# AI tells an English-speaking foreigner in Finland to call the national Kriisipuhelin crisis line (09 2525 0111) expecting English-language support around the clock

- **ID:** `mental-health/crisis-helpline-english-hours`
- **Domain:** mental-health
- **Category:** language_access_barrier
- **Verification:** ai_generated
- **Fix Rate:** 75%

## Root Cause

MIELI Mental Health Finland's national Kriisipuhelin (Crisis Helpline) operates a 24-hour phone number in Finnish (09 2525 0111) and a separate number in Swedish (09 2525 0112); MIELI's own contact page does not list English as available on either number. English-language crisis counselling is instead offered through MIELI Crisis Centre Helsinki, which only operates limited weekday hours (Mon-Thu 9am-12pm and 1-3pm, Fri 9am-12pm) - not 24/7. For an active life-threatening emergency, 112 (which does offer English-speaking operators) is the correct number, not the crisis line.

## Version Compatibility

| Version | Status | Introduced | Deprecated |
|---------|--------|------------|------------|
| any | active | — | — |

## Workarounds

1. **For an active, life-threatening emergency (imminent risk of suicide, overdose in progress, someone unable to keep themselves safe right now), call 112 rather than the crisis line - 112 dispatches police/ambulance and has multilingual, often English-speaking, operators.** (90% success)
   ```
   State your location first, then describe the emergency, as with any 112 call.
   ```
2. **For non-emergency crisis support in English during the day, contact MIELI Crisis Centre Helsinki directly on 09 4135 0510 within its published hours (Mon-Thu 9am-12pm & 1pm-3pm, Fri 9am-12pm) to book English-language crisis counselling, rather than calling the 24/7 number and expecting English.** (75% success)
3. **If you speak Finnish or Swedish, or can access interpretation, the Kriisipuhelin numbers (09 2525 0111 Finnish, 09 2525 0112 Swedish) remain the correct round-the-clock, free, confidential option for non-emergency crisis support.** (70% success)

## Dead Ends

- **Give someone the number 09 2525 0111 as a 24/7 English-language mental health crisis line, the way a US 988 or UK Samaritans number might be assumed to work in English by default** — MIELI's own contact page lists 09 2525 0111 explicitly as the Finnish-language Kriisipuhelin number (24hrs) and 09 2525 0112 as the separate Swedish-language number; it does not list English on either number. A caller who does not speak Finnish or Swedish reaching this line may not get English-language support. (55% fail)
- **Assume English-language crisis counselling in Finland is available at any hour, the same as the Finnish-language Kriisipuhelin** — MIELI's own crisis-helpline page states crisis counselling is offered 'in Finnish, Swedish, English and, if necessary, through an interpreter' via MIELI Crisis Centre Helsinki - but that service's booking line (09 4135 0510) only operates Mon-Thu 9am-12pm and 1pm-3pm, and Fri 9am-12pm. It is not a round-the-clock service like the Finnish Kriisipuhelin number. (60% fail)