Stay Safe: Crisis Resource Hub
Steps to Take While Waiting for Help
If you are in a crisis, these steps may help you protect yourself and advocate for your needs — though no amount of preparation should be required to receive safe treatment.
Grab Emergency Documents
Gather your critical documents before anyone arrives:
- Safety Plan (opens in new tab) — keep within reach
- Psychiatric Advanced Directive (opens in new tab)
- Medical Identification (opens in new tab) (card, bracelet, QR code)
- Emergency Contact List (opens in new tab)
Stall for Time
Buy yourself more time to diffuse the situation. Try saying:
- "I need to grab some water."
- "I need to get my medication."
- "Let me make a quick call to someone who can help."
Get Your Support People
Reach out to a trusted community leader, family member, neighbor, or friend who can be present during the crisis.
Contact Your Lawyer
If you have your own lawyer, contact them right away. You will also be assigned a court-appointed attorney — you can work with them, hire your own, or both. Your lawyer will be needed for the magistrate or TDO hearing.
Know Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Bring a support person in almost every setting
- Remain silent and be represented by an attorney
- Have a Temporary Detention Order (TDO) reversed by a psychiatrist's assessment as soon as possible
Dangerous Situations & De-Escalation
People with disabilities face disproportionate risk of harm in dangerous situations — online and in person.
If a situation feels unsafe, do this first:
- Move away if you can. Head toward people or a safe room.
- Use a short script: “I have a disability. I need space.”
- Keep your hands where they can be seen. Move slowly.
- Call someone you trust. Stay on the phone with them.
In the moment: Steps to help you stay safe
After the moment
If you can call a crisis or peer line instead of 911, do that. 988 is for mental health. Police are not always safe for people with disabilities.
Dealing with Emergency Personnel
Emergency personnel often lack disability awareness. These encounters can be dangerous. Here is what you should know about interacting with police and security.
If police stop you, do this first:
- Keep your hands visible. Move slowly.
- Say: "I have a disability. I need a moment."
- Show your ID and a written info card if you have one.
- You can stay silent. You can ask for a lawyer.
No checklist guarantees safety, but here are a few steps that you can take:
If a security guard stops you, remember:
- As a person with a disability, you can ask for accommodations you need under the ADA — a support person, more time, or written communication.
- The ADA protects your right to reasonable accommodations from businesses and their staff.
Private security guards are not police. In some cases, they may hold you at the scene or call the police. Situations can become more serious when police get involved.
Northern Virginia CIT Programs
Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) officers receive de-escalation training focused on mental health crises. Some CIT programs also cover working with people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities (ID/DD). This training does not guarantee effective or safe responses, but knowing your local program exists can be one tool among many:
Crisis Hotlines & Support Lines
Use the filters below to find resources based on whether they may call police during a crisis.
Does Not Call Police
May Call Police
Documents & Definitions
Understand the key documents and terms that protect you during a crisis.
Safety Plan
A written document identifying your care team, emergency contacts, advanced directives, triggers, and preferred crisis interventions. Include your Power of Attorney or Legal Guardian. Discuss it with your care team before a crisis happens. Contact ECNV (opens in new tab) for help developing your plan.
Psychiatric Advanced Directive
A legal document containing information about your desired medical care if you are unable to communicate your wishes. It can outline end-of-life treatment preferences and specify treatments you do or do NOT want. If you don't have one, reach out to Virginia Legal Aid Society (opens in new tab).
Medical Identification
Choose a form that works best for you: a medical ID card, electronic NFC card, QR code linked to your medical profile, or medical ID jewelry (bracelet or necklace). Jewelry can identify your needs without requiring you to reach into pockets — which can appear threatening to law enforcement.
Emergency Contact List
Who to contact for support during a crisis or who can help diffuse the situation. Include family, friends, legal guardians, case managers, primary care team, psychiatrists, local emergency departments, and protection and advocacy organizations like the disAbility Law Center of Virginia (opens in new tab).
Support Person vs. Personal Attendant
Support Person: Someone who helps physically and emotionally assist the patient and ensures effective communication between hospital staff and the patient. Personal Attendant/Caregiver: A health care professional who provides non-medical assistance to individuals.
Temporary Detention Order (TDO)
A legal order for involuntary admission to a mental health facility. You have the right to have a TDO reversed by a psychiatrist's assessment as soon as possible. You will need your lawyer for the magistrate or TDO hearing. You have the right to remain silent and to have an attorney represent you.
Downloadable Guides
Print these and keep them somewhere easy to find — on the fridge, in a wallet, or with your emergency documents.
What to Do in a Crisis
Five steps to stay safe and protect your rights if 911 has been called, or is about to be.
(opens in new tab)Staying Safe in Public
How to tell the difference between feeling uncomfortable and being unsafe, what to say if you call 911, and Arlington contacts.
(opens in new tab)The ECO / TDO Timeline
What happens at each step of the ECO and TDO process in Arlington, your rights, and what family or supports can do.
(opens in new tab)Disability Accommodations Card
A wallet card you can print, fold, and fill out. Hand it to someone instead of speaking. States your right to reasonable accommodations under the ADA and Section 504.
(opens in new tab)Tarjeta de Adaptaciones por Discapacidad
Una tarjeta de bolsillo que puede imprimir, doblar y completar. Indica su derecho a adaptaciones razonables bajo la ADA y la Sección 504.
(opens in new tab)News & Updates
Recent developments in disability rights, crisis response, and community resources.
Tips on Navigating Police Interactions for People with Disabilities (opens in new tab)
The Arc of Northern Virginia published accessible guidance on preparing for and safely managing encounters with police and first responders, including the Marcus Alert system and ADA rights.
Dangerous Encounters: Autistic Individuals and Law Enforcement (opens in new tab)
An in-depth look at how interactions between autistic people and police can escalate, featuring cases like Elijah McClain and recommendations for Vulnerable Persons Registries and CIT programs.
The Right To Be Rescued: Disability Justice in an Age of Disaster (opens in new tab)
This Yale Law Journal note explores legal responsibilities of local governments toward people with disabilities during emergencies and establishes the "right to be rescued" under the ADA.
Emergency Evacuation Guide for People with Disabilities (opens in new tab)
NFPA guidance for building occupants and managers on developing emergency evacuation plans that are inclusive of people with disabilities, covering both planned evacuations and unplanned events.
Ending Cyberbullying Against People with Disabilities (opens in new tab)
Students with disabilities are nearly twice as likely to experience cyberbullying. This resource covers strategies for prevention, reporting, and support for families and educators.
Communication Tips for Law Enforcement and Emergency Responders (opens in new tab)
Practical tips for first responders working with people who are Deaf, Blind, have intellectual disabilities, or psychiatric disabilities — including guidance on respectful communication.