There was a time when reaching out for urgent mental health care meant being admitted to an inpatient psychiatric facility or relying on emergency room services for same-day treatment.

For many, that meant facing stark hospital rooms and stigma, but today, there are local resources that offer same-day support, compassion and real solutions. That’s needed more than ever as the National Institute of Mental Health reports more than one in five Americans live with a mental illness. 

What Is Urgent Mental Health Care?

Urgent mental health care bridges the gap between a routine therapy session and a psychiatric emergency. It’s meant for those moments when someone is overwhelmed, struggling emotionally and needs support today — but doesn’t necessarily require hospitalization or an emergency room visit.

This type of care addresses real-life mental health crisis situations that call for compassion, connection and timely support, including, but not limited to:

A panic attack that strikes out of nowhereAnxiety that’s becoming unmanageable and disrupting daily lifeThe emotional aftermath of a breakup, job loss, or bullyingA deep sense of grief, loneliness, or hopelessness that feels impossible to bear alone

Urgent mental health care is about early intervention — helping people before the situation escalates. That can improve long-term outcomes.

Coastal Psychiatric Urgent Care: Meeting mental health needs without the wait

In Brevard County, accessing mental health care can often feel like navigating a maze, with long waitlists, high costs and limited providers. For someone in emotional distress, being told the next available psychiatric appointment is months away can seem like a dead end — and unless hospitalization is on the table, many are left wondering where to turn.

That’s exactly the gap Jessica Karle, Ph.D. set out to fill when she founded Coastal Psychiatric Urgent Care in 2019, with her husband, Stephen.

“One day, I went to an urgent care for a physical need,” Karle said. “And I thought – why don’t we do this for mental health?”

As the facility’s executive director and a licensed psychologist, Karle helped shape the center’s mission to offer efficient, high-quality mental health services to people experiencing a non-emergency crisis. The center provides same-day appointments and walk-in psychiatric care, giving patients immediate access to evaluation, certain medications (they do not prescribe controlled substances) and treatment — all without the need for hospitalization, creating a bridge between the emergency room and traditional outpatient care.

Coastal Psychiatric also offers therapy by appointment, with a focus on removing the delays and red tape that can worsen a mental health situation. According to Karle, the goal at Coastal Psychiatric is to “deliver care based on need, not on what’s convenient for providers or profitable for the system.” They accept most insurance plans and for uninsured patients, they offer self-pay options.

Their mission resonated with Patricia Peirsol, 69, of Melbourne, who turned to the center after her primary care physician referred her.

“I knew I needed help,” said Peirsol. “My first counselor made me feel at ease right away.  He also prescribed medicine. In fact, the entire staff makes it a comfortable experience.”

Coastal Psychiatric Urgent Care is located at 1335 Valentine St. in Melbourne. They can be reached by phone at (321) 586-5444 or though their website. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Brevard 211: When You Need to Talk — Right Now

It might start with a heavy silence. The kind that lingers at 2 a.m. when the house is quiet, but your thoughts are not. There’s no therapist appointment until next week, no friend picking up the phone, and no one around who seems to understand.

But there is someone you can call — and it only takes three digits: 2-1-1.

While not a replacement for psychiatric care or therapy, Brevard 211 is there “to be that bridge — to be the voice on the other end when someone feels like no one else sees them,” said Communications Manager Belinda Stewart.

“When it’s the middle of the night, when there is no appointment any time soon, when someone just needs to talk now,” Stewart said, that’s what Brevard 211 is there for.  

As part of a local nonprofit that has served the county since the 1960s, Brevard 211 acts as both a community resource hub and a crisis lifeline, offering free, confidential support to people experiencing emotional distress, mental health concerns, or just the need to talk to someone who will truly listen. They also handle local calls to the national 988 suicide and crisis lifeline.

Staffed by a dedicated team of about a dozen trained specialists, the hotline operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week — no payment, insurance, appointment, or identification required. Of the 42,750 calls and texts received over the past year, Stewart said more than 25% were related to mental health and substance use.

While 211 staff are not licensed therapists, Stewart said they undergo weeks of rigorous classroom, online, and supervised training in active listening, crisis intervention and emotional support. The line receives callers of all ages — from seniors coping with the loss of a spouse, to children who don’t know where to turn.

Desiree St. Cyr, supervisor of Behavioral Health Programs at 211 Brevard, remembers a recent call from an elderly man who had just lost his wife after years of caring for her through cancer.

“He initially called asking for help with his dog,” St. Cyr said. “But as our team spoke with him, it became clear he was deeply grieving. He felt alone and was having suicidal thoughts.”

Over time, she said they built a rapport. He’s since spoken to his adult children, and he’s still calling — still talking, still here.

Another memorable caller was a 10-year-old girl who had started cutting herself. She wasn’t suicidal, but she knew her behavior was dangerous, and with an unstable home life, she felt scared and alone.

“Our team helped her identify a safe adult — her father — and she was able to get the support and help she needed,” Stewart said. And in moments like these, she believes Brevard 211 becomes more than a hotline — it’s a lifeline. And for those in pain, it may be the very first step toward healing.

Brevard 211 is open to everyone and at no cost, 24-7, by dialing “211.” You can contact the national suicide and crisis lifeline by dialing “988.”

Brevard C.A.R.E.S. Mobile Response Team: Help that comes to you

Sometimes the hardest part of getting help is simply getting there. That’s where the Mobile Response Team (MRT), operated by Brevard C.A.R.E.S., a division of Family Partnerships of Central Florida, steps in. Available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, this no-cost service brings licensed and master-level clinicians directly to the person in crisis — whether they’re at home, school, or anywhere else in Brevard County.

Designed to meet people where they are, both physically and emotionally, MRT offers same-day, on-site crisis counseling for individuals and families navigating urgent mental health challenges. The clinicians focus on de-escalating the situation, helping the person stabilize, and connecting them with follow-up care and local resources tailored to their needs. Whether it’s a teenager in distress or someone struggling with grief, anxiety or trauma — MRT delivers real-time support.

To reach the Mobile Response Team, call 321-213-0315.

This reporting is supported by a Journalism Funding Partners grant. Mental Health Reporter Jennifer Torres can be reached at JMTorres@gannett.com.