IVC is a legal process to get an evaluation and treatment for someone who may be dangerous to themselves or others because of mental illness or substance use. It's serious, so it helps to know how it works.
County next steps
Orange · Durham · Wake · North Carolina · Adults 18+
Orange County
Compass Center — domestic violence support
919-929-7122- Use the local 24/7 domestic-violence crisis line for safety planning and support.
- Ask about advocacy and shelter assistance without assuming a shelter opening.
- Use a safe device and share details only with consent. Call 911 for immediate danger.
Official source checked November 4, 2026. Confirm current hours, eligibility, costs, and availability directly.
Durham County
Durham Crisis Response Center
919-403-6562- Contact the local 24-hour hotline for domestic-violence or sexual-assault support.
- Ask about safe access, advocacy, and shelter options; openings require confirmation.
- Use a safe device. Call 911 for immediate danger.
Official source checked November 4, 2026. Confirm current hours, eligibility, costs, and availability directly.
Wake County
InterAct — immediate support
919-828-7740- Contact the local 24/7 crisis line for safety planning and connection to services.
- Ask about advocacy and current shelter options; do not assume availability.
- Use a safe device. Call 911 for immediate danger.
Official source checked November 4, 2026. Confirm current hours, eligibility, costs, and availability directly.
Orange County
Orange County medical clinics
300 West Tryon Street, Hillsborough; or 2501 Homestead Road, Chapel Hill
919-245-2400- Ask which clinic offers the adult service needed and whether an appointment is required.
- Confirm insurance, uninsured options, charges, hours, and any testing or pharmacy arrangements.
- For behavioral-health treatment, use the adult local directory or ask a clinician for an in-county referral.
Official source checked November 4, 2026. Confirm current hours, eligibility, costs, and availability directly.
Durham County
Durham County Public Health
414 East Main Street, Durham, NC 27701
- Use the county’s official public-health information to locate the adult clinic or service needed.
- Confirm appointment requirements, testing options, charges, and insurance before traveling.
- For substance-use care, use the adult local directory and confirm assessment and medication access with the provider.
Official source checked November 4, 2026. Confirm current hours, eligibility, costs, and availability directly.
Wake County
Wake County adult clinic & pharmacy navigation
Public Health Pharmacy: 200 Swinburne Street, #1203, Raleigh, NC 27610
919-250-4418- Use Wake’s official health-clinic information to identify the needed adult service; the listed phone is for the pharmacy, not general treatment intake.
- Ask about the specific service’s appointment, payment, and eligibility rules.
- For substance-use care, use an in-county adult provider and confirm intake directly.
Official source checked November 4, 2026. Confirm current hours, eligibility, costs, and availability directly.
Key facts
- Anyone can file a petition with a magistrate or clinician. A first examiner must evaluate the person within 24 hours of custody.
- If held, a second exam happens at a facility, and a court hearing must be held within 10 days.
- People have the right to a free lawyer at the hearing, the right to see the petition, and rights while in the facility.
- Voluntary admission and crisis centers are less restrictive options.
- A Psychiatric Advance Directive tells providers the person's wishes ahead of time.
Official sources
Last checked October 2026. Amounts and rules change, so confirm with the official source before sharing.