New path in mental health cases
St. Joseph's Health, Wayne police team up
By: Philip DeVencentis
NorthJersey.com
USA Today Network - New Jersey
WAYNE - People in mental helaht emergencies will have clearer paths to the help they need under a new program that closes the gap between doctors and law enforcement.
.....
The program, called ARRIVE Together matches police offers with skilled workers from St. Joseph's Health to defuse situations as serious as threats of suicide before they get out of control.
..... Officers traditionally handle such calls on their own, but advocates of the program said the tandem effort is better because it delivers medical attention much faster. Behavioral health experts also follow up on the cases to connect patients with proper resources, resulting in fewer arrests and fewer uses of force.
.... An identical model of response is being rolled out across the state, and Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia Valdes said she wants it implemented in the 16 municipalities under her watch.
..... "Arresting people that have underlying needs doesn't work - it never has," Valdes said announcing the program at the Wayne Community Center. "Now we get to be more proactive and more progressive in how we address the issues. We're treating whole person and not just the behavior we encounter that day."
..... Valdes and five assistant prosecutors were joined on January 28 [2026] by Police Chief Joseph Rooney, Mayor Christopher Vergano and St. Joseph's Health representatives. After a brief introductory, the panelists answered questions to explain how the program works.
..... "This is a chance for us to recognize there's an issue that needs to be addressed," Vergano said. "By working cooperatively with these groups. We can make a difference in the lives of people in our community."
..... In 2020, two-thirds of uses of force by New Jersey police officers involve civilians with metal illnesses of those under the influence of alcohol or drugs, said the state Office of the Attorney General.
..... More than half of fatal encounters with law enforcement occur udder similar circumstances, said the agency.
.... To reverse those outcomes, New Jersey State Police unveiled an ARRIVE together pilot with the Cumberland County Prosecutor's Office in November 2021, ARRIVE stands for Alternative Responses to R Educe Instances of Violence and Escalation.
..... A second pilot was then introduced by police departments in Elizabeth and Linden before a telehealth program stated in Atlantic City. As part of that initiative, officers were equipped with iPads to render virtual emergency treatment.
..... ARRIVE Together is now active in all counties of New Jersey. For Passaic County, the program launched in Bloomingdale, Clifton, patentee, Ringwood, Wanaque and West Milford.
..... The program, which reached 10,000 interactions as of June, [2025] is funded through a federal grant.
..... Rooney, who was appointed as police chief of the 125-person department in February 2025, said he is proud hat his agency is participating in it. Although eight out of every 10 local officers are trained in crisis intervention, he said, the partnership with St. Joseph's Health is a critical step to ensure that mental health patients receive appropriate care.
...... Not a day goes by that the Police Department doesn't interact with someone in a crisis Rooney said. "We're trying to do this on our terms to have a better outcome," he said, "before there's ever even a call for service."