FREEHOLD – The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office marked the official launch of three community-based initiatives intended to promote mental health services countywide with a ceremony in Freehold on Friday, timed to coincide with the start of May’s Mental Health Awareness Month.
Flanked by community partners with the Monmouth County Board of Commissioners, County Bar Association, County Public Defender’s Office, County Police Chiefs Association, and a host of additional partner organizations, Prosecutor Raymond S. Santiago hailed the New Jersey Office of the Attorney General’s Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation (ARRIVE) Together program and the MCPO Link 2 Care and Restart Diversion Program initiatives as carrying the potential to vastly enhance the mental health of individuals whose personal struggles have brought them into contact with law enforcement.
“While the foundational responsibility for all of us in law enforcement is to ensure the public’s safety and seek justice, we have made it an accompanying priority here in Monmouth County to keep in mind that justice is not a one-size-fits-all concept; for every case and every defendant, it should be tailored to look slightly different,” Prosecutor Santiago said. “Those defendants who are predominantly only hurting themselves with their crimes often find themselves at a crossroads in their lives by the time they encounter law enforcement: on one path is a downward spiral, while the other path can lead to a long, prosperous future. We view the initiatives being unveiled today as a mechanism through which police officers can not only point these individuals in the right direction, but connect them with the resources they need to get started on their journey.”
To summarize the three programs:
These initiatives will serve to supplement the existing Recovery Diversion Program (RDP), a substance use and mental health program that MCPO started as a pilot initiative in Long Branch Municipal Court in 2021 and is now established in six Monmouth County municipalities and counting, as well as the office’s 24/7 Substance Use Helpline (833-644-2273) and Project Medicine Drop initiative (background on all three can be found at https://mcponj.org/).
The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) estimates that slightly more than 1 in 5 Americans experiences mental illness, but fewer than half (47.2 percent) receive treatment, and more than a third (33.5 percent) also experience substance use disorder. It’s part of what is driving a historic national increase in suicides; nearly 50,000 individuals were lost due to intentional self-harm in 2022, according to statistics reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than any previous year for which statistics were available, dating back to at least 1941.
According to NAMI statistics, slightly more than 1.1 million adults in New Jersey have a mental health condition, with 42.2 percent of adults statewide reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression when surveyed in 2021.
“While the twin issues of mental health and substance use can certainly seem tremendously daunting, it’s important to remember that even helping just one individual at a time can have extraordinary ripple effects,” Prosecutor Santiago said. “Everyone in the orbit of such individuals stands to benefit in some way, from their family members to their friends to their future employers. And the more people we manage to help turn their lives around, the more it will free up local law enforcement to focus on priorities such as investigating and mitigating more serious or violent crimes.”
“Through New Jersey’s ARRIVE Together program, we have pioneered a transformative and collaborative alternative response initiative that recognizes the needs of those in crisis or needing mental health support. Now active in all 21 New Jersey counties and expanding into new municipalities regularly, the ARRIVE Together program currently serves over 50% of the state’s population,” said Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. “By fostering partnerships with state and local law enforcement, mental health professionals, and the community, we’re reshaping our response in a way that will impact generations and make our communities safer. Public safety is a shared responsibility, and I commend the strategic collaboration of the leaders, stakeholders, and organizations who had the vision to link these services together. Together, we continue to create a safer, healthier, and more just New Jersey.”
“Ensuring the safety and well-being of all individuals, especially when responding to assist those experiencing a behavioral health crisis, is of the utmost importance for members of law enforcement,” Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden said. “By actively participating in the ARRIVE Together program, our sheriff’s officers and mental health professionals stand ready as partners, to respond to sensitive situations offering compassionate support and fostering a safer community for all.”
“On a daily basis, our police officers are encountering individuals who don’t pose a danger to others, but have clearly lost their way in life and need a helping hand to turn things around. These officers may not have the tools necessary to fill that role, but there’s no reason they can’t act as a conduit to get these individuals in touch with those who do,” Long Branch Public Safety Director William Broughton added. “We are beyond proud to be early adopters of these pioneering programs in Long Branch, and have no doubt that other agencies will eagerly follow suit when they realize the scope of the resultant benefits to their communities.”