It has long been normalized to visit your doctor following physical injuries and illnesses, so why are mental health challenges not always treated in the same way? This Mental Health Awareness Month, we are shining a light on how our grantee, Rutgers University Behavioral Healthcare (RUBHC) National Call Center, is meeting people where they are through innovative approaches to mental health care.

Backing up the national 988 crisis hotline through the RUBHC National Call Center

The RUBHC National Call Center was started in 2013 as a streamlined single-entry point to the center’s many mental health services and has been growing ever since to meet the needs of New Jerseyans. One of their main offerings is crisis response, providing resources for individuals that need access to immediate support. The NJ Hopeline (telephone, chat, text) is the only 24/7 suicide & crisis call center in New Jersey. This center is also one of only 11 back-up lines for the national 988 crisis hotline, helping guarantee that callers across the United States can connect with a real person, 100% of the time.

“It’s a very big deal that we’re able to take out of state calls as a back-up line for the national crisis hotline,” said Mark Graham, Executive Director of RUBHC National Call Center. “This was made possible by The Tepper Foundation’s flexible funding model, so we’re very grateful for their support that allows us to provide critical support to more people calling in.”

Offering 1:1 connections through the RUBHC National Center for Peer Support

One of RUBHC’s most unique offerings is its National Center for Peer Support. This innovative approach is made up of 15+ peer-to-peer call lines where people seeking mental health support are connected to highly trained individuals who have shared life experiences. Examples of peer lines include veteran/military community members, child protective service workers, caregivers, nurses, law enforcement and many more. This program creates a space for people to seek support from others who have experienced similar unique challenges. Especially for those without close contact to others in similar situations-- like caregivers of a family member in need-- peer lines allow callers to connect with others who have been in their shoes, bringing a deep sense of camaraderie.

“Mental health care is a very complex thing with many cultural norms and nuances to take into consideration,” said Graham. “Sometimes these nuances can only be understood by others who have also lived and experienced them. This type of bonding can lead to astonishing breakthroughs in callers’ progress and leads to open conversations about considering therapy or counseling.”

What makes this approach unique?

Aside from the individualized aspect of peer support from someone who has been in your shoes before, the Peer Support Model prides itself on dependability and persistence. Unique features of this program include:

  • Answer guarantees. Callers are guaranteed to receive an answer from all peer-to-peer support lines within 30 seconds.

  • Follow-up. Peer support providers will keep calling to check in until the caller tells them not to. This persistence allows for ongoing support, progress checks and additional support if necessary.

  • Connection to resources. RUBHC consistently heard from callers seeking help that they felt overwhelmed by all of the resources out there. In response, Peer Support Specialists now act as connectors, getting callers the information they need and even making calls to therapists or care centers directly on the caller’s behalf. This alleviates the added burden that sometimes comes with accessing care.

“We have discovered that there is no ‘one size fits all’ model to mental health care,” said Graham. “If we want to truly get people the help they need, we have to meet them where they are. We recognize that for many, talking to a clinician or therapist will not be their first touchpoint with support. So instead, we offer the experience of speaking to a peer who ‘gets it’ and who can help take that first step towards healing.”

To learn more about RUBHC Call Center, visit here.

The Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care National Call Center provides a diverse and dynamic environment offering 24 hour support in a wide variety of areas. The National Call Center is a unique blend of innovation and technology offering a personal touch to support a positive outcome for everyone that connects with us and opens the door for our programs staffed by highly trained professionals.