.jpg "Cherie Castellano photo")
Program Director
Vet 2 Vet-UBHC-UMDNJ
Cherie Castellano, MA, CSW, LPC, AAETS is a Senior Research Fellow at the Duke Center for Health Policy & Inequalities Research and the National Center for Peer Support Director at Rutgers UBHC. A national expert in the field of peer support after twenty years of experience as the creator of the “Reciprocal Peer Support Model” recognized as a national best practice by the APA (2018) and DCOE (2011.) Program Director for Cop 2 Cop since 2000, she has coordinated support for over 100,000 calls from law enforcement officers. Cherie has “answered the call” replicating the RPS model for law enforcement, Firefighters, EMS, Veterans, caregivers, teachers, child protection workers, Mothers of special needs children.. The hallmark of the “Reciprocal Peer Support” (RPS) model using peers and clinicians as partners. Cultural connections, structured tasks and client centered strength based peer support are key elements in the RPS model.
Following September 11, her crisis intervention services were featured in the New York Times as a “model for the nation.” As a member of the 9/11 New York Emergency Services Delegation for PAPD speaking in Ireland, Belfast and England to share “9/11 Lessons Learned”. Cherie co-authored “Psychological Counterterrorism and World War IV"and led responses for man-made and natural disaster response innovations.Cherie received the Silver award for service innovation from the American Psychiatric Association. Cherie partnered with the UNC’ “Global Peers for Progress Institute”to identify outcomes & program evaluation for peer model promising practices. Cherie is serving on the National Consortium on Preventing Law Enforcement Suicide led by the Bureau of Justice and IACP. Cherie designed Fema funded COVID crisis services with “peer informed” support and virtual wellness plans. Integrated care, wellness and resilience practices emerged as new component needs for Cultural Informed Peer Support (CIPS) expansion in an integrated support approach.