Immediate and Crisis Care

If you or someone you know is experiencing a serious illness or a mental health crisis, please call 911 or visit the emergency room nearest to you. Cooper Union does not have facilities for crisis care but there are resources available throughout New York City.

The closest emergency room to Cooper Union is the Mount Sinai - Beth Israel Medical Center, located at First Avenue and 16th Street. 

Telus Health & First Stop Health: All enrolled Cooper Union Students have access to 24/7 virtual medical and mental health care through Telus Health & First Stop Health. Telus Health & First Stop Health provides 24/7 access to a virtual healthcare providers wherever you may be. This service offers support for both physical healthcare and mental healthcare needs. For mental health, students can meet virtually with a professional 24/7 for a brief check-in and referral for continued care. Telus Health & First Stop Health is free for all students. There are no visit fees and students do not use insurance for Telus Health & First Stop Health. Any students prescribed medication through Telus Health & First Stop Health are responsible for using their insurance and/or self-pay for any medication costs. 

988 Lifeline: 988 Lifeline (formerly known as The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Lifeline provides 24/7 free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. You can call or text 988, or chat through their website. 

National Crisis Text Line: Another resource is the National Crisis Text Line. To use this free service, text HOME to 741741 from anywhere in the United States, anytime, about any type of crisis. Crisis Text Line serves anyone, in any type of crisis, providing access to free, 24/7 support and information via a medium people already use and trust: text. 

BlackLine: BlackLine is a 24/7 hotline that prioritizes Black, Indigenous, and People of Color. BlackLine provides a space for peer support and counseling, reporting of mistreatment, and affirming the lived experiences of folxs who are most impacted by systematic oppression with an LGBTQ+ Black Lens. You can reach BlackLine by calling 1-800-604-5841. 

The Trevor Project: The Trevor Project operates the Trevor Lifeline 24/7 which provides support for LGBTQ+ young people in crisis, feeling suicidal, or in need of a safe and judgement-free place to talk. You can connect with the Trevor Lifeline by calling 1-866-488-7386. Trans Lifeline: The Trans Lifeline is a peer support service run by trans people, for trans and questioning callers. Operators are located all over the U.S. and Canada and are all trans-identified. If you are in crisis or just need someone to talk to, even if it’s just about whether or not you’re trans, please call. The Lifeline is available 10am-4am EST. Volunteers may be available during off hours. You can connect with the Trans Lifeline by calling 1-877-565-8860.

Mental Health Hotline: Mental health hotline is available to New Yorkers who need it. We can’t underestimate the impact this pandemic is having on mental health. For free emotional support, consultation and referral to a provider, call 1-844-863-9314.

NYC Well: Students seeking non-emergency support may contact NYC Well. NYC Well is a connection to free, confidential mental health support. Through this service, you can speak to a counselor via phone, text or chat and get access to mental health and substance misuse services, in more than 200 languages, 24/7/365. To connect with NYC Well, you can call 1.888.692.9355 (1.888.NYC.WELL), text "Well" to 65173, or chat with someone online. 

  • Founded by inventor, industrialist and philanthropist Peter Cooper in 1859, The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art offers education in art, architecture and engineering, as well as courses in the humanities and social sciences.

  • “My feelings, my desires, my hopes, embrace humanity throughout the world,” Peter Cooper proclaimed in a speech in 1853. He looked forward to a time when, “knowledge shall cover the earth as waters cover the great deep.”

  • From its beginnings, Cooper Union was a unique institution, dedicated to founder Peter Cooper's proposition that education is the key not only to personal prosperity but to civic virtue and harmony.

  • Peter Cooper wanted his graduates to acquire the technical mastery and entrepreneurial skills, enrich their intellects and spark their creativity, and develop a sense of social justice that would translate into action.