If you are in danger or thinking about ending your life, get help now.
Call or text 988 (24/7). Birmingham Crisis Center: 205-323-7777. Adults 19+ can walk into the Craig Crisis Care Center, 401 Beacon Parkway West, any hour. For a child or teen, call Children's of Alabama PIRC at 205-638-7472. Immediate danger: 911. Taproot Therapy Collective is an outpatient practice, not a crisis service.
Finding help shouldn't be another thing you have to fight for. This guide lists the crisis lines, walk-in centers, free and sliding-scale clinics, and specialized programs that serve Birmingham, Hoover, Jefferson and Shelby counties and the rest of Alabama, organized by what you're dealing with. It's maintained by Taproot Therapy Collective, a trauma-focused practice in Hoover, and we include ourselves only where we're a real option; most of what's here is other people's good work. Numbers change, so each section is re-verified every six months and the date at the top tells you when.
If you need help right now
Call or text 988, or chat online, 24/7, free and confidential. Veterans press 1; Spanish press 2. The LGBTQ+ youth option (press 3) was discontinued in July 2025; use The Trevor Project below instead.
Crisis Center, Inc. (Birmingham)
3620 8th Avenue South, Suite 110, Birmingham, AL 35222
Birmingham's 24/7 crisis and suicide line, serving Jefferson, Shelby, Blount, St. Clair, Chilton and Walker counties. Also runs Rape Response (205-323-7273), the Youth Talk Line (205-328-5465) and the Senior Talk Line (205-328-8255).
Craig Crisis Care Center (JBS Mental Health Authority)
401 Beacon Parkway West, Birmingham, AL 35209
24/7 walk-in crisis stabilization for adults 19 and older in a mental health or substance use crisis, an alternative to the emergency room. Adults only; for children and teens use PIRC below. Center line 205-263-1701.
Children's of Alabama PIRC (Psychiatric Intake Response Center)
Phone line for parents and caregivers of a child or teen in a mental health crisis; connects families to the right level of care. Seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Emergency services
Call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room (UAB, St. Vincent's, Grandview, Brookwood) for any immediate danger to life.
Community and state mental health providers
940 Montclair Road, Birmingham, AL 35213
The state-designated community mental health provider for Jefferson, Blount and St. Clair counties: therapy, psychiatry and medication management, children's services and substance use programs on a sliding fee, with no one turned away for inability to pay.
Alabama Department of Mental Health
The state agency behind Alabama's Crisis System of Care, six regional crisis centers and 988 in Alabama.
Cooper Green Mercy Health Services
1515 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Jefferson County's health system, with fees based on family size and income and on-site behavioral health and addiction care. Appointments 205-930-3350.
Wings Across Alabama Warm Line
Peer-run, non-crisis support line for when you need someone to talk to.
Free and low-cost counseling
UAB Community Counseling Clinic
1150 10th Avenue South, Room 117, Birmingham, AL 35294
$10 per session, cash only, for community members (not UAB students or employees). Counseling for children 3 and up, teens, adults and seniors by graduate counselors under licensed faculty supervision.
Open Path Psychotherapy Collective
Nationwide network of therapists offering sessions at $40 to $70 for people without adequate insurance, after a one-time $65 membership.
Sliding-scale counseling for individuals and families regardless of faith.
Taproot Therapy Collective sliding scale
Our own income-based sliding scale for trauma-focused therapy, in Hoover or by video anywhere in Alabama.
Hospital and university psychiatric care
1713 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Diagnosis, medication management and inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care for all ages at the region's academic medical center.
Hill Crest Behavioral Health Services
6869 5th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35212
Psychiatric hospital with inpatient and residential care for adolescents (11 to 19) and adults, detox and geriatric programs, and free confidential assessments 24/7.
Children's of Alabama Behavioral Health
1601 5th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Outpatient psychiatric care for children and teens, Monday to Friday; inpatient unit 205-630-5550.
Children, teens and families
Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center
150 Glenwood Lane, Birmingham, AL 35242
Autism and psychiatric residential, day and outpatient programs for children and adults; accepts Medicaid.
Family and children's counseling and support services across the Birmingham area.
The Bell Center for Early Intervention
Early intervention for infants and toddlers at risk of developmental delay.
Alabama Early Intervention Child Find
Statewide referral line for children under three with developmental concerns.
Pregnancy and postpartum
Postpartum Support International, Alabama chapter
HelpLine by call or text, more than fifty free online support groups, and a provider directory for perinatal mental health.
National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
24/7, free, in English and Spanish, for mothers and families before and after birth.
Perinatal therapy at Taproot with Dr. Haley Beech
Postpartum depression and anxiety, birth trauma and pregnancy loss, in Hoover or by video.
Grief and loss
400 Vestavia Parkway, Suite 131, Birmingham, AL 35216
Free, non-denominational grief counseling and support groups for adults across seven counties.
Traumatic and prolonged grief, sudden death and pregnancy loss.
Veterans and military families
Vet Center Birmingham (Hoover)
400 Emery Drive, Suite 200, Hoover, AL 35244
Free, confidential readjustment counseling for combat veterans and survivors of military sexual trauma, separate from the VA hospital. After hours 877-927-8387.
Birmingham VA Health Care System, mental health
700 South 19th Street, Birmingham, AL 35233
Therapy, medication management and substance use treatment for eligible veterans, with same-day mental health help.
LGBTQ+ support
24/7 crisis support for LGBTQ+ young people under 25; text START to 678678. This replaced the 988 press-3 option in July 2025.
3130 3rd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35233
Free counseling with licensed counselors for LGBTQ+ youth and young adults ages 13 to 24, support groups and an affirming community space.
LGBTQIA+ affirming therapy at Taproot
Affirming trauma therapy in Hoover and by video anywhere in Alabama.
Domestic violence and sexual assault
YWCA Central Alabama domestic violence services
309 23rd Street North, Birmingham, AL 35203
24/7 crisis line, two confidential shelters and counseling for Jefferson, Blount and St. Clair counties. Toll-free 800-650-6522.
Shelter, counseling and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in Shelby, Clay and Coosa counties; office 205-669-1877.
One Place Metro Alabama Family Justice Center
3613 6th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35222
Coordinated services for survivors of domestic violence in one building: advocates, legal help, law enforcement and counseling.
24/7 support and forensic nursing for survivors of sexual assault.
Substance use and recovery
ROSS 24/7 Substance Use Helpline (Alabama)
Alabama's only 24/7 substance use helpline, staffed by certified peer support specialists, with connection to treatment anywhere in the state.
24/7 free treatment referral and information, English and Spanish.
Medical detox and residential treatment at the Warrior campus, with a Birmingham outpatient office.
1625 12th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Residential and outpatient recovery programs on a sliding scale.
Residential treatment and medication-assisted treatment, including the Mothers Hope program for pregnant and parenting women.
1804 6th Avenue North, Bessemer, AL 35020
Faith-based residential recovery and rescue mission.
Therapy after rehab at Taproot
Relapse prevention that treats the trauma underneath, alongside your program or sponsor.
Eating disorders
National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline
Staffed by licensed therapists, Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern, with a treatment finder for every level of care. This is the line to call now that the NEDA helpline has closed.
Residential, partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient eating disorder treatment for adults.
162 Magnolia Creek Drive, Columbiana, AL 35051
Residential and partial hospitalization eating disorder treatment for girls and women 12 and up, thirty minutes south of Hoover.
Autism, ADHD and developmental evaluation
930 20th Street South, Birmingham, AL 35205
Autism and developmental evaluation for children and adults.
4217 Dolly Ridge Road, Birmingham, AL 35243
Statewide advocacy, family support and resource navigation; toll-free 877-428-8476.
QEEG brain mapping and evaluation at Taproot
Objective brain mapping and neurofeedback for ADHD, autism and brain injury at our Hoover office.
Older adults, caregivers and dementia
Alzheimer's of Central Alabama
300 Office Park Drive, Suite 225, Birmingham, AL 35223
Local nonprofit for families facing dementia: respite, support groups and caregiver education. Toll-free 866-806-7255.
Area Agency on Aging of Jefferson County
3600 8th Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35222
AgeLine for services, benefits and caregiver support.
Housing, food and everyday needs
United Way of Central Alabama 211
24/7 navigation to food, housing, utility and mental health help in Jefferson, Shelby, St. Clair, Blount, Cullman and Walker counties; 888-421-1266 or text your ZIP code to 898-211.
2230 4th Avenue North, Birmingham, AL 35203
Shelter and services for women and children.
7916 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35206
Recovery, re-entry and transitional housing for women and children.
National information and advocacy
Free peer and family programs including Family-to-Family and Connection support groups for Jefferson County.
Information and referral, Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern; text HELPLINE to 62640. Not a crisis line.
National Institute of Mental Health
The federal research agency; the most reliable plain-language information on conditions and treatments.
Free online screening tools and education.
24/7 crisis counseling after storms, disasters and mass violence.
What Taproot Therapy Collective offers
We are an outpatient group practice in Hoover, minutes from Birmingham, specializing in trauma, anxiety and depression treated at the nervous-system level: somatic therapy, EMDR, Brainspotting, Internal Family Systems, Lifespan Integration, Jungian and existential depth work, and QEEG brain mapping and neurofeedback. In person at our office off I-65 at the Riverchase exit, and by secure video anywhere in Alabama. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama is accepted for most clinicians, with a $250 private-pay rate and an income-based sliding scale. See everything we treat and who does what.
How to choose a therapist in Birmingham
Know the letters. A psychiatrist (MD or DO) can prescribe. A psychologist (PhD or PsyD) does testing, such as ADHD and autism evaluations, and therapy. LPCs and LICSWs are master's-level psychotherapists licensed by the state boards; LICSWs are also trained to work with the family and systems around you. All of Taproot's clinicians are LPCs, LICSWs or a licensed psychologist, listed with their license numbers on their bio pages.
Know the approaches. Cognitive behavioral therapy works top-down, from thoughts to feelings, and is structured and short-term. Somatic and brain-based therapies, EMDR, Brainspotting and Somatic Experiencing, work bottom-up, from the nervous system, and are what to look for when you understand your problem and still feel it. Depth therapies ask what the pattern is for.
Ask on the consult call: what experience do you have with what I'm bringing; what's your approach; what happens in the first session; how will we know it's working; what does it cost and do you take my insurance or give a superbill. Most practices, including ours, offer a free 15-minute call for exactly this.
Paying for therapy in Alabama
In-network insurance: you pay a copay or coinsurance after any deductible. Out-of-network: you pay the session fee and file a superbill for partial reimbursement; call the number on your card and ask about out-of-network outpatient mental health benefits. Sliding scale: fees set by income, at community clinics and some practices including ours. Public providers: JBS and Cooper Green are funded to serve Jefferson County residents regardless of ability to pay. Under the federal No Surprises Act, anyone paying out of pocket gets a good faith estimate before starting.
Questions people ask
Where do I start if I don't know what kind of help I need?
Call 211 (United Way of Central Alabama) for navigation to any service, or call us at (205) 598-6471 for a free 15-minute conversation; if we're not the right fit, we'll say so and point you to who is.
How do I find free or cheap therapy in Birmingham?
The UAB Community Counseling Clinic ($10 a session), JBS Mental Health Authority (sliding fee, no one turned away), Catholic Family Services and Open Path Collective are the reliable options. Taproot also has an income-based sliding scale.
What do I do if my teenager is in crisis?
Call Children's of Alabama PIRC at 205-638-7472, seven days a week, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Craig Crisis Care Center is adults only. If there is immediate danger, call 911.
Which of these numbers still work?
Every number on this page was checked in September 2026. Two things changed recently: the 988 press-3 option for LGBTQ+ youth ended in July 2025 (use The Trevor Project), and the NEDA eating disorder helpline closed (use the National Alliance for Eating Disorders at 866-662-1235).
Does Taproot take insurance?
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama for most of our clinicians; $250 private pay with an income-based sliding scale; and a monthly superbill for other plans.
Can I get help if I don't live in Birmingham?
Yes. 988, ROSS, the Trevor Project, PSI and the national lines are statewide or national, and Taproot sees clients by video anywhere in Alabama.
Not in crisis, and ready to start?
Call for a free 15-minute conversation with our intake coordinator, who will match you with the right clinician or tell you honestly if someone on this page is a better fit.
Book onlineCall (205) 598-6471Taproot Therapy Collective · 2025 Shady Crest Drive, Suite 203, Hoover, AL 35216. This page is information, not medical advice; if you're in crisis, use the numbers at the top.