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Know what to expect

What actually happens when you call.

People don’t call because they don’t know what they’re walking into. Here’s the real thing, from each service’s own published material.

911

911

Someone is unresponsive, not breathing, or you think they could die.

What they’ll ask

  1. Where you are. This is the first and most important thing — say it before anything else, in case the call drops.
  2. What's happening.
  3. Whether the person is awake, and whether they're breathing.
  4. Your phone number, so they can call back.
Do I have to say it's drugs?No. Saying the person is unresponsive and not waking up is enough to get help sent.
Will I get in trouble?Most states have Good Samaritan laws that protect people who call for an overdose. Protections vary by state and aren't unlimited.
Can I stay on the line?Yes, and you should. The dispatcher will talk you through what to do until help arrives.

Source: Standard emergency dispatch practice

988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline

988

You want to die, you're thinking about hurting yourself, or you just can't hold it together.

What they’ll ask

  1. Questions about your safety and how you're feeling.
  2. What's going on for you right now.
Who picks up?A trained crisis counselor, not a bot and not police.
Is it confidential?Yes. Chats and texts are encrypted to banking-grade standards, and they can't even retrieve records of a call themselves.
Is it recorded?Calls may be recorded by the local crisis center for quality and training. They tell you that openly.
Can I text instead?Yes. Text 988, or use the chat on their site.

Whether police are ever sent depends on the situation and the local center. Their public FAQ doesn't spell this out, so we won't either.

Source: 988lifeline.org FAQ

Poison Control

1-800-222-1222

Someone took something and you don't know what it'll do. Any substance, any amount, any hour.

What they’ll ask

  1. The person's age and weight.
  2. Any symptoms they have.
  3. When it happened.
  4. The name of the substance, if you know it.
  5. How much.
  6. Any health problems they have.
  7. Any medicines they take.
Is it free?Yes, and it's confidential.
Who answers?A pharmacist, nurse, or toxicologist. They are not police.
What if I don't know what it was?Call anyway. Describing what happened and what the person looks like is useful on its own.

Source: Massachusetts Poison Center, poison.org

A school counselor

In person

Something is going on and you want an adult who isn't your parent.

What they’ll ask

  1. What's going on, in your own words.
  2. How long it's been going on.
  3. Whether you're safe right now.
Will they tell my parents?Sometimes. Counselors keep most things private but have to act if someone is in danger. You are allowed to ask what they have to report before you say anything — that's a normal question and a good one.
Do I need an appointment?Usually you can just go. If they're busy they'll book you in.

Exactly what a counselor must report depends on your state and your district. Ask them directly rather than trusting a website.

Source: General practice — confirm specifics with your own school