Shortly after George Floyd died on May 25th, 2020, members of the Jersey City Together’s Public Health and Safety Committee conducted research on how to best address emergency calls when individuals are experiencing mental health and/or substance use issues. Hundreds of calls are made in Jersey City as a result of this need. Putting in a comprehensive program that initiates a continuum of care when individuals are experiencing a crisis not only is the right thing to do for the individual in need, it also serves the long-term financial needs of the City, as an overwhelming majority of individuals who receive such quality care do not end up being arrested or incarcerated or being harmed or killed.

As a result of our research and working with Mayor Fulop and city officials in 2021, a request for proposal (RFP) to hire outreach workers was passed by the Jersey City Council (8-0) April 27, 2022. Unfortunately, proposals submitted to the city were not approved. And sadly, on Sunday, August 27, 2023 Andrew Jerome Washington of Jersey City died as a result of a police officer shooting Drew in his own home when he was experiencing a mental health crisis. We, the members of JC Together, believe had the program we advocated for been put in place, there is a very good probability that Drew would be alive today (see Brookings Institute data on NJ’s Arrive Together program). The RFP has been issued again for this year. However, as far as we know, no date has been set for the hiring of outreach workers. And the RFP process of the City allows for a lagged, sluggish timeline to implementation of a program.

Yes, I support JC Together’s Call to Action to have Jersey City hire outreach workers to train with designated police officers and go out on emergency calls when an individual is experiencing a mental health and/or substance use issue, and for the training of workers who answer 911 calls.

Yes, I want to be kept informed about what JC Together is doing to promote the health and safety of our community.