First launched in 2017, the helpline has processed hundreds of cases from across the country, as well as several international calls, stemming from a wide range of extremist ideologies. Drawing on lessons learned from suicide hotlines and other mental health helplines, P4P has built a formal protocol for evaluating cases, devising specific interventions, monitoring progress, and coaching families to healthy outcomes. Cases are ultimately resolved based on criteria in P4P’s helpline manual, ideally when it appears the at-risk individual is on a healthy path to recovery.
P4P believes that there are complex factors that lead individuals into radicalization. A correlating factor to radicalization that P4P aims to address, is the lack of mental wellness in individuals that leave them vulnerable to violent extremist ideologies. Our intervention effort is about de-escalating the individual from the ‘shortcut’ path back to a place where the core issues driving the initial turn to extremism can be addressed. When properly understood, the same vulnerabilities that were exploited by extremist groomers can instead become openings for healthy engagement. Our strategic approach involves guiding families and other potential mentors to find these openings and begin to redirect the individual, replacing the unhealthy influence of the traffickers/groomers.