Call 911
Use 911 for suspected overdose, immediate danger, an unresponsive person, abnormal breathing, or another medical emergency.
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Emergency guidance
When to Call 911 for a Substance Use Emergency
Call 911 when you suspect an overdose, someone is in immediate danger, or there is a medical emergency. Do not wait for an outpatient addiction treatment center to respond and do not delay because every detail is unknown. 988 and Integral Care serve crisis-support roles, while Affirm provides non-emergency admissions screening.
A direct answer
When should someone call 911 for substance use?
Call 911 for suspected overdose, immediate physical danger, a medical emergency, or when a person is unresponsive or not breathing normally. Do not use Affirm admissions, 988, or a routine addiction treatment appointment as a substitute for emergency medical response.
Use 911
Which situations belong with emergency services?
Suspected overdose, immediate danger, serious injury, a person who cannot be awakened, abnormal or absent breathing, seizure, or another medical emergency belongs with 911. You do not need to identify the substance with certainty before calling.
This list is not a diagnostic checklist. If the situation appears immediately dangerous or medically urgent, call 911 and follow the dispatcher's instructions. Do not delay to search the internet or secure an outpatient admission.
Share the location and what is known about the situation. If the substance or amount is uncertain, state that uncertainty rather than guessing. Emergency responders, not an addiction treatment website, determine the medical response.
- Suspected overdose
- Immediate physical danger
- Unresponsive or cannot be awakened
- Not breathing normally
- Seizure, serious injury, or medical emergency
- Medical emergencyCall 911 now.
- Crisis supportCall or text 988.
- Program questionsCall Affirm admissions.
Use 988
When is 988 the appropriate crisis resource?
Call or text 988 for suicide, mental health, or substance use crisis support. If there is immediate physical danger, suspected overdose, or a medical emergency, call 911 instead.
988 can provide crisis support and help a caller think through an urgent emotional or behavioral health situation. It is not a replacement for emergency medical response when someone may need immediate physical intervention.
A family member can contact 988 for guidance about a loved one as well as for their own crisis. Follow the responder's direction if the situation needs to move to emergency services.
- Medical emergencyCall 911 now.
- Crisis supportCall or text 988.
- Program questionsCall Affirm admissions.
Use Integral Care
What local crisis number serves Travis County?
Integral Care's crisis line is 512-472-4357 for local behavioral health crisis support in Travis County. This is separate from 911, 988, and Affirm Recovery Center.
Use 911 for immediate danger or a medical emergency. Use 988 for suicide, mental health, or substance use crisis support. Integral Care can provide a local Travis County crisis pathway.
Resource roles can overlap, and a crisis responder may direct the caller to another service based on the situation. Follow current instructions from the service reached.
- Medical emergencyCall 911 now.
- Crisis supportCall or text 988.
- Program questionsCall Affirm admissions.
Affirm's boundary
Why should families not call Affirm during an emergency?
Affirm is an adult SUD intensive outpatient program and admissions resource, not an emergency department, crisis service, detox center, or continuous clinical service. Its phone availability does not change that boundary.
Admissions support is available 24 hours at 512-230-7905 for addiction treatment questions and screening. That line may be useful after immediate safety is addressed or when the situation is not an emergency.
Affirm does not provide detox but may discuss coordinating an outside referral after screening. A referral conversation is not emergency stabilization and does not guarantee placement or timing.
- Medical emergencyCall 911 now.
- Crisis supportCall or text 988.
- Program questionsCall Affirm admissions.
After the emergency
When can addiction treatment planning begin?
Addiction treatment planning can begin after immediate emergency and crisis needs have been addressed and an appropriate provider can assess the current situation. The next step may or may not be IOP.
Call Affirm for adult SUD IOP screening when the person is able to participate and outpatient care is being considered. Share what happened, the known substance pattern, any outside care, medications, and current support.
No emergency visit, crisis call, or prior addiction treatment guarantees admission to Affirm. The level-of-care decision depends on current screening and practical fit.
- What is happeningDescribe the current concern without trying to diagnose or control the outcome.
- What support is possibleClarify communication, transportation, practical help, privacy, and boundaries.
- Who should respondMatch emergencies, crisis needs, and routine program questions to the right support.
Useful details
Questions and decisions worth bringing into the conversation
Call or text 988
Use 988 for suicide, mental health, or substance use crisis support when emergency medical response is not the immediate need.
Explore Call or text 988Call Integral Care
Use 512-472-4357 for local Travis County behavioral health crisis support.
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Related addiction treatment, admissions, and Austin, TX resources
Frequently asked questions
Clear answers before you call
Should I call 911 if I only suspect an overdose?
Yes. Suspected overdose is enough reason to call 911. Do not delay emergency response while trying to identify every substance or waiting for an outpatient addiction treatment center.
What number should I use for suicide or substance use crisis support?
Call or text 988 for suicide, mental health, or substance use crisis support. If there is immediate physical danger, suspected overdose, or a medical emergency, call 911.
What is Integral Care's crisis line?
Integral Care's Travis County crisis line is 512-472-4357. Use 911 for immediate danger or medical emergency and 988 for national suicide, mental health, or substance use crisis support.
Can Affirm send emergency help?
Affirm is not an emergency or crisis service and should not be relied on to dispatch emergency help. Call 911 for immediate danger, suspected overdose, or a medical emergency.
When should I call Affirm after an emergency?
Call after immediate safety and medical needs are addressed and adult Addiction treatment screening is appropriate. A call does not guarantee admission or establish that IOP is the right level of care.
Use the right number
Call 911 now for an immediate emergency.
Use 988 for crisis support and Integral Care at 512-472-4357 for Travis County crisis help. Affirm is for non-emergency admissions.