What is an emergency mental health condition?
1. Life and Death Situations
Life and death situations top the list, just as in a physical emergency. If you have acted on suicidal impulses or are with a person who is actively threatening suicide or has already acted on suicidal feelings (poison, overdose, profuse bleeding, etc), call 911 and report your identity, your whereabouts, and the circumstances of your crisis.
Night or day, if you feel suicidal and know you need to talk to somebody immediately, call our clinic (608-829-1800) but only if you are a client with us. If you are not an MHS client, call Journey Mental Health Center 24-hour suicide prevention line at 608-280-2600 if you live in or near Madison, WI. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline can be reached at 800 273-TALK (8255)
2. Domestic Violence
If you are being threatened with violence from another person, call 911. Police will assist you.
3. Intense Psychological Stress
Bouts of uncontrollable crying, panic disorders that continue for unusually long periods, crises with your children where potential harm might occur -- call your Mental Health Solutions therapist at 608-829-1800. If you are not a client at our clinic, call the Mental Health Center of Dane County emergency number at 608-280-2600 or go to a hospital emergency room.
4. Medication Emergencies
Stop taking any medication that gives you a rash, a tic, or any untoward serious reaction such as not being able to sleep for a 24 hour period, etc. Call your prescriber immediately when the clinic opens if you have discontinued taking a prescription medication. If you are quite concerned regarding serious reactions, use our on-call system at 608-829-1800 if the medication was prescribed at our clinic. For refills or questions regarding side effects that were discussed with you but are non-threatening to your health, do not call emergency numbers. Instead, discuss the issue with your prescriber by phone or during your appointment.