One thing I have learned with my many years of therapy and dealing with my main therapists and the on call people - They are not problem free, and sometimes a client in need calls and they are in the middle of their own family crisis, or they are smack dap in the middle of another clients crisis that is all consuming for example one time I called and someone on call had just gotten the news that her childs school bus had been in an accident. her child had called her on her cell phone from the bus. so not only was the woman dealing with taking calls while waiting for her replacement to take over the phones but also dealing with keeping her child calm, allert the appropiate services and keep herself calm and then along comes my call for help. Another time a rape crisis counselor was in an emergency room with a rape victim when my call was directed to her.

What I do is have my personal therapist with an agency. I also choose a back up person and ask that person if they would be available if my therapist isn't for emegencies. if that person says yes my therapist and I keep that person in the loop so to speak basically keeping them up to date. (some agencys require release forms for this to happen). That back up person always works in the same agency that I am in therapy with si that if the person needs my files for some reason she has access with them. How this works for example I had my past therapist as my therapist and XY who ran the depression management group as my back up. In an emergency I would call the office and ask to speak to my therapist - They of course say they have to direct calls to the on call person. Since I already know that in my asking to speak to my therapist I say -

Hi Im so and so I need to speak to my therapist. before you even start I dont have alot of holding on time Call my therapist tell her it is me and ask if she will take the call of if I should call my arranged back up person named so and so who also works for this agency. I will stay on the phone or you can call me back" I was usually told to stay on the line and within a few minutes I was talking with my therapist or my chosen back up person.

I have a new therapist since then and my back up person chosen then no longer works for this agency either so I now have my therapist and as back up my past therapist supervisor who is my therapist supervisor for my case for continuity of care purposes. I haven't had to call either one after hours since they became my therapist and back up. But having that back up plan established ensures there is help for me eith by way of my therapist, the back up or even an on call person if needed. I don't worry about no one being available. the odds of three people within the same agency having personal problems when Im about to go off the richter scale so to speak.