or ask for a different pace if sessions do not feel safe or useful.
What “trauma-informed” should mean to you
SAMHSA’s mass-violence recovery roadmap describes trauma-informed principles for communities and services. It does not function as a consumer rating system or certify every clinician listed in a directory. In practice, a trauma-informed provider should be willing to explain how care works, respect your choices and boundaries, and adjust the pace when discussion becomes overwhelming.
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- The clinician asks what you need now instead of assuming the same plan fits every survivor.
- You receive an explanation of confidentiality, its limits, appointment length and crisis procedures.
- You can decide how much detail to share and can request a break or slower approach.
- The provider discusses goals with you and revisits them as your circumstances change.
Notice warning signs
Be cautious if a provider pressures you to describe graphic details, dismisses your cultural or family context, promises a cure, refuses to explain costs, or treats your reluctance as noncompliance. A poor fit is a reason to seek another clinician, not evidence that counseling cannot help.
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Find peer support without assuming a group exists
Peer support can reduce isolation and provide practical understanding, but groups are local and incident-specific. SAMHSA lists support groups as one coping option, and federal trauma-response resources point to survivor-to-survivor recovery materials. The HHS Office of Population Affairs trauma-response page links families and professionals to recovery resources. The National Mass Violence and Victimization Resource Center also publishes incident resources, including survivor-to-survivor information, such as its Evergreen, Colorado resource guide.
Ask the organizations most connected to the incident
- Contact the incident’s victim-services organization, family assistance center or recovery center and ask whether a survivor group is currently operating.
- Ask a community behavioral-health provider, hospital social worker or local crisis center about facilitated groups.
- Confirm who may attend: survivors, witnesses, family members, first responders or a combination.
- Ask whether meetings are in person, online or both; whether registration is required; and whether there is a cost, transportation help or interpretation.
- Find out how privacy is handled, whether sessions are moderated and what happens if someone becomes overwhelmed.
Do not assume that a group is open, clinically facilitated or appropriate for your situation until the organizer confirms its current schedule and eligibility. A general grief or trauma group may be helpful, while another person may prefer a group limited to witnesses, injured survivors or bereaved family members.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Prepare for different reactions and changing needs
People respond differently after traumatic events. SAMHSA advises reaching out to trusted people and seeking help when distress is difficult to manage; it does not describe one “right” emotional response. You might feel fear, anger, numbness, guilt, sadness, sleep disruption, difficulty concentrating or no obvious reaction at first. None of these experiences, by itself, determines a diagnosis.
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Use a flexible support plan
- Choose one person who can check in by text or phone and knows how to reach you.
- Limit repeated exposure to graphic coverage if it intensifies distress, while keeping enough information to manage safety and practical responsibilities.
- Write down appointments, medications, transportation plans and questions for a clinician.
- Tell a provider if reminders, nightmares, panic, substance use, isolation or difficulty functioning are getting harder to manage.
- Reassess after major anniversaries, court proceedings, memorials or new media coverage; reactions can change as circumstances change.
Support seeking is appropriate even when you are still working, caring for family or functioning outwardly. Conversely, you do not have to enter treatment because someone else thinks you should. A clinician can help you decide what level of care fits your goals.
Protect privacy and remove access barriers
Understand what each service asks for
The Disaster Distress Helpline does not require identifying information. FindTreatment.gov is described by SAMHSA as confidential and anonymous, while individual providers may need contact, billing or health information to arrange care. Ask a clinic how records are stored, who can access them and what confidentiality exceptions apply before sharing sensitive details.
Plan for language, hearing and disability access
Use the Disaster Distress Helpline’s Spanish option, interpretation in more than 100 languages or your preferred relay provider as needed. For ongoing treatment, ask each practice directly about interpreters, captioning, accessible entrances, sensory accommodations, telehealth and assistance with forms. These features vary by provider and are not guaranteed by a directory listing.
Account for cost and waiting lists
Ask about insurance networks, self-pay rates, sliding-scale slots, payment plans and expected wait times. If a practice cannot see you soon, request a referral to another provider or use the National Helpline while you continue searching. A crisis line can offer immediate support, but it does not replace arranging ongoing care when you want it.
Use official guidance to keep searching safely
SAMHSA’s mass-violence trauma-informed roadmap explains recovery principles for communities and service systems. Keep the SAMHSA Find Help page available for links to the treatment locator, 988, the National Helpline and the Disaster Distress Helpline. These public resources can help you navigate, but they cannot verify a particular therapist’s credentials, current caseload, fees or clinical quality.
Quick Recap
A short action checklist
- Now: Call or text 1-800-985-5990 for shooting-related distress, or call/text 988 for a mental-health crisis.
- Today or when ready: Tell one trusted person what kind of help you want and what practical support would make contact easier.
- For ongoing care: Search FindTreatment.gov or call 1-800-662-HELP (4357), then contact more than one provider.
- For peer connection: Ask a victim-services organization, recovery center or behavioral-health provider about current survivor groups and eligibility.
- Before the first appointment: Confirm experience, approach, pace, privacy, cost, availability and accessibility.
- If the fit is wrong: Request a referral or choose another provider; changing clinicians is a normal part of finding workable care.
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