2Nd Floor Hotline

October 27, 2022

Directorate Of Public Works (Dpw)

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Confidential Hotline '2Ndfloor' Sees Spike In Calls Every Summer From N.J. Youth In Need Of Guidance

MONMOUTH COUNTY - Last week, a teenager with the username "anonymous" posted a plea for help on an online message board. "Self-harm is never the right way to deal with a problem," the user wrote, directing the teen to a few online resources and inviting her to make a phone call. School may be closed, but the issues plaguing New Jersey teens aren't going away for the summer. Their program - a confidential and anonymous helpline for young people aged 10 to 24 - sees an increase in calls and messages each summer. "Just because school is closed doesn't mean kids aren't bullied or peer pressured," said Nicole Romaine, the helpline's director of development. Romaine said the calls - averaging 10,000 a month - peaked last month, when 13,000 teenagers dialed the toll-free number. The overall increase during the summer months ranges from 10% to 30% of school year call volume, she added. FRONT COVER:

• The 2NDFLOOR program celebrates its 1st year of helping teenagers in difficulty

• Expanded helpline targets youth crime and gang activity

The helpline operated in Monmouth for eight years. The founders chose the name "2ndFloor" because it reminded them of a safe place, since most teenage bedrooms are on the second floor. Today calls are coming in from all over New Jersey, most of Middlesex, Ocean, Bergen and Union counties. Those who receive the phone calls – 22 part-time staff, including counselors, and around 25 volunteers and university interns – are trained to deal with whatever bothers young callers. "I get calls from kids telling me they broke up with their boyfriend or girlfriend to someone saying, 'I'm cutting myself,' or 'I thought about killing myself,'" Vin said. Nappi, 36, a counselor who has been taking calls for the past three years. Nappi, who gets about 300 calls a week during the school year and up to 700 in the summer, said teens feel comfortable calling because the anonymity allows them to express themselves in a way they normally wouldn't. They're used to teenagers only giving one-word "yes", "no" answers.