John Draper

Dr. Draper has nearly 25 years of experience in crisis intervention and suicide prevention work, and is considered one of the nation’s leading experts in crisis contact center practices (hotline, online chat, SMS services, etc.). Since 2004, Dr. Draper has been the Director of the SAMHSA-funded National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (800-273-TALK), overseeing all aspects of this service, including Lifeline’s partnership with the Veterans Crisis Line. Dr. Draper is also President of Link2Health Solutions (L2HS), a wholly owned affiliate of the Mental Health Association of New York City (MHA-NYC). As President of L2HS, Dr. Draper and L2HS staff administers other national networks of crisis services, including the NFL Life Line and the SAMHSA-funded Disaster Distress Helpline. Dr. Draper was founding director for New York City’s first 24/7 crisis call center, and he also served as clinical coordinator of a mobile crisis team in Brooklyn for 7 years. Dr. Draper also has a part-time private therapy practice in Manhattan where he has assisted individuals and couples since 2000.