There are a variety of situations that can be considered an emergency or crisis. Emerson Wellness Center offers the following information and services for when you or a friend is in a medical or mental health crisis.

What to Do in an Emergency

Medical Emergencies

A medical emergency is an injury, illness, or sudden event creating an immediate risk to a person's life or long-term health. Emergencies of this nature require immediate assistance from the emergency response system 911 call or heading to the nearest emergency department.

Responding to an Emergency

  • Call 911 immediately. Give them the following information:
    • Your name, and the name and approximate age of the person experiencing the emergency.
    • Location. Be specific: Street name and number or intersection, building, floor, and room number.
    • Describe the emergency situation the ill/injured person is experiencing. If the emergency is an accident, specify the type of accident: e.g., a fall, an auto accident, electric shock.
    • Provide a callback telephone number.
    • Stay on the line until you are told to hang up.

Whenever possible, the Emerson College Police Department will facilitate transportation for urgent medical situations on campus. Call Emerson Police on its emergency line at 617-824-8888 after calling 911. They can provide additional assistance and help direct the emergency responders.

Local Emergency Departments

Mental Health Emergencies

  • Call 911 immediately (provide the same information above) or go to the nearest local emergency room.
  • If you or someone else is having thoughts of suicide, impulses to hurt yourself or another person, severe confusion or disorientation, or if you have just been the victim of violence or assault, contact emergency services immediately.
    • References to suicide should always be taken seriously and immediate responses are critical.

For After-Hours Crisis Service

Sexual Assault

If you have been sexually assaulted:

Please know that there are resources available to you, on- and off-campus, to support you immediately and over the long term.

You can find 

A survivor seeking to collect evidence for a possible court case must seek care at a hospital within 120 hours (5 days) of the assault; you can learn more information about medical care and the process of evidence collection.

The Emerson College Police Department (ECPD) is available 24/7 to respond to emergencies: 617-824-8888

Uwill offers confidential counseling services 24/7: uwill.com

The Office of Equal Opportunity (oeo [at] emerson.edu (oeo[at]emerson[dot]edu)) is responsible for addressing all incidents of sexual violence in the Emerson Community. OEO is available to support you, walk you through the College’s policies and processes, talk to you about your options, and make sure you have the information you need to make the decisions that are right for you. 

The Healing & Advocacy Collective (advocate [at] emerson.edu (advocate[at]emerson[dot]edu)) offers confidential support and advocacy-based counseling. Healing & Advocacy can help you access workplace, academic, and housing support and can attend meetings with you on- and off-campus.

After-Hours Care

We understand health and mental health concerns may arise after our normal business hours that may require an urgent or non-urgent evaluation (within hours of event) by a healthcare professional. To support our students, Emerson Wellness Center offers the following information and services for when you or a friend is experiencing a health concern.

On-Call Medical Advice (Urgent) 

  • Service available after 5pm Monday, Thursday, Friday; after 6:30pm Tuesday & Wednesday; weekends & holidays
  • Students seeking to connect with On-Call Medical Service should do the following:

On-campus students should:

  • Contact your Residential Assistant (RA) to access the service
  • If students are unable to contact the RA, please contact Emerson Police at 617-824-8555

Off-campus students contact should:

  • Contact Emerson Police at 617-824-8555 to access the service

Local Clinics and Health Care Centers

Carbon Health Urgent & Primary Care
Open daily 9am - 7pm
80 Summer Street Boston, MA 02110
617-865-2749

South Cove Community Health Center
Open 9am - 5:30pm Mon - Fri and Sat 9am - 3pm
145 South St, Boston, MA 02111
617-521-6750

Mass General Brigham Urgent Care (Boston Common) 
Open daily 9am - 8:30pm 
137 Stuart Street Boston, MA 02116
617-393-5059

Boston University Charles River Medical Practice
Open Mon - Fri 8am - 5pm
930 Commonwealth Avenue Boston, MA 02215
617-414-6800

Students are welcome to seek care within the robust medical services available in the Boston area. Please be advised that treatment outside the Center may incur co-pays and charges.

Can it wait until Morning?

Health Services

Please contact our office during our business hours by calling 617-824-8666, email: healthservices [at] emerson.edu (healthservices[at]emerson[dot]edu), or book an appointment through the Student Health Portal

Office Hours: 

Mon/Thurs/Fri 9am - 5pm 
Tues 9am - 6:30pm 
Wed 1pm - 6:30pm

What If It's Not An Emergency But I’m Really Upset?

At times of distress that do not reach the level of a crisis or emergency, there are several things you can do to cope with and reduce distress. Here are a few suggestions:

  • Connect with EmWell Hub for access to many resources
    • Resources on multiple topics: Mind, Body, Food, Academics, Self, Relationships, Money, Sexual Harassment
    • Access to Free HeadSpace account
    • SilverCloud