Last verified: June 1, 2026. Crisis lines and behavioral-health programs change phone numbers, hours, and operators without much notice. The numbers below were confirmed against official sources on the date above, but always trust the linked official pages over this page if anything differs — and in any life-threatening emergency, call 911.
When someone in Tacoma is in a mental-health crisis, the worst time to go hunting for the right phone number is in the middle of it. So here is the short version first: call or text 988 for the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or call the Pierce County Crisis Line at 1-800-576-7764 — both are free, confidential, and answered 24 hours a day. Everything else on this page is the practical detail behind those two numbers: who actually picks up, when a team can come to you, where you can walk in, and how to find ongoing care once the immediate crisis passes.
Tacoma crisis resources at a glance
- 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline — call or text 988, or chat online, free and confidential, 24/7. Veterans press 1; Spanish speakers text AYUDA to 988. (988lifeline.org)
- Pierce County Crisis Line — 1-800-576-7764, available 24/7 to anyone in Pierce County: the person in crisis, their family or friends, or first responders. (Carelon Behavioral Health of Washington)
- Mobile crisis teams — adults (18+) are served by MultiCare’s Mobile Outreach Crisis Team (MOCT); youth (17 and under) by Catholic Community Services. Both are dispatched through the Pierce County Crisis Line. (PCWA Crisis System)
- Walk-in behavioral health assessment — Pierce County Alliance, 510 Tacoma Ave S, weekdays 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m., 253-572-4750. (Pierce County)
- Substance-use treatment & referrals — Washington Recovery Help Line, 1-866-789-1511, 24/7 for substance use, mental health, and problem gambling. (Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department)
- Find any service near you — dial 2-1-1 (or 1-877-211-9274) for resource navigation across Pierce County. (NAMI Pierce County)
988 vs. the Pierce County Crisis Line: which do I call?
Both numbers reach trained crisis counselors, and honestly, you can’t make a wrong choice in a crisis — the systems talk to each other. But there’s a useful distinction.
988 is the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. In Washington, calls and texts to 988 are answered by trained counselors, and for most of the state — including Pierce County — the call center is operated by Volunteers of America Western Washington. It’s the right call for emotional distress, suicidal thoughts, a panic crisis, or simply needing someone to talk to right now. The Lifeline is free, confidential, and runs 24/7, 365 days a year, with specialized subnetworks: veterans dial 988 and press 1, Spanish speakers can text AYUDA to 988 or choose the Spanish option, and people who are Deaf or hard of hearing can use the 988 videophone or dial 711 then 988. (988lifeline.org, wa988.org)
The Pierce County Crisis Line (1-800-576-7764) is the local, county-administered line. Its advantage is dispatch: it can send a mobile crisis team to you, knows the Pierce County stabilization facilities, and is the entry point for the county’s designated crisis responders. If the situation may need someone to physically come out — or if you’re a family member or first responder trying to get help for someone else — this is the number to use. You can also text “HEAL” to 741741 to reach the Crisis Text Line. (NAMI Pierce County)
When a team can come to you: mobile crisis & stabilization
Not every crisis is solved over the phone. Pierce County runs mobile crisis outreach that can meet a person in the community for a face-to-face evaluation. For adults 18 and older, that’s MultiCare’s Mobile Outreach Crisis Team (MOCT); for children and youth 17 and under, it’s Catholic Community Services. You don’t call the teams directly — you reach them by calling the Pierce County Crisis Line at 1-800-576-7764, and the counselor decides whether to dispatch. (PCWA Crisis System)
For someone who needs more than a phone call but isn’t a medical emergency, the county’s crisis system includes short-term stabilization options such as the Recovery Response Center (253-942-5644), a medically supervised facility for crisis stabilization. There’s also a Recovery Support Line at 1-877-780-5222 to talk with someone who has lived experience. As always, if a person is in immediate danger to themselves or others, call 911 first. (NAMI Pierce County)
Walk-in and urgent behavioral health
If you’re looking for an in-person assessment without an appointment, Pierce County Alliance offers walk-in assessment hours weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 510 Tacoma Avenue South in Tacoma; the phone number is 253-572-4750. This is a common entry point for both mental-health and substance-use assessments. (Pierce County Substance Abuse Support)
To get an overview of every program — crisis, outpatient, inpatient, youth, and substance use — Pierce County maintains a behavioral-health services locator and a “Find Support” hub. Because program rosters, intake hours, and walk-in availability shift, treat any specific wait time or same-day opening as something to confirm live on the county’s Find Support page rather than as a fixed fact. (Pierce County, WA)
Finding a provider and substance-use treatment
Once the immediate crisis is handled, the next question is ongoing care. The single most useful number here is the Washington Recovery Help Line at 1-866-789-1511 — staffed 24/7 for substance use, mental health, and problem gambling, with referrals to treatment and recovery services. (Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department)
Pierce County has a deep bench of state-certified outpatient and treatment providers, including Pierce County Alliance (253-572-4750), SeaMar Behavioral Health in Tacoma (253-396-1634) and Puyallup (253-798-4770), and Pioneer Counseling in Tacoma (253-274-0484) and Spanaway (253-539-2270). Before you commit, check each provider directly on which insurance plans they accept, whether they take Apple Health (Medicaid), and whether they serve uninsured patients — this is exactly the kind of detail that changes between visits. For the official, current roster, use the county’s Substance Abuse Support page. (Pierce County, WA)
A few specialized lines worth keeping handy: Teen Link 1-866-833-6546 (teen-to-teen, evenings), the Trevor Project 1-866-488-7386 for LGBTQ youth, the WA Warm Line 1-877-500-9276 for peer support, and NAMI HelpLine 1-800-950-6264 for navigation and education. (NAMI Pierce County)
Frequently asked questions
What is the crisis line phone number for Pierce County?
The Pierce County Crisis Line is 1-800-576-7764, free and available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can also call or text 988 for the national Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, or text “HEAL” to 741741. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911.
What happens when I call 988 in Tacoma?
You’re connected to a trained crisis counselor — for most of Washington, including Pierce County, the call is answered by Volunteers of America Western Washington. They listen, help you through the immediate distress, and connect you to local resources if needed. It’s free and confidential, available 24/7. Veterans can press 1, and Spanish-language support is available by texting AYUDA to 988.
Can someone come to me during a mental-health crisis?
Yes. Pierce County operates mobile crisis teams that can do a face-to-face evaluation: MultiCare’s Mobile Outreach Crisis Team (MOCT) for adults 18 and older, and Catholic Community Services for youth 17 and under. You reach them by calling the Pierce County Crisis Line at 1-800-576-7764, and the counselor determines whether to dispatch a team.
Where can I walk in for behavioral health help in Tacoma?
Pierce County Alliance offers walk-in assessment hours weekdays from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at 510 Tacoma Avenue South in Tacoma (253-572-4750). For the full, current list of walk-in and urgent options, check Pierce County’s Find Support page, since hours and availability can change.
How do I find substance-use treatment in Pierce County?
Call the Washington Recovery Help Line at 1-866-789-1511, available 24/7 for substance use, mental health, and problem gambling, with referrals to treatment. Pierce County also lists state-certified treatment agencies on its Substance Abuse Support page. Confirm insurance acceptance, Apple Health eligibility, and uninsured options directly with each provider before scheduling.