He’s not thinking about using during office hours.  

Our training programs understand that mental illness and addiction aren’t particularly convenient.  A cry for help can come at any time.  It can also come in any format: an email saying “I’m past the fatal dosage, don’t call the police” at 7 p.m.; a text with a gun to the head emoji at midnight; a plaintiff voice over the telephone asking for help at 2 a.m.  

New ways of communicating mean adjusting to the mode of communication that will best serve the client, not the counselor.  And a 24-hour problem requires a 24-hour solution.

While it is not possible to monitor a client 24/7, we believe in making services as accessible as possible to as many clients as possible.  Only in this way can we hope to be available when it matters most.