L to R: Tara Eiseman, Director, Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services; Urenna Colaire, MSN, RN, Assistant Director, Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services; Kathleen Haughey-Eannone, MSN, RN, PMH-BC, Assistant Vice President, Behavioral Health; Hector Cruz, Jr., mental health screener; Deirdre Blaus, Chief Administrative Officer; and Jamie Perry, MSN, RN, NE-BC, Vice President, Behavioral Health Services and Clinical Operations, in the living room in RWJUH Somerset’s new Hope Hub.
Somerville, NJ, April 9, 2026 – Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset Behavioral Health Services has been designated by the New Jersey Department of Human Services as Somerset County’s provider of Psychiatric Emergency Screening Services (PESS).
PESS provides comprehensive, 24/7 emergency psychiatric evaluations and crisis intervention services for both adults and children in the hospital’s Emergency Department. Services include assessment and stabilization for individuals experiencing mental health and substance use crises, as well as referrals to appropriate community resources and treatment facilities. The program also works in collaboration with Peer Recovery Specialists to support access to substance use treatment services. Mobile crisis outreach services are also available. For 24/7 crisis intervention services, call 908-526-4100.
PESS supports individuals facing a range of conditions, including depression, anxiety, substance use disorders, suicidal ideation, and serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
“This designation reflects RWJUH Somerset’s long-standing commitment to addressing the mental health needs of our community as Somerset County’s only acute care hospital and will enhance the psychiatric screening services that we already offer,” said Deirdre Blaus, Chief Administrative Officer of RWJUH Somerset. “Somerset County residents of all ages – from youth to seniors – are increasingly reporting that they are coping with mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety, as well as substance abuse. We are working together with our community partners to reduce the stigma, build awareness, and help individuals get access to the care they need.”
In addition, the hospital has opened a Hope Hub in its South Fuld Building. Open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., the Hope Hub is designed to look like a living room and offers individuals and families a calm, welcoming space where they can receive confidential support during a behavioral health crisis, which does not require treatment in the Emergency Department. Walk-ins are accepted. Appointments are encouraged by calling 908-526-4100.
"Somerset County residents deserve mental health care that meets them where they are — not just during business hours, but whenever a crisis hits day or night, RWJUH Somerset has been essential to making that a reality, and this partnership is how we deliver on our promise to build a healthier, stronger county,” said Somerset County Commissioner Shanel Robinson.
The PESS designation at RWJUH Somerset, alongside the system’s Hope Hub initiative, represents the latest expansion of RWJBarnabas Health’s behavioral health services footprint and its commitment to increasing access for pediatric, adult, and senior patients across a range of care settings.
“As the demand for mental health services continues to grow across New Jersey, the PESS designation at RWJUH Somerset is an important step forward in providing immediate, high-quality behavioral health care for individuals in crisis,” said Deanna Sperling, RN, President and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health Center and Senior Vice President of RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health Services. “Complemented by initiatives like the Hope Hub, the PESS designation will help ensure individuals in crisis are connected to immediate support and longer-term treatment resources," she continued.
According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), nearly 1.4 million adults in New Jersey are living with a mental health condition. RWJBarnabas Health continues to build a comprehensive, statewide network of crisis and behavioral health services, with PESS-designated hospitals including Clara Maass Medical Center and Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Essex County; Jersey City Medical Center in Hudson County; Monmouth Medical Center in Monmouth County; Monmouth Medical Center South and Community Medical Center in Ocean County; and Trinitas Regional Medical Center and RWJUH Rahway in Union County.
RWJUH Somerset offers comprehensive behavioral health care services for adults, from emergency screening to inpatient psychiatric care, a partial hospitalization program, an intensive outpatient program, and outpatient services. The hospital also offers inpatient and outpatient services for adults and adolescents with eating disorders. It is one of only two hospitals in New Jersey with a dedicated inpatient unit for the treatment of eating disorders, caring for patients aged 14 and older. For behavioral health and eating disorders services, call RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health’s Access Center at 800-300-0628.
Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis should call or text 988 to reach New Jersey’s Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
For more information, visit www.rwjbh.org/behavioralhealth.
About Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset
Located in Somerville, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (RWJUH) Somerset, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is a nationally accredited, 343-bed regional hospital providing comprehensive emergency, medical/surgical, behavioral health and rehabilitative services to central New Jersey residents. As a designated teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, the hospital maintains a family medicine residency program with 21 residents.
RWJUH Somerset has earned significant national recognition for clinical quality and patient safety including the prestigious Magnet® Award for Nursing Excellence. As the first hospital in New Jersey to offer primary health care services for the LGBTQIA community, RWJUH Somerset has been honored as a Leader in LGBT Healthcare Equality by the Human Rights Campaign.
The Steeplechase Cancer Center at RWJUH Somerset has been designated as a Comprehensive Community Cancer Center by the American College of Surgeons’ Commission on Cancer. RWJBarnabas Health and RWJUH Somerset in partnership with Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey - the state's only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center - bring a world class team of researchers and specialists to fight alongside you, providing close-to-home access to the latest treatment and clinical trials.
About RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Healthcare
RWJBarnabas Health Behavioral Health, together with Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care (UBHC), is a leading provider of integrated mental health and substance use treatment services, serving over half a million individuals each year. With both hospital and community-based care programs, we offer the broadest range of services in New Jersey, offering all levels of care for children and adults, including 24-hour crisis intervention and national peer helplines, inpatient and outpatient programs, psychiatric emergency screenings, case management, early intervention, counseling, medication management and integrated treatment plans. We are a leading provider of behavioral community-based programs, partnering with more than 300 schools and providing behavioral health care in all correctional facilities in NJ.
For more information, visit www.rwjbh.org/behavioralhealth or call 1-800-300-0628.