Local ยท October 7, 2026
Mental Health Resources in Austin, TX: Where to Turn
By Kathie Bolles, PMHNP-BC
Austin has a strong network of mental health resources, from round-the-clock crisis support to education, peer support, and ongoing outpatient psychiatric care. For a crisis, call or text 988 or call Integral Care's 24/7 helpline at 512-472-HELP (4357). For ongoing, personalized psychiatric care, practices like Mynd Works Psychiatry in Austin, TX provide psychiatric evaluation, medication management, and psychotherapy, in person and by telehealth where clinically appropriate.
What mental health resources are available in Austin?
Integral Care is Travis County's local mental health authority. It operates a 24/7 crisis helpline at 512-472-HELP (4357), a walk-in mental health urgent care clinic, and mobile crisis outreach teams, and it runs the Austin call center for the national 988 Lifeline. These services exist for people of all ages and do not require you to have an established provider.
NAMI Central Texas is a nonprofit offering free education, support groups, and advocacy for people affected by mental illness and their loved ones, serving Travis, Williamson, Hays, Caldwell, Burnet, and Bastrop counties. Programs include peer-led support groups and family education classes.
When should you call 988?
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free, confidential, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by call, text, or chat at 988lifeline.org. It is there for anyone having thoughts of suicide, a mental health crisis, or emotional distress, and for the people worried about them.
If there is immediate danger to yourself or someone else, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department. For non-emergency referrals to social services in Texas, including housing, food, and health resources, call or text 2-1-1.
Where can you get ongoing psychiatric care in Austin?
Crisis resources meet urgent and emergency needs, while ongoing care addresses conditions over time: evaluation, treatment planning, medication management, psychotherapy, and follow-up. For that kind of care, an outpatient psychiatric practice is the setting.
Mynd Works Psychiatry offers psychiatric services, psychotherapy, and functional medicine nutrition in Austin in person, with telehealth where clinically appropriate. You do not need to be in crisis to ask for help; most people start care because they want life to feel more manageable. See the psychiatry in Austin, TX page for location and service-area details.
How do you know which resource is right for you?
Match the resource to the urgency and the need: call 988 for crisis support or suicidal thoughts; call Integral Care's helpline or visit its walk-in clinic for urgent, non-life-threatening needs; reach out to NAMI Central Texas for free education and support groups; and contact an outpatient practice like Mynd Works for ongoing psychiatric evaluation and treatment.
If you are unsure where to start, start with a phone call. Helpline staff and practices like Mynd Works can help you figure out the right next step, and asking for help early often makes care easier than waiting until a crisis.
Common questions
What is Integral Care?
Integral Care is the local mental health and intellectual and developmental disability authority for Travis County, providing a 24/7 crisis helpline, walk-in urgent care, mobile crisis teams, counseling, and medication services in Austin.
Is 988 free to call or text?
Yes. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is free and confidential, available 24/7 by call, text, or chat, with crisis centers around the country including the Austin center run by Integral Care.
Where can families find support in Austin?
NAMI Central Texas offers free education, support groups, and advocacy for people affected by mental illness and their families, serving several Central Texas counties.
Does Mynd Works provide crisis care?
No. Mynd Works provides outpatient psychiatric care, not emergency services. For an emergency, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency department, or reach 988 for crisis support.
