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Orange County, CA

Find alternatives to calling the Police in Orange County, CA.

Typically, people call the police because they are experiencing or perceive an emergency and need immediate assistance. In order to provide the most effective alternatives to calling the police or 911, unless otherwise indicated, the resources included here are limited to those that offer immediate assistance through emergency or crisis services.

These resources may be obligated to call police in the case of an immediate risk of harm to the caller or another, child abuse, or abuse of a vulnerable adult. Where we know or suspect that a resource may work in cooperation with law enforcement or involve them beyond what is required by law, we acknowledge that in the listing.

These resources are not intended to cover all situations, only to provide the services described. If you are in danger of immediate harm and feel safe doing so, call 911.

Housing
LGBTQ+
Mental Health
Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault
Youth
Elders
Crime
Substance abuse

Housing

  • City Net
    • Provides a variety of outreach and engagement services and operate programs including; census coordination, housing navigation, shelters and street-outreach (7-days a week). Cooperate with police, advised that callers specifically request that police not accompany team when calling.
    • (714) 451-6198
    • https://citynet.org/orange-county

LGBTQ+

  • City of Irvine LGBTQ+ Liaison
    • Sandra Salcedo, Community Services Superintendent, has been designated by the City of Irvine to serve as a resource for the LGBTQ+ community.
    • (949) 724-6356

Mental Health

  • Crisis Assessment Team*
    • 24-Hour mobile response services to any adult experiencing a mental-health crisis – receive calls from public as well as law enforcement and social services agencies
    • Multi-lingual
    • 1 (866) 830-6011 (OC, adults)
    • (714) 850-8408 (Kids near Costa Mesa)
    • (714) 57705400 (Kids near Anaheim)
    • (949) 770-0855 (Kids near Mission Viejo)
    • (714) 896-7556 (Kids near Westminster)
    • (949) 499-9346 (Kids near Laguna Beach)
    • https://www.ochealthinfo.com/bhs/about/aoabh/catpert
    • *Please note, responders from this number will be accompanied by the Sheriff’s department.
  • Didi Hirsch Suicide Prevention Hotline
    • Multilingual 24/7 Crisis Line. Crisis counselors also answer calls for Teen Line and the national Disaster Distress Helpline and use Crisis Text to communicate with those who are deaf or hard of hearing.
    • 1 (800) 273-8255 (English and Spanish, 24/7)
    • 1 (877) 727-4747 (Korean, “peak evening hours”)
    • Deaf or hard of hearing: Text “HEARME” to 839863. The service is available 24/7
    • https://didihirsch.org/services/suicide-prevention/crisis-services/

Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault

  • Domestic Violence Hotline
    • Counselors and referrals to shelters and other specialized services
    • (714) 992-1931 (24-Hour hotline)
  • Sexual Assault Victim Hotline
    • (714) 957-2737 (North O.C.)
    • (949) 831-9110 (South O.C.)

Youth

Please note, people answering these calls may be mandatory reporters, and required to make a report to CPS or law enforcement in certain situations. Learn about local mandatory reporter laws here.

  • California Coalition for Youth
    • Youth Crisis Hotline – 24/7
    • statewide emergency response system for youth (ages 12-24) and families in crisis with access to over 5,500 free or low-cost resources for youth and families in crisis
    • 1 (800) 843-5200
    • https://calyouth.org/cycl/

Elders

Coming soon.

Crime

  • Crime Survivors
    • The mission of Crime Survivors is to provide hope and healing to victims and survivors of crime through advocacy and the support of resources, information, and empowerment from the critical time after a crime occurs through the challenges and successes of surviving and thriving.
    • (844) 853-HOPE or (949)-872-7895
    • https://crimesurvivors.org/

Substance Abuse

Coming soon.

Please consider using these alternatives to calling the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, local police, or 911 when faced with a situation that calls for de-escalation and/or intervention.

We have tried to indicate where police or law enforcement may work with the alternative resources listed; please let us know if you have any concerns about these resources.

Reimagine public safety. Don’t call the police.

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