Research Project

Peer respites are a community based behavioral healthcare program designed by and for people who experience mental health crises or extreme states. The peer respite model has become known as an alternative to hospitalization because it offers short-term, overnight, and voluntary care in a residential, non-traumatizing, and comfortable environment for recovery. In response to the national rollout of 988 as the three-digit number for suicide and mental health crisis, many states passed legislation funding and expanding their crisis response systems, in preparation for an expected rise in crisis calls. This project was designed to explore if and how states that have established peer respites are advocating for the inclusion and/or expansion of peer respites as a component of the 988 crisis response system. A literature review of legislation, reports, peer reviewed manuscripts, and other publicly available documents related to the National Suicide Hotline Designation Act and peer respites was conducted to gather background information. A convenience sample of key informants in select states (NJ, NY, CA, WA) that have established peer respites were contacted for semi structured interviews to explore if and how peer respites were being considered as a component of the 988 crisis continuum. The author and advisor reviewed all written notes recorded during interviews to determine if and how peer respites in these states were being considered as a component of their crisis continuum.