When a child or teen may be suicidal or self-harming.
Take the concern seriously, stay with the young person when safety is uncertain and connect to crisis or emergency support instead of trying to manage it alone.
Part of our Health & Mental Health resource series. See the main Health & Mental Health guide for the wider topic and related resources. Following a guided route? Return to the Trauma & behaviour route.
Information reviewed September 2026. Laws, program rules and services can change, so use the linked official source for current information.
Take statements about suicide or self-harm seriously.
Do not dismiss a comment as attention-seeking, manipulation or teenage drama. You do not have to determine the level of danger by yourself before asking for professional help.
Ask directly when you are worried.
It is okay to ask a young person whether they are thinking about suicide or hurting themselves. Use clear, calm language. Asking does not put the idea in their head.
If the answer is yes, stay with them and connect to professional support rather than leaving them alone with the crisis.
PEI immediate mental-health options.
9-8-8
Call or text 9-8-8 for suicide-crisis support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Canada: Mental Health SupportPEI Mental Health & Addictions Line
1-833-553-6983, 24/7. A trained health professional can assess needs and connect the caller with appropriate services.
PEI Mental Health and Addictions ServicesKids Help Phone
1-800-668-6868 offers free confidential support to young people 24/7 in English and French.
PEI Find Health CareMobile Mental Health Response Service
PEI's Mobile Mental Health Response Service can provide in-person assessment, treatment and connection to ongoing care when more than telephone support is needed. Access is through 1-833-553-6983, with the mobile service currently available from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
PEI Mobile Mental Health Response Service
Mental Health and Addictions Emergency Department
PEI also operates a 24/7 Mental Health and Addictions Emergency Department beside the Queen Elizabeth Hospital emergency department in Charlottetown, with psychiatric assessment, crisis care and stabilization services.
PEI Mental Health and Addictions Emergency Department
If the young person is not in immediate danger.
Do not ignore the issue simply because the immediate crisis passes. Arrange follow-up through Community Mental Health, the child's health provider, school supports or another appropriate service. Open Access Counselling is also available in PEI without an appointment or referral at listed locations.
Make the environment safer while help is being arranged.
Follow the advice of the crisis professional about supervision and reducing access to anything they are concerned the young person could use to seriously harm themselves. Do not rely on a promise alone if you remain worried about safety.
Stay curious about what is underneath the crisis.
Self-harm and suicidal thinking can overlap with depression, anxiety, trauma, bullying, grief, family conflict, identity concerns, substance use or other problems. The immediate safety response comes first; understanding and treatment come next.
Keep the young person out of adult blame.
Do not make the crisis about whether a parent, caregiver or family member caused it. Let professionals assess contributing factors while the caregiving adults focus on safety and connection.
Sextortion and image-based abuse can create intense fear and hopelessness.
If a young person is facing threats that sexual images will be shared, treat both the online incident and the mental-health risk seriously. Do not leave the youth alone to negotiate with the offender.
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