Call 12356 for general support, 12355 for minors and teens; for medical care, book a psychology clinic appointment

11. Call 12356 for general support, 12355 for minors and teens; for medical care, book a psychology clinic appointment

Cost: No cost involved. Both hotlines are free to call. Psychology clinic visits are billed at standard outpatient rates.

In plain terms: If you need someone to talk to, dial 12356 — this is the national mental health helpline, and it’s completely free. Minors and teenagers can call 12355, the dedicated youth support service. If you need professional medical care, you can book an appointment at a psychiatry, psychology, or clinical psychology clinic. Community grid workers and social workers are also expected to proactively identify people facing family issues, job loss, or school dropout.

Benefit: A 2026 plan jointly issued by 25 government departments including the National Health Commission calls for improving operational rules for the 12356 mental health helpline. Goals include ensuring stable service delivery, raising call connection rates, developing a provincial-level digital platform for 12356, and strengthening coordination between 12356 and other emergency hotlines such as 110. The plan also aims to expand and optimize the 12355 youth support service, integrating it with 12356. By 2030, three key targets must be met: over 80% of administrative villages and urban communities must have mental health counseling rooms or social service centers offering relevant services; every county-level area must have at least one public psychiatric hospital or medical facility providing psychology clinic services; and all provinces must have their own provincial 12356 platforms. The mental health crisis response and support workforce includes psychiatrists, psychotherapists, counselors, social workers, and volunteers. The plan also specifies three groups who must stay alert to early warning signs of mental health risks: community grid workers, social workers, and volunteers. They are tasked with promptly identifying situations such as family crises, job loss, or school dropout. (Source: National policy document issued March 2026)

Evidence grade: B

Sources: National Health Commission of China (NHC) and other 25 departments (2026). Notice on the issuance of the implementation plan for improving the psychosocial service system and crisis intervention mechanism (National Health Medical Administration [2026] No. 8). <https://www.gov.cn/zhengce/zhengceku/202604/content_7065035.htm>

Notes: This grade is assigned because the establishment of counseling rooms in villages and communities and psychology clinics at county level are only planned targets for 2030, not yet universally available nationwide. Both 12356 and 12355 are already operational. Details on the launch date and daily operating hours of 12356 can be found in Section 1, Article 25. It is also important to note that psychological counseling and psychotherapy are distinct services: only licensed psychiatrists can make diagnoses and prescribe medication, and psychotherapy must be delivered at qualified medical institutions. Private, hourly-fee “healing” or “spiritual counseling” services fall outside this official framework.