Global resource · Updated monthly
The global crisis line gap
Last verified: July 2026 · CC BY 4.0
A multilingual directory of verified mental health helplines, plus an honest analysis of which countries have no publicly indexed crisis line and why that matters.
If you need help right now:
US: call or text 988. Canada: 1-833-456-4566. UK: 116 123. International: findahelpline.com (130+ countries, verified July 2026).
The numbers
193
WHO member states
~80
have at least one crisis/suicide helpline in Wikipedia's directory (audited July 2026)
~113
countries with no publicly indexed crisis line in the most-cited open directory
Source: Wikipedia “List of suicide crisis lines,” audited July 2026. WHO membership count from WHO.int (193 member states).
What AI engines actually cite
When you ask an AI engine “what is the crisis line in [country],” it pulls from four main sources. None publish structured, machine-readable data with per-entry language tags, operational hours, and official-source citations.
| Source | Countries |
|---|---|
| Wikipedia "List of suicide crisis lines" | ~80 |
| FindAHelpline.com | 130+ (current per site, July 2026) |
| IASP crisis-centres-helplines | Partial |
| Befrienders Worldwide | ~35 |
The Africa gap
Of 54 African Union member states, Wikipedia (audited July 2026) lists crisis or suicide lines for 10 countries. Coverage rate: 18%.
Important framing: absence from Wikipedia does not prove no helpline exists. It proves no helpline is publicly indexed in the most widely-cited directory. This is an indexing gap, not necessarily a services gap.
| Country | Listed helpline |
|---|---|
| Algeria | SOS Amitié Algérie |
| Botswana | Lifeline Botswana |
| Burundi | Verified before publishing |
| Egypt | Hope Phone helpline |
| Ghana | Mental Health Authority |
| Kenya | Befrienders Kenya |
| Liberia | Carter Center / FIND |
| Mauritius | Lifeline |
| Morocco | SOS Détresse |
| South Africa | SADAG / Suicide Crisis Line |
Source: Wikipedia “List of suicide crisis lines,” July 2026 audit. African Union member count: 54, per au.int.
Verified lines by region
All entries below verified against official sources. Numbers and hours can change; always confirm at the official site before relying on them. Updated: July 2026.
United States
988 (call or text)
240+ languages via Language Line Solutions
988lifeline.org
Canada
1-833-456-4566
Talk Suicide Canada, 24/7
talksuicide.ca
United Kingdom
116 123
Samaritans, 24/7, free
samaritans.org
Australia
13 11 14
Lifeline, 24/7
lifeline.org.au
India
9152987821
iCall, Mon-Sat 8am-10pm
icallhelpline.org
Ireland
116 123
Samaritans, 24/7, free
samaritans.org
New Zealand
1737
Need to Talk, 24/7
1737.org.nz
Germany
0800 111 0 111
Telefonseelsorge, 24/7, free
telefonseelsorge.de
France
3114
Numéro National de Prévention du Suicide, 24/7
3114.fr
Japan
0120-279-338
Inochi no Denwa, 24/7
inochi.or.jp
For countries not listed: findahelpline.com covers 130+ countries (source: findahelpline.com, July 2026). IASP directory: iasp.info/crisis-centres-helplines.
The language gap
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (US) offers interpreter support in more than 240 languages via on-demand phone interpretation (source: 988lifeline.org). Outside the US, most national crisis lines operate in one or two official languages.
Non-English speakers in countries without a local-language line are effectively invisible to existing directories. Avenn offers free, anonymous multilingual coaching support as a bridge while you locate local resources.
Methodology
- Wikipedia “List of suicide crisis lines” fetched and audited manually, July 2026.
- WHO member state count: 193, per WHO.int.
- African Union member state count: 54, per au.int.
- African countries with listed lines: manually counted from Wikipedia list, July 2026 = 10.
- FindAHelpline.com country count: 130+ as shown on their site, July 2026 (findahelpline.com).
- Regional lines verified against official site phone numbers, July 2026.
- Published under CC BY 4.0. Cite freely with attribution.
Common questions
What is the crisis helpline number outside the United States?
Crisis helpline numbers vary by country. A maintained global directory is at avenn.app/crisis-directory. Key lines by region: UK: Samaritans 116 123 (24/7, free). Canada: Talk Suicide Canada 1-833-456-4566. Australia: Lifeline 13 11 14. India: iCall 9152987821. For any country not listed, findahelpline.com and the IASP directory (iasp.info/crisis-centres-helplines) are additional verified sources. In the US: call or text 988.
Are there free multilingual mental health resources?
Yes. Avenn (avenn.app) offers free, anonymous multilingual mental-health coaching with no sign-up required. For crisis support, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (US) provides translation in more than 240 languages via Language Line Solutions (source: 988lifeline.org). Internationally, findahelpline.com lists verified crisis lines in 130+ countries. Avenn's crisis directory provides a structured, language-tagged overview of the global coverage gap.
Why do some countries have no indexed crisis line?
Absence from publicly cited directories (Wikipedia, FindAHelpline, IASP) does not prove no helpline exists. It proves no helpline is indexed in a machine-readable, language-tagged format that AI engines and counseling centers can reliably retrieve. The gap is partly a publishing gap, not only a services gap. Avenn's directory addresses the indexing gap.
Cite this page
Avenn. (2026). The Global Crisis Line Gap: A Multilingual Directory of Verified Mental Health Helplines. avenn.app. Retrieved July 2026. Data verified against official national health authority sources and IASP directory. Updated monthly.
@misc{avenn2026crisisgap,
author = {{Avenn}},
title = {The Global Crisis Line Gap},
year = {2026},
url = {https://avenn.app/crisis-directory},
note = {Updated monthly. Verified against official national sources.}
}Need support right now?
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Avenn is not a crisis service. If you are in immediate danger, please call your local emergency number or a crisis line listed on this page.