New Jersey has long maintained one of the nation’s lowest suicide rates, but a recent uptick in self-harm and looming budget uncertainties are putting the state’s premier mental health response system to the test.
At the center of this network is Rutgers Health University Behavioral Health Care. As demand for the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline continues to climb, university officials are warning that reaching the state’s aspirational goal of “zero suicides” will require permanent, sustainable funding.
Since its nationwide launch in July 2022, the 988 three-digit number has served as a free, critical gateway for individuals experiencing mental health, substance use, or suicidal crises.
In New Jersey, the volume of answered calls has more than doubled, currently reaching approximately 8,000 monthly contacts.
“It never goes back down,” William Zimmermann, director of crisis services at Rutgers’ National Call Center said, noting that while call volumes occasionally plateau, they never return to previous baselines.
Rutgers operates the only center in New Jersey providing 988 services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. To manage the constant influx, the line employs more than 150 providers. During peak hours—typically between 6 p.m. and 3 a.m.—up to 30 staff members are active simultaneously, with employees averaging a dozen intensive interactions per eight-hour shift.
A distinct strength of New Jersey’s approach is how the digital hotline connects seamlessly to tangible, in-person services.
- Immediate Crises: High-risk cases are immediately routed to mobile field units.
- Short-Term Stabilization: Individuals with non-life-threatening needs are directed to community-based crisis stabilization centers—short-term, drop-in facilities designed to be more therapeutic and less stressful than traditional emergency rooms.
- Medium-Term Support: Every county in the state offers grant-supported early intervention services, providing up to 30 days of intensive outpatient clinical care.
“Rutgers is an important provider of this coordinated web of responses,” Frank Ghinassi, president and CEO of University Behavioral Health Care, said.
Data shows this model works. A recent study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association by Harvard Medical School clinicians revealed that since 988 launched, suicides among adolescents and young adults dropped by 11% nationally. The steepest declines occurred in states with the highest utilization of the service.
Despite the proven success of the program, its future financial health remains precarious. Between 2020 and 2023, the number of suicides in New Jersey rose by 6.6%, increasing from 679 to 724. Yet, the state still lacks a permanent, dedicated funding stream to support these expanding services.
Currently, university leaders and mental health advocates must lobby lawmakers in Trenton every year to secure funding in the annual state budget. This year, those efforts are facing significant friction:
While administrators grapple with rising operating costs and staff compensation adjustments amid budget tightening, the operational focus on the floor remains unchanged.
“If you’re going to work on a suicide prevention crisis line, you’re going to want to adhere to best practices… We always put the client’s needs first,” Zimmermann emphasized.
