United States
Helplines, statutory routes, and cult-recovery networks for survivors, current members, and concerned family in the United States. Many resources are organised at the state level; the federal helplines below are the right first call.
The United States has substantial federal helplines for the most-acute high-control-group concerns — trafficking, domestic violence, child safeguarding, and mental-health crisis. State-level provision varies significantly; the federal helplines below will route you to the appropriate state resource. Cult-recovery NGOs are concentrated around ICSA, the Freedom of Mind Resource Center, and tradition-specific networks (ex-Mormon, ex-Jehovah's Witnesses, ex-FLDS, ex-Hasidic, ex-Scientology, others).
The US legal landscape for cult-adjacent civil suits is relatively well developed — particularly in California, Florida, New York, Texas, Utah, and Washington — and specialist legal counsel familiar with the territory is often the highest-leverage early step where financial, custody, or labour concerns are central.
If you are in immediate danger
- Emergency services· 24/7911Police, ambulance, fire — for immediate threat to life or safety.
What situation are you in?
If you are worried about someone in a high-control group
Sustain low-pressure contact. Learn the specific group. Avoid confrontation. Position yourself as a soft landing. The /guides/what-to-do-if-loved-one-joined-a-cult guide covers the long version. Loved-one guide →
If you are inside a high-control group
Talk to a single trusted person outside the group. Open a group-invisible communication channel. Begin mapping financial, housing, and employment dependencies. The leaving guide has the longer version. Leaving guide →
If you recently left
Give yourself a long enough horizon for recovery. Religious-trauma-aware therapy materially helps. Build ordinary relationships outside the tradition. Rebuild-identity guide →
If children are involved
Children's situations are not adult-exit-planning. Statutory child-safeguarding helplines and family-law specialists are the appropriate route. Children guide →
If money, documents, or housing are controlled
Document control overlaps with trafficking and domestic-abuse frameworks. The specialist helplines listed on this page are the right first call. Document-control guide →
Domestic abuse and coercive control
- National Domestic Violence Hotline· 24/71-800-799-7233 (1-800-799-SAFE) WebsiteConfidential 24/7 support for survivors of domestic violence and coercive control. Text START to 88788. Translation services in 200+ languages.
- Forge (LGBTQ DV support)Specialist LGBTQ and trans DV support, with referrals nationally.
Modern slavery and trafficking
- National Human Trafficking Hotline· 24/71-888-373-7888 WebsiteFederally-funded confidential 24/7 helpline. Text 233733 (BeFree). Reporting routes include non-criminal survivor-support pathways.
Child safeguarding
- Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline· 24/71-800-422-4453 WebsiteConfidential 24/7 advice on suspected child abuse and on reporting decisions. Crisis-counselling, advice, and referrals.
Mental-health crisis
Cult-recovery networks
- ICSA — International Cultic Studies AssociationUS-headquartered, the largest cult-research and recovery network internationally. Annual conferences, clinician referrals, family-support advice.
- Freedom of Mind Resource CenterSteven Hassan's BITE-model practice and resource hub. Family support, intervention consulting, recovery resources.
- Recovering from ReligionPeer-support hotline and meeting network for people leaving high-demand religion. Multiple traditions.
- Journey Free / Marlene WinellReligious-trauma recovery resources, retreats, and clinician referrals.
Legal and safeguarding routes
- IRS Tax-Exempt Organization SearchPublic search of US tax-exempt religious organisations. Useful for verifying status and filings.
- State attorney-general consumer-protection officesComplaint routes for consumer fraud, deceptive practices, and some non-profit oversight. Find your state office via the National Association of Attorneys General.
Therapy and counsellor referral
- Psychology Today directory (filter by religious trauma / cult recovery)National therapist directory with filters for specific issues and identities. ICSA and Reclamation Collective referral lists are more specialised.
- The Reclamation CollectiveReligious-trauma-aware therapist directory and resource hub.
Printable quick-reference checklist
- If immediate danger: 911.
- Trafficking / document / financial control: 1-888-373-7888.
- Domestic violence / coercive control: 1-800-799-7233.
- Children at risk: Childhelp 1-800-422-4453.
- Mental-health crisis: 988 (call or text).
- Cult-specific recovery: ICSA, Freedom of Mind, Recovering from Religion.
- Specialist legal consult if financial / custody / labour central.
- Religious-trauma therapist: Reclamation Collective or Psychology Today filter.
This page is educational and not legal, medical, or clinical advice. CLCI Hub does not endorse or vouch for any specific service. See the Legal Disclaimer for the full statement. Found a helpline that has changed? Submit a correction.