Hudson County Executive Craig Guy and County Commissioner Bill O’Dea (D-2) are calling on the State of New Jersey to bring mental health diversion programs locally.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“As a Jersey City police officer for 25 years, I was on the frontlines, protecting our community and working with residents to ensure our neighborhoods were safe. As County Executive, I have implemented many public safety efforts and remain dedicated to keeping all 12 of our Hudson County municipalities free from senseless crime,” Guy said in a statement.
“While we can all agree that keeping violent offenders off our streets is a top priority, I believe we must take a different approach to nonviolent offenders struggling with mental health issues. We look forward to discussing with the Administrative Office of the Courts the best options for creating mental health diversion programs in Hudson County.”
Guy further stated that the effort is supported by the board of commissioners, the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office, Office of the Public Defender, and mental health advocates.
Mental health diversion programs allow eligible defendants with severe mental health issues to work within the criminal justice system and seek treatment rather than incarceration.
“This is something I’ve been advocating for a long time because I’ve seen firsthand how many individuals in the Hudson County Correctional and Rehabilitation Center are struggling with untreated mental health conditions,” added O’Dea.
“Incarceration of these individuals makes things worse. A mental health diversion program in Hudson County would allow us to divert nonviolent individuals into treatment instead of jail – giving them a real chance at stability while also reducing costs for taxpayers. These programs have been proven to work in other parts of New Jersey and across the country. It’s time we bring this compassionate, commonsense solution to Hudson County.”
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