Support Programs of New Jersey (CSPNJ), is widely recognized as a founding leader of the peer movement in New Jersey and a pioneer in shaping recovery-based mental health services. For decades, Mark has been at the forefront of transforming how the state approaches crisis care—championing dignity, choice, and the healing power of peer connection.
Seeing the limitations of traditional, clinical crisis responses, Mark envisioned and led the development of New Jersey’s peer-run wellness respite programs—safe, home-like spaces where individuals in emotional distress can find stability and support from others who share lived experience. Under his leadership, CSPNJ opened respites in Middlesex (2014), Passaic (2014), and Essex (2018) Counties. These programs offer short-term stays, outreach, and follow-up services designed to prevent hospitalization and promote recovery on one’s own terms. Thousands have found hope and healing through these respites, with most guests reporting that the experience helped them feel valued, supported, and empowered.
Mark also played a vital role in ensuring the long-term sustainability of peer support by securing state and Medicaid funding—over $6 million between 2019 and 2024—to strengthen and expand these services. His leadership helped establish peer respites as compassionate, cost-effective alternatives to hospitalization and positioned peer support as a cornerstone of New Jersey’s behavioral health system. Mark Duffy’s legacy lives on through every person who has found community, safety, and recovery in the peer movement he helped to build.
