According to tapinto.net, the county prosecutor’s office is rolling out a plan to train all county first responders to recognize and respond to signs of mental health and substance use challenges.

The prosecutor’s office has launched a Mental Health First Aid training and certification initiative in partnership with the Union County Board of Commissioners and Union County Police Chiefs Association, according to a recent announcement.

Efforts toward widespread MHFA training began in 2024, in partnership with the state Department of Human Services, when the prosecutor’s office gave 11 Mental Health First Aid training sessions and certified nearly 300 individuals.

The goals of the initiative include integrating Mental Health First Aid certification into every Union County police recruit class and conducting regular sessions for all first responders, according to the prosecutor’s office.

In Union County, MHFA is part of a larger set of Crisis Intervention Training initiatives, Farinas explained. The initiatives include community partners and stakeholders such as Trinitas Regional Medical Center, Bridgeway, Mental Health Alliance of New Jersey, Prevention Links, Caring Contact, NAMI and the Department of Individual Family Support Services, which is a part of Union County Department of Human Services. 

Read more about the initiative here: https://www.tapinto.net/towns/union/sections/union-county-news/articles/union-county-first-responders-to-receive-mental-health-training-3ed6a773-62d0-4001-af44-b65c5dd6eac9