Integrated Family Services Crisis Chat

As a leader in the provision of behavioral health crisis services in Northeastern North Carolina, Integrated Family Services, PLLC (IFS) has expanded their services to include Crisis Chat for the Trillium coverage area. IFS provides online emotional support, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention services to individuals within our catchment area. All crisis chat specialists are trained in crisis intervention.

Who should use the IFS Crisis Chat program?

We’re here to help, 24/7. If you live in one of the 28 counties in our catchment area and are experiencing any of the following situations, or just need to talk to someone, please use IFS’s crisis chat for assistance:

• Depression
• Thoughts of despair
• Going through a difficult time
• Thinking about suicide

What should I expect during an IFS Crisis Chat session?

The goal of the IFS Crisis Chat service is to help you reduce stress and feel empowered to make healthy decisions. You will be asked questions regarding your safety, emotions, and thoughts surrounding the situation, feelings of depression, your current social situation, and if you have any thoughts of suicide. If a chat specialist feels you are in danger they will speak with you about linking with our Mobile Crisis Management team, accessing emergency services, and/or additional contact information to ensure your safety. The chat specialist will work with you to create a safety plan if necessary. IFS Crisis Chat does not provide mental health care or treatment and does not equal a therapist-client relationship. This service does not substitute for professional health care.

Are all IFS Crisis Chat communications secure and confidential?

The confidentiality and security of chats is ensured through the IFS chat software provider. We use the same encryption and data protection standards required by major financial institutions. 

Accessing IFS Crisis Chat

The IFS Crisis Chat service is available to residents of Beaufort, Bertie, Bladen, Brunswick, Camden, Carteret, Columbus, Craven, Chowan, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Halifax, Hertford, Hyde, Jones, Martin, Nash, New Hanover, Northampton, Pamlico, Pasquotank, Pender, Perquimans, Pitt, Onslow, Tyrrell and Washington counties. If all chat specialists are busy assisting other visitors you will be asked to try the chat again in a half-hour. If the chat service is not open we encourage you to call IFS 24/7 Mobile Crisis Hotline at 1-866-437-1821.

• Step 1: Click the “Chat with us” icon at the top of any of the pages on the Integrated Family Services 
• Step 2: Complete and submit the brief pre-chat questions

Once you have completed your chat session, you will also be asked to respond to a few post-chat questions about our service. Learning more about your experiences with IFS Crisis Chat will allow us to further develop our service to more closely fit your needs. We would really appreciate your feedback.

IFS Crisis Chat Tips

• Use a computer with a strong internet connection to minimize disruptions.
• Use respectful language.
• Stay focused on the chat and respond promptly, limit doing other tasks at the same time.
• If you need to step away from your computer, let us know or end the chat and come back when you have more time.

If the service appears ‘offline’ or ‘busy’, please call IFS Mobile Crisis Hotline at 1-866-437-1821– available 24/7.

If you or someone you know is in danger or needs immediate medical attention, please call 911.

24 hours a day | 7 days a week | 365 days a year