About 43 of every 100 people in Dallas County are Hispanic or Latino, according to the Census Bureau. This guide covers what federal data show about mental illness and treatment in this community, how to reach crisis and treatment-referral help in Spanish, and what the sources do not explain. It is general education, not medical advice.
By the Exsura Team · October 25, 2026
The 988 Lifeline says: “988 Lifeline voice, text, and chat options are offered in Spanish. To call a Spanish-speaking counselor, dial 988 and then press 2. To text with a Spanish-speaking counselor, text AYUDA to 988. To chat with a Spanish-speaking counselor, please start a chat in Spanish.” It says using the 988 Lifeline is free and that your conversation is confidential.
“988 Lifeline ofrece servicios gratuitos en español 24/7, y no es necesario hablar inglés si necesita ayuda.” Para comunicarse con un consejero que habla español, marque 988 y luego presione 2.
NIMH says: “If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org . In life-threatening situations, call 911.” For help choosing between the two, see 988 vs 911: when to call which.
The Census Bureau’s QuickFacts table lists Hispanic or Latino people as 43.4% of Dallas County and 40.9% of Texas (July 1, 2025 estimates), and notes that Hispanics may be of any race. SAMHSA’s data spotlight says “Disaggregated data show the prevalence of AMI and SMI varied among Hispanic subgroups.” So the group-level numbers below are averages for the whole group, not figures for any one community or origin.
HHS Office of Minority Health, drawing on the 2024 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), reports:
of Hispanic adults received mental health treatment in the past year in 2024, compared with 22.9% of all U.S. adults.
SAMHSA’s 2024 treatment report looks only at people who had a mental health condition. For adults with any mental illness, it found that “Among adults aged 18 or older who had AMI in the past year, Hispanic (44.1%), Black (38.5%), or Asian (32.5%) adults were less likely than White adults (57.9%) to have received mental health treatment in that period.” It adds that the lower percentages were not explained by other characteristics in its models. Among adolescents with a major depressive episode, it reports 53.2% of Hispanic adolescents received treatment compared with 67.7% of White adolescents. Note the comparison groups: this report compares with White adults, while OMH compares with all adults.
Neither source states a reason for the treatment gap or for the difference in reported mental illness.
OMH reports two measures that point in different directions. “In 2022, Hispanics/Latinos were 43% less likely to die by suicide than the U.S. population overall.” Its table shows an age-adjusted death rate of 8.1 for Hispanic people compared with 14.2 for the total U.S. population. For young people, it reports that “In 2023, Hispanic/Latino female high school students were 17% more likely than other U.S. female students to report attempting suicide in the past year.” Its table shows 14.8% of Hispanic female students compared with 12.6% of all U.S. female students. These are measures of different things (deaths among all ages and self-reported attempts among students), and the OMH page does not explain either pattern.
If you or someone you know is struggling or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988. In life-threatening situations, call 911.
These are the options the official pages describe:
We have not verified which Dallas-Fort Worth clinics offer Spanish-language care, so we do not list any here. For general local options, see low-cost mental health care in Dallas County and our free mental health resources in DFW, and we have not verified language services at any one provider. To prepare for a first appointment, see how to find a mental health provider.
We could not find a Texas or Dallas figure for Hispanic adults without health insurance from the Census Bureau, so we do not give one. For the nation, the Census Bureau reports that in 2024 the uninsured rate of Hispanic adults (of any race) aged 19 to 64 was 23.0 percent, and that Hispanic children (of any race) had the highest uninsured rate among children by race and Hispanic origin, at 10.1 percent. For ways to apply for coverage and benefits, see applying for Texas benefits.
The 988 Lifeline says to dial 988 and then press 2 to reach a Spanish-speaking counselor, to text AYUDA to 988 to text with one, and to start a chat in Spanish to chat. It says the service is free and confidential.
HHS Office of Minority Health reports that in 2024, 16.4% of Hispanic adults received mental health treatment in the past year compared with 22.9% of all U.S. adults. SAMHSA reports that among adults with any mental illness, 44.1% of Hispanic adults received treatment compared with 57.9% of White adults. Neither source states a reason.
SAMHSA's National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP (4357), is a free, confidential treatment referral and information service in English and Spanish, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Select the option to speak with a national representative to use Spanish. Its HELP4U text service is currently only available in English.
HHS National CLAS Standards say organizations should offer language assistance to individuals who have limited English proficiency at no cost to them. We have not verified which individual Dallas-Fort Worth providers follow this.
Sources last checked October 25, 2026. This article is general education, not financial, legal or medical advice. Rules, fees and programs change, so confirm details with the organization before you act.
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