Suicide Hotlines and Crisis Lines in Trinidad and Tobago

A helpline is a place to talk to someone when you are struggling, before or instead of a crisis. The lines on this page are answered by trained volunteers, counsellors or state services, depending on the number. If you are not in Trinidad and Tobago, the worldwide list is organised by country.

What you share is kept private in almost all cases; if a counsellor believes a life is in immediate danger, they may arrange urgent help. What each service costs is set out beside it below, because on some of these lines whether a call is free depends on your phone network.

TherapyRoute is a directory. We do not answer calls or messages ourselves, so please use the numbers below rather than contacting us if you need someone now.

CRISIS LINES, SUICIDE HOTLINES, AND HELPLINES IN TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO

Each number below was checked in August 2026 at the operating organisation's own website, or at an official Trinidad and Tobago government page that lists the service.

Notice an error or a missing service? Please tell us so we can correct it.

Emergency numbers, and what each one is for

Lifeline, a 24-hour listening service

800-COPE, the state crisis helpline

Families In Action, a 24-hour counselling helpline

ChildLine, for children and young people up to 25

Children's Authority, to report a child at risk

Rape Crisis Society, after sexual or gender-based violence

National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-SAVE

While you are waiting to be answered

If you are worried about someone else

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Emergency numbers, and what each one is for

Trinidad and Tobago uses separate short codes for each emergency service. The Trinidad and Tobago Police Service publishes all three, and the Ministry of Health repeats them on its mental health page.

Police: 999

Fire: 990

Ambulance: 811

There is no national three-digit mental health line. The nearest equivalent is the toll-free 800-COPE helpline below, which the state describes as a 24-hour suicide prevention hotline.

Lifeline, a 24-hour listening service

Lifeline is a volunteer listening service that has run since the 1970s. In its own words, "Lifeline provides confidential emotional support for persons experiencing despair, loneliness, distress, or suicidal thoughts."

Callers speak to a trained volunteer Listener and do not have to give a name. Lifeline says "Callers remain anonymous" and that "Additional support can be provided upon the Caller's consent." Its about page describes a service that "has served Trinidad and Tobago" since 1980.

The three numbers are not interchangeable, because each is tied to a phone network. Check which network you are calling from before you dial.

Tel: 800-5588, which Lifeline labels "bMobile and Digicel customers can call toll free".

Tel: 866-5433, also labelled "bMobile and Digicel customers can call toll free".

Tel: 220-3636, which Lifeline labels "For FLOW to FLOW calls only".

Hours: "Available 24/7", in Lifeline's own words.

Cost: toll-free on the matching network, as each label above states.

800-COPE, the state crisis helpline

800-COPE is run by the Ministry of the People, Social Development and Family Services, through its National Family Services Division. It was launched in June 2023 and answers around the clock.

The ministry describes it as "intended to efficiently support persons with crisis issues related to suicidal ideations, abuse, and anxiety and to help those in need of emotional support. The goal is to provide a safe and confidential space where individuals can seek and obtain help and guidance."

The ministry has used two names for the same number. Its 2023 page calls it the Suicide Prevention Hotline, and its December 2025 page calls it the National Family Services Division Crisis Helpline. Either way, it is the same line.

Tel: 800-COPE (2673)

Hours: "A 24-Hour Suicide Prevention Hotline", in the ministry's own words.

Cost: "This Hotline which is free of charge", in the ministry's own words.

Families In Action, a 24-hour counselling helpline

Families In Action is a non-governmental counselling organisation. In its own words, its "helpline offers 24 hours, 7 days a week emergency support and/or crisis intervention. Anyone who feels emotionally or otherwise distressed is welcome to call".

Calls are answered by trained para-professionals. The organisation says "All our help liners are carefully chosen and trained in listening skills, basic counselling, referral procedures and most importantly confidentiality." Its own invitation is simple: "Someone is always there to listen to you."

Tel: (868) 628-2333

Hours: "24 hours, 7 days a week", in the organisation's own words.

Cost: not published. This is an ordinary geographic number rather than a toll-free code, so a call may be charged.

ChildLine, for children and young people up to 25

ChildLine Trinidad & Tobago is a helpline for children and young people up to age 25, answered by trained active listeners and volunteers. It offers, in its own words, "Active support, care, and guidance", "Counselling and emotional support" and "Crisis intervention in times of emergencies", with referrals to child protection services where needed.

In ChildLine's own words: "The ChildLine helpline service is accessed by calling 800-4321 or 131 from any telephone device", and "callers have the option to remain anonymous". The home page adds: "Call 131 or 800-4321 for FREE. It's available anytime, any day including weekends and on holidays."

Tel: 800-4321

Tel: 131

Chat: live web chat at childlinett.org, which ChildLine describes as "8 AM to 8 PM live web chat".

Hours: the telephone helpline answers at all hours, in ChildLine's words "anytime, any day including weekends and on holidays". The web chat keeps the shorter hours above. ChildLine also advertises WhatsApp as a channel, but prints no WhatsApp number on its pages, so none is listed here.

Cost: "Call 131 or 800-4321 for FREE", in ChildLine's own words.

Children's Authority, to report a child at risk

The Children's Authority of Trinidad and Tobago is the statutory child protection body. Its hotline takes reports of child abuse and maltreatment. It is a reporting and protection line rather than a listening service, so it is the route for a child at risk rather than a place to talk.

In the Authority's own words: "Our teams are working around the clock to ensure the safety of all children who come to our attention. If you are aware of incidents of child abuse or maltreatment, please call our toll free hotline 996 to make a report."

Tel: 996

Tel: 800-2014

Hours: not published as fixed hours. The Authority says its teams work "around the clock".

Cost: the Authority calls 996 a "toll free hotline". No cost is published for 800-2014.

Rape Crisis Society, after sexual or gender-based violence

The Rape Crisis Society of Trinidad and Tobago supports people affected by sexual and gender-based violence. In its own words, its "hotlines provide immediate support to persons in need, experiencing instances of SGBV and assists persons experiencing mental health issues". Support volunteers answer by phone and point callers to counselling and other resources.

Tel: (868) 627-7273 (RAPE), which the organisation describes as its "24 hour-Information and Support Hotline".

Tel: (868) 866-7428 (SGBV), the bilingual line. It "Has Spanish and English listeners available to provide for Venezuelan migrants and other SGBV survivors". No hours are published for this line.

Cost: not published for the hotlines.

National Domestic Violence Hotline, 800-SAVE

The National Domestic Violence Hotline is run by the ministry's Gender Affairs Division. Its scope is domestic and gender-based violence rather than general emotional distress. The ministry's December 2025 listing prints it as "National Domestic Violence Hotline: 800-SAVE (7283)".

Tel: 800-SAVE (7283)

Hours: not published.

Cost: not published.

While you are waiting to be answered

Several of these lines answer around the clock, but a line that is open can still be busy. If you are waiting, try to stay with someone you trust, or ask someone to sit with you until the call connects.

If you have anything near you that you could use to harm yourself, put it somewhere harder to reach, or ask someone else to hold it for you. Distance and time both help.

If waiting is not possible, dial 999 or 811, or go to a hospital emergency department. You do not need an appointment and you do not need to explain yourself well.

If you are worried about someone else

Ask them directly. Asking someone whether they are thinking of suicide does not put the idea there, and it often comes as a relief to be asked plainly.

Listen more than you advise. You do not need the right words, and you are not expected to fix anything.

If they are willing, offer to sit with them while they call one of the numbers above, or to make the call together. If they are in immediate danger, treat it as you would any medical emergency.

If you are worried about a child, the ChildLine and Children's Authority numbers above are the routes made for that. Supporting someone through this is heavy, and it is reasonable to want support of your own. The same lines are open to you.

For services in other countries, see the list of helplines and suicide hotlines worldwide.

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