crisis supportmental healthsafety

Emergency Plan for Digital Therapy: What Patients Should Do When Platforms Go Down

UUnknown

2026-02-19

10 min read

A patient-facing playbook for accessing mental-health support during app outages—hotlines, backup steps, medication continuity, and a printable crisis card.

When digital therapy goes dark: immediate steps for patients in a platform outage

Hook: You rely on an app or telehealth platform for therapy, medication checks, or crisis follow-up — and it suddenly stops working. Platform outages are no longer rare. In late 2025 and early 2026, high-profile Cloudflare and cloud-provider interruptions showed how quickly large numbers of people can lose access to digital care. This guide is a patient-facing emergency playbook that tells you, step-by-step, what to do during a digital therapy outage so you stay safe and connected to mental-health support.

Topline: the first 10 minutes

If your digital therapy platform becomes unavailable, move through these prioritized actions first. They reduce immediate risk and buy time to re-establish professional care.

Assess danger: Are you in immediate risk of harming yourself or someone else? If yes, call emergency services now (911, 112, or your local emergency number) and tell dispatch it’s a mental-health emergency.
Switch to voice or SMS: Try calling your therapist’s office number or the clinician’s direct phone. If the app uses only video, many providers keep a phone backup. If voice fails, send an SMS — texting often works when app services are down.
Use national hotlines: In the U.S. and Canada, dial or text 988 for the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Texting options include the U.S. Crisis Text Line (text HOME to 741741). Veterans: call or text 988 and press 1 for the Veterans Crisis Line. If you’re outside the U.S./Canada, use your local crisis numbers — see the resources list below.
Activate your written crisis plan: If you have a printed or offline copy of your safety plan, follow it now. If you don’t, use the short checklist later in this article to create one.
Notify a trusted person: Call or message a family member, friend, or roommate and let them know you need support until your provider becomes available.

Why outages matter now (2026 trends you should know)

Major outages affecting cloud providers and edge services have continued into 2025 and 2026, demonstrating the fragility of centralized digital infrastructure. High-volume outages can simultaneously knock offline social platforms, scheduling portals, and telehealth services. Two trends make planning essential:

Consolidation of services: Many behavioral-health vendors use the same cloud and CDN providers — a single failure can cascade.
Greater reliance on asynchronous, app-first care: Portable care models (messaging therapy, remote check-ins) mean people often lack an alternative channel when apps fail.

Regulators and vendors responded in late 2025 by increasing transparency and pushing resilience plans, but these systemic risks remain. That’s why a personal contingency plan — the subject of this playbook — is essential in 2026.

Emergency playbook: before an outage (prepare now)

Preparation is the most effective way to reduce crisis risk during platform downtime. Build these small, high-impact habits.

1. Create an offline safety and care card

Keep a paper or locally stored digital file (not dependent on cloud sync) that contains:

Primary clinician name, direct phone number, and clinic number
Prescribing clinician and pharmacy phone number
Local emergency services number
Two trusted contacts with phone numbers
Short safety plan steps and grounding techniques

Tip: Store a printed copy where you can find it at night and a locked PDF on your phone that doesn’t need an internet connection to open.

2. Make a medication continuity plan

Discuss with your prescriber how to handle refills if the portal or e-prescribing vendors are down. Ask for:

A short emergency supply (one to two weeks) where clinically appropriate
Your medication names, doses, and prescribing clinician on your offline card
Your pharmacy’s phone number and a backup pharmacy

At your next session, ask your therapist or psychiatrist:

“What is your backup contact method if the platform is down?”
“Do you have an office phone or an alternate telehealth link?”

Request that your clinician record a brief contingency note in your chart about how you want to be contacted during outages.

4. Know community crisis resources

Find your county or city’s mobile crisis team, community mental health center, and walk-in urgent mental health clinics. Save local phone numbers in your contacts under simple names like “Crisis Team” and “MHC.”

Emergency playbook: during an outage (practical, step-by-step)

Follow this sequence during platform downtime. The structure helps you act even when stressed.

Step 1 — Stop and assess

Take three slow breaths to reduce immediate panic.
Ask: Am I safe right now? If no, call emergency services immediately.

Step 2 — Use phone and SMS

Call your clinician’s office phone or the direct number you stored. If apps are down, phone calls and SMS often still work. Leave a clear message: your name, DOB, brief reason (e.g., “I’m having increased suicidal thoughts”), and request to be called back.

Step 3 — Use crisis hotlines and text lines

These services are staffed 24/7 and do not rely on your therapy app. Quick list:

United States & Canada: 988 (call or text)
U.S. Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
SAMHSA Helpline (U.S.): 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
UK Samaritans: 116 123
Australia Lifeline: 13 11 14

If you are outside these countries, check local government health sites or ask a trusted person to locate the nearest crisis service.

Step 4 — Activate your support network

Call a friend, family member, or peer-support contact who knows your plan. Ask them to stay with you (in person or on the phone) until you’re feeling safer.

Step 5 — Use evidence-based self-help techniques

These practices reduce physiological arousal and give you control while you arrange professional help:

Grounding: 5-4-3-2-1 senses exercise (name 5 things you see, 4 you can touch, 3 you hear, etc.)
Breathing: 4-4-4 box breathing (inhale 4s, hold 4s, exhale 4s)
Behavioral activation: do a small, concrete task (load laundry, step outside for 5 minutes)
Delay and distraction: set a timer for 20 minutes and choose a modulating activity (walk, puzzle, music)

When technology fails: alternative clinical channels

Many providers now have multiple outreach options. If your primary app is down, try these pathways:

Clinic landline: Most clinics still answer calls or have on-call staff for emergencies.
Secure email or portal fallback: Some clinicians maintain an alternate portal. Ask your provider to confirm any secondary contact info in advance.
Walk-in or urgent mental health clinics: If phone contact is impossible, locate the nearest urgent mental health clinic or emergency department.
Mobile crisis teams: Many regions operate teams that can respond in person for immediate risk.

After an outage: follow-up and documentation

Once the platform is back, take deliberate steps to reduce future risk and improve continuity.

Contact your clinician: Confirm that they received any messages and update them about what happened and any care you received during the downtime.
Update your contingency plan: Note what worked (hotline, friend support) and what didn’t (calls unanswered). Share the improved plan with your clinician.
Request documentation: If you had to go to an emergency department or mobile crisis team, request records and ensure your mental-health provider integrates that information into your treatment plan.
Ask about BAA and data safety: If you had to use an alternate telehealth provider in a crisis, ask your regular provider how your data privacy is managed and whether business associate agreements (BAAs) are in place.

Practical templates and quick-checklists

One-page crisis card (copy this into a locked PDF or print)

My name: ________________________

Clinician: ___________________ Phone: __________

Prescriber: ______________ Phone: __________

Pharmacy: __________________ Phone: __________

Local crisis team: ______________ Phone: __________

Trusted contact 1: ______________ Phone: __________

Trusted contact 2: ______________ Phone: __________

Immediate coping steps: Grounding, breathing, call contact, call 988 (or local emergency)

Quick action checklist to keep in your wallet

Call your clinician’s office
Call/text 988 (U.S./Canada) or local crisis line
Call a trusted person
Use your grounding strategy
Go to the nearest ED or crisis clinic if in immediate danger

Special situations and legal considerations

Children and adolescents

Parents and caregivers should keep printed safety plans and emergency medication notes accessible. Schools and pediatric clinics often have emergency response procedures — know who the school’s mental-health liaison is.

International travelers

If you’re traveling, research local emergency numbers and mental-health services as soon as you arrive. Add local emergency contacts to your phone and keep an offline copy of your treatment information.

Privacy, HIPAA, and emergency care

In emergencies, clinicians and crisis services will share necessary information for safety. If you use a different provider temporarily, confirm their privacy practices. For long-term continuity, you can request that records be shared between providers under secure transfer protocols.

Real-world example: one patient’s experience (2025 outage)

In November 2025, a Cloudflare-related outage affected multiple telehealth platforms overnight. Maria, who used a popular messaging therapy app, noticed the app would not connect before her scheduled check-in. She had followed this guide’s preparation steps: she kept an offline safety card, saved her clinician’s office number, and had a short medication card. She called the clinic landline, reached the on-call clinician, and left a clear message. While waiting, she texted her nominated support person and used grounding techniques. The clinic called back within 90 minutes, assessed her risk by phone, and arranged a same-day in-person urgent visit. Maria’s preparation reduced her distress and prevented escalation.

Practice and maintenance: make your contingency plan a habit

Build simple routines so your emergency response becomes automatic:

Review and update your crisis card at each new medication or clinician change.
Practice your grounding and breathing exercises weekly so you can use them under stress.
Run a quarterly “outage drill”: simulate the app being unavailable and use your alternatives (call clinician, contact hotlines).

Future-proofing: what to expect from platforms through 2026 and beyond

After the outages in late 2025 and early 2026, many digital-health vendors have invested in resilience: multi-cloud architectures, clearer backup contact methods, and improved transparency about downtime. Policymakers are also pushing for better interoperability so health records and care plans can move between platforms quickly. Still, infrastructure failures cannot be eliminated entirely — personal contingency planning remains essential.

Actionable takeaways (what to do right now)

Create an offline crisis card and store a printed copy in your wallet or bedside table.
Save clinician, pharmacy, and local crisis numbers into your phone as labeled contacts.
Discuss a written contingency plan with your therapist at your next appointment.
Practice grounding and breathing techniques weekly.
Keep one emergency week of medications if clinically safe and agreed with your prescriber.

Resources

U.S./Canada Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988 (call or text)
Crisis Text Line (U.S.): text HOME to 741741
SAMHSA National Helpline (U.S.): 1-800-662-HELP (4357)
UK Samaritans: 116 123
Australia Lifeline: 13 11 14

Final note: empower yourself before technology fails

Platform downtime can be stressful, but with a clear contingency plan you will be safer and calmer when interruptions occur. The small steps in this playbook — offline safety cards, clinician backup contacts, hotline awareness, and practiced coping skills — dramatically reduce risk and improve outcomes. Use the checklist in this article to build your plan today.

Call to action

Make your contingency plan now: Print or save the one-page crisis card above, add your clinician and local crisis numbers to your phone, and bring this playbook to your next appointment. Share it with your clinician and one trusted person. If you’d like a printable template emailed to you or a clinician-facing version to give your provider, visit our resources hub or contact your clinic and ask for a written contingency/safety plan.

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Senior editor and content strategist. Writing about technology, design, and the future of digital media. Follow along for deep dives into the industry's moving parts.