Police officers in three more New Jersey cities will get support from mental health professionals to respond to 911 calls for behavioral health crises as part of expansion of citywide pilot program State designed to reduce fatal encounters with police.

Academic Behavioral Health Care at Rutgers Healthwhich executes ARRIVE Together of Middlesex County, announcement On Wednesday, the East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury police departments joined the statewide initiative aimed at de-escalating clashes between police and citizens – and, ultimately, prevent the use of deadly force.

“Mental health professionals bring specialized skills in crisis de-escalation, assessment and therapeutic communication that can significantly reduce tension,” said Sharon Smith-Kemper, program manager at County Acute Psychiatric Services. Middlesex, in a press release. “Working alongside police, they can quickly identify symptoms and intervene with techniques to stabilize the individual, often without the need for restraint or force. »

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Created in December 2021, the ARRIVE Together program pairs a trained crisis intervention officer with a crisis control officer to provide on-site assistance to individuals experiencing a mental health or behavioral health emergency. The program aims to reduce the use of force in encounters between law enforcement and people with mental illness or substance use disorders.

Since October, the ARRIVE Together program has been active in 209 municipalities in the state’s 21 counties, serving about 55 percent of the state’s 9.3 million residents, according to data from the Attorney General’s Office.

In the latest expansion of the program, specially trained police officers in East Brunswick, South River and Cranbury will be paired with mental health screeners from Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care to respond to calls in the community . When not actively responding to calls, teams will visit individuals who could benefit from additional assistance, follow up on calls, and connect individuals with resources and services.

Community activists have been calling on law enforcement to involve mental health professionals in responding to 911 for years.

The calls intensified after a series of high-profile fatal encounters with police. In March 2023, Paterson police shot Najee Seabrooksan anti-violence activist who struggled with an apparent mental health issue. This summer, Victoria Lee, 25, was shot and killed by a Fort Lee police officer in July while having a mental health crisis.

Mental illness plays a role in about half of all cases where New Jersey police officers use force, according to state data.

The ARRIVE Together program has reported 5,000 interactions since its inception nearly three years ago, according to the attorney general’s office.

Officials report the state has seen fewer arrests and less use of force as part of the program.