California Youth Crisis Line

The California Youth Crisis Line (CYCL) is a statewide, toll free, 24-hour, confidential Hotline available to teens and young adults ages 12-24 and/or any adults supporting youth.

If you or someone you know is in crisis, don’t hesitate to call 1-800-843-5200.

We can help.

CYCL is also an immediate, reliable and free link between youth and local services. We can help you find homeless youth shelters, youth-serving medical clinics, on-going counseling services and much more throughout California.

What is a crisis anyway? Our answer: anytime you are feeling misunderstood or overwhelmed and needing to talk to someone about what’s happening, especially before you run away or cause harm to yourselves or others. Call us first to learn how to handle your current and/or future crises.

Through a collaborative agreement, overflow calls to the California Youth Crisis Line may be answered by the National Runaway Switchboard (NRS). NRS, founded in 1971, has served as the national communication system for runaway and homeless youth since 1974, the only organization to ever have that distinction. The NRS mission is to keep America's runaway and at-risk youth safe and off the streets. For more information, call 1-800-RUNAWAY or visit www.1800RUNAWAY.org.