What is mental health?
Mental health includes our emotional, psychological, and social well-being. Mental health affects how we think, feel, and act. It also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make choices.
Many factors contribute to mental health challenges, including:
- Biological factors, such as genes or brain chemistry
- Life experiences, such as trauma or abuse
- Family history of mental health problems
Mental health challenges are common, but help is available. People with mental health challenges can get better and many recover completely. This page can be used to support you or your loved ones learn more about specific mental health problems and where to find help.
Mental health through the City Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
If you are a City employee, or live with someone who is a City employee, you can get support through the CityStrong GuidanceResources®, our Employee Assistance Programs (EAP). The EAP is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to connect you to confidential care and resources. Call anytime about concerns such as marital, relationship and family problems; stress, anxiety and depression; grief and loss, job pressures and substance abuse. Additionally, they offer:
- Work-Life Solutions
- Legal Support
- Financial Information
More information can be found here: CityStrong GuidanceResources (Employee Assistance Program - EAP) | Portland.gov.
City of Portland Employee Resource Groups
Diverse and Empowered Employees of Portland (DEEP) provides support to City of Portland employees of diverse backgrounds and lived experiences. DEEP operates independently under the purview of the Office of Equity and Human Rights. DEEP administers opportunities for employee growth and leadership development, advances an inclusive and respectful work environment for City of Portland employees, supports Employee Resource Group leaders and members, advocates for transparent City practices, and encourages trust and connection across the City of Portland organization. For more information please visit: Diverse Empowered Employees of Portland (DEEP) | Portland Employees.
Recognizing mental health challenges
Early warning signs
Trying to tell the difference between what expected behaviors are and what might be the signs of a mental illness isn’t always easy. There’s no easy test that can let someone know if there is mental illness or if actions and thoughts might be typical behaviors or the result of a physical illness. If you feel that you or someone you know is in need of support, please reach out to the CityStrong GuidanceResources (Employee Assistance Program - EAP) or one of the resources found in the sections below.
Experiencing one or more of the following feelings or behaviors can be an early warning sign of a mental health challenge:
- Eating or sleeping too much or too little
- Pulling away from people and usual activities
- Having low or no energy
- Feeling numb or like nothing matters
- Having unexplained aches and pains
- Feeling helpless or hopeless
- Smoking, drinking, or using drugs more than usual
- Feeling unusually confused, forgetful, on edge, angry, upset, worried, or scared
- Yelling or fighting with family and friends
- Experiencing severe mood swings that cause problems in relationships
- Having persistent thoughts and memories you can't get out of your head
- Hearing voices or believing things that are not true
- Thinking of harming yourself or others
- Inability to perform daily tasks like taking care of your kids or getting to work or school
Additional guidance on how to support someone through a mental health crisis can be found here:
Mental health coverage under City employee health plans
For City employees and dependents covered under City health insurance plans, outpatient mental health services are no-cost with in-network providers. For an overview on costs associated with mental health services and substance use disorder, please visit: Benefit Plan Summaries and Guides | Portland.gov.
For City Moda Health members
Moda Health members can find non-urgent mental health care and search for a provider by visiting their portal here: Member Dashboard - Login (modahealth.com). Additionally, Moda members have access to no-cost mental health coaching through the Meru Health app.
For City Kaiser Permanente members
Kaiser members can find non-urgent mental health care and information here: Mental Health Services| Kaiser Permanente. Kaiser also offers no-cost mental health coaching and self-care apps. If you’re a Kaiser Permanente Northwest member, call Kaiser Permanente Behavioral Health Crisis line at 503-331-6425 or 1-866-453-3932. It is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Caring, experienced Kaiser Permanente team members will evaluate your situation and find the right care for you.
Community supports for all
988 Lifeline Chat and Text - 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Formerly National Suicide Prevention Hotline, Línea de Prevención del Suicidio y Crisis. Interpretation services are available. Call or text 988, the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, for free, confidential support with a trained crisis counselor if you need addiction or mental health-related crisis support or are worried about someone else. More info here: What happens when you call text or chat the Lifeline. The previous National Suicide Prevention Hotline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) number will continue to function indefinitely.
211info - Connect. Inform. Empower.- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week call 211 or Toll free 1-866-698-6155. TTY: dial 7-1-1 & call 1-866-698-6155. Language interpreters are available. 24/7 public information line to help people in Oregon and Southwest Washington identify, navigate, and connect with local resources they need- mental/behavioral health, food, shelter, childcare, financial assistance, and more. Southwest Washington Hours: M-F 8am-6pm.
BIPOC Therapists Nationally- search for therapists within your health insurance network if that’s most useful and search based on the modality of work (marriage, family counseling, etc.).
BIPOC Mental Health 2025 Reading List- a list of both fiction and non-fiction books curated by Mental Health America, the nation’s leading national nonprofit dedicated to the promotion of mental health, well-being, and condition prevention.
Call BlackLine®- provides a space for peer support, counseling, reporting of mistreatment, witnessing and affirming the lived experiences for folks who are most impacted by systematic oppression with an LGBTQ+ Black Femme Lens. Call BlackLine® prioritizes BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and People of Color).
Call to Safety- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are an adult and worried about your safety due to intimate partner/domestic violence or sexual violence, call 888-235-5333. An interpretation line is available.
Clackamas County Crisis Services- urgent mental health walk-in center and call line. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week call 503-655-8585 for free and confidential support.
Clark County Crisis Services- Behavioral health crisis services are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week by calling the
Southwest Washington Crisis Line at: 800.626.8137 | TTY 866.835.2755.
Construction CareLine- There are a lot of personal challenges inherent in working construction — challenges that impact your mental health. This is a mental muster point where you can get confidential support for whatever you’re dealing with. 24 hours a day, 7 days a week call 503-433-7878. If you are outside the state of Oregon you can call 1-833-444-6020 24 hours a day. English and Spanish-speaking counselors are available.
Interpreters are provided for other languages.
DHS Hotline- (Oregon Department of Human Services) If you are worried about the safety of a child, 855-503-7233. Interpretation services are available.
Lines for Life - Visit their website to access multiple numbers to call based on type of help you are seeking. Many helplines are available 24/7 to get callers the right support, right now. Lines for Life is Oregon’s home for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. They recognize our communities’ unique needs and offer specific services to reduce barriers for those seeking personalized help – including support services for Veteran and Military communities and services providing emotional support and resources to those impacted by racism. They list various other resources as well in their pages, Community Resources - Lines For Life and Culturally Specific Resources - Lines For Life.
Military Helpline- The Lines for Life Military Helpline offers help and hope to all military-connected Oregonians. Our service is free, confidential, and available by phone, 24/7 at 1-888-457-4838. The line is answered by a highly trained and dedicated team of Crisis Intervention Specialists. All possess a strong understanding of the serious and specific issues that can impact service members, veterans and their families. This helpline is operated independently and not affiliated with the Department of Defense.
Multnomah County Crisis Services- Call the Center/Crisis Line 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at 503-988-4888 or Toll-free: 1-800-716-9769. Hearing-impaired dial: 711. Interpretation services available. Free, 24/7 mental health and addictions support. Interpretation services for non-English speakers. Referral to low-cost or sliding scale agencies. Help to find mental health providers—information about non-crisis community resources.
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)- Call 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) Monday through Friday, 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM ET for one-on-one emotional support, mental health information and resources needed to tackle tough challenges that you, your family or friends are facing. Or, you can look through our self-help online resources to find your answers.
National Domestic Violence Hotline and Hotline en Español- Call: 1-800-799-7233, 1-800-787-3224 (TTY) or text "START" to 88788. Chat is also available on their homepage. Call for crisis intervention information and referrals to local services for victims of domestic violence.
National Sexual Assault Hotline/RAINN/La Línea de Ayuda Nacional Online de Asalto Sexual- Call: 1-656-4673, Chat: National Sexual Assault Live Chat, or use their Mobile App. RAINN (Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network) is the nation’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. RAINN created and operated the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,00 local sexual assault service providers across the country.
Oregon Youth Line-For youth to connect with other youth, text "Teen2Teen" to 839863 to instantly text with another person. Interpretation services are available. Phone lines are open 24/7 and answered answered by youth daily from 4-10pm. Outside of these hours, the phone lines are answered by adult volunteers from Lines for Life who also answer the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.
Portland Street Response | Portland.gov-assists people experiencing mental health and behavioral health crises in outdoor or unlocked public spaces such as lobbies of local government buildings, restaurants, retail or grocery stores, etc. during regular business hours. Call 911 or 503-823-7773 to request service anywhere in the city. We operate citywide from 8 a.m. to midnight every day of the week. The program is part of Portland's Public Safety Service Area.
Q Center- community groups and programs for the Portland metro-area 2SLGBTQIA+ community.
Racial Equity Support Line - Lines For Life: Call: 503-575-3764 M-F 10am-7pm PT. Provides support for BIPOC individuals experiencing racisms, microaggressions, and others form of discrimination such as such as impacts of immigration struggles and other cross-cultural issues as well as other emotional support.
SAMHSA’s National Helpline- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration- Call: 1-800-662-4357. A free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year service (in English and Espanol) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders providing referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations.
Senior Loneliness Line - Lines for Life:- Call (503) 200-1633 or 800-282-7035 from 5:30am – 11:30pm daily for free and confidential support for anyone in Oregon age 60+.
Trevor Project- 24 hours a day, 7 days a week supporting LGBTQIA+ youth. Text "START" to 678678 or call TrevorLifeLine, 1-866-488-7386.
Trans Lifeline- Call 877-565-8860. A peer support and crisis hotline and 501 non-profit organization offering direct emotional and financial support to trans people in crisis – for the trans community, by the trans community.
Washington County Crisis Line- Call 503-291-9111(Link opens phone app) for free, confidential help. If you speak a language other than English, an interpreter will be provided. All calls are confidential. The Crisis Line staff will listen to you, assess your situation, offer support and safety planning, and provide referrals to local resources and treatment. Crisis Line staff work closely with other crisis services including the Hawthorn Walk-In Center, the Mobile Crisis Team, 9-1-1 and local emergency rooms.
Mental health and well-being strategies
Positive mental health allows people to:
- Realize their full potential
- Cope with the stresses of life
- Work productively
- Make meaningful contributions to their communities
Ways to maintain positive mental health include:
- Getting professional help if you need it
- Connecting with others
- Staying positive
- Getting physically active
- Helping others
- Getting enough sleep
- Developing coping skills
For ideas and strategies to help manage your mental health, please check the resources below:
Safe use of Alcohol or prescription drugs
Risk, sign of misuse and health consequences of drug addiction
Coping with Bereavement and Grief
Improve relationships
Connection with others and having deep and meaningful relationships helps improve mental health. It allows you to form a support network while building your listening and communication skills. Celebrate every positive moment with family and friends. By doing this, research shows you will boost well-being by helping you enjoy good things even more and making great feelings last. Use the resources below to help cultivate meaningful relationships:
Building Relationships that Matter: Family, Friends, Co-Workers
Fostering Healthy Relationships
Health Benefits of Strong Relationships – Harvard Health
Get involved/practice self-care
Focusing on the things that bring you joy is good for your health. Being happy promotes a healthy lifestyle and may also help combat stress, boost your immune system, protect your heart and reduce pain. Similarly, a Sense of Purpose has known benefits to our mood and lifestyle choices. Purpose is the sense of knowing that your life has meaning, value, and importance. A Sense of Purpose also helps when things go wrong. Purpose helps you to put those events in perspective, to refocus on the things that are meaningful to you, and to move ahead and enjoy life. Resources to cultivate purpose and self-care are found below:
Self-Care for Stress Relief Flyer
Building Exercise into a Busy Schedule Flyer
Greater Good Magazine – UC Berkeley
Taking Charge of your Health and Wellbeing
Resources for families
Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for families
The CityStrong GuidanceResources (Employee Assistance Program - EAP) | Portland.gov has a variety of tools available to support employee family needs as well. Anyone in the employee's household over the age of 14 can create their own account or call the resource line themselves. The EAP offers up to 10 counseling sessions per issue per person per benefit year (July 1 through June 30). Additionally, their FamilySource program can do the following for employees and their household members:
- Create referral lists for childcare needs including last minute emergency care or back up care, subsidies, and adoption support.
- Provide information and local resources for eldercare needs including home health, transportation, mobility issues, or driving concerns. Can facilitate a conference call with extended family members to discuss any of these or related issues.
- Provide information for government financial assistance.
- Refer clients to digital tools and apps that can help limit media consumption or block access to certain websites or keywords – set up schedules for or self-track media usage.
- Help clients find support for an array of topics like stress, anxiety, depression and other family related to these issues.
Family planning
The City of Portland offers a variety of resources to support City employee families. City employees can use the guide to learn the basics about the many benefits available to help support your growing family- parental leave, fertility support services, time off and more:
Health insurance support
For accessing family support through your City Health insurance, see above sections, For City Moda Health members and For City Kaiser Permanente members.
City of Portland's internal Mental Health Program
Are you looking for tools and resources to center employee mental health and well-being? Turn to the City's internal Mental Health Program! The ultimate goal of this program is to create intentional and meaningful changes to the way we deal with our mental health. We support employees navigating distress in the workplace through:
- curating trauma-informed wellness spaces
- educating and training staff about mental well-being
- providing practical tools, resources, and information
- promoting awareness and empowering employees to center their mental well-being
For more information, please visit our employee page: Mental Health Program | Portland Employees.