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Mental Health Crisis Card for Individuals With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

The Arc of the United States offers a printable Mental Health Crisis Card for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). During a mental health crisis,  individuals can show the card to someone nearby to provide support and help. The card includes critical information about the person’s disability and mental health conditions and actionable steps to help de-escalate stressful situations.

A mental health crisis can strike unexpectedly. The Mental Health Crisis Card provides information about what you need,  including:

  • How to communicate (verbally, written, through pictures, etc.)
  • Your preferred calming techniques
  • Words or phrases that can help you focus or de-escalate
  • Triggers or actions to avoid, such as physical contact, bright lights or loud noise
  • Numbers to call for immediate help, such as a family member, support person or therapist

You can download a Mental Health Crisis Card and the instructions for completing it on The Arc’s website.