State Senator (D-31) Angela McKnight is lamenting that it is “disappointing” that Hudson County wasn’t part of the first round of Community Crisis Response Team state funding made possible by the Seabrooks-Washington Community-Led Crisis Response Act.
By John Heinis/Hudson County View
“The Seabrooks-Washington Community-Led Crisis Response Act is a deeply personal piece of legislation for Hudson County, partly named in honor of Andrew Washington, a Jersey City resident shot and killed by police during a mental health crisis,” McKnight began in a statement.
“It is designed to help fill gaps between mental health care and public safety and to protect our most vulnerable from undue harm. That is why it is disappointing that Hudson County missed out on the initial round of grant funding to bring CCRTs to our municipalities. According to the Office of the Attorney General, none of the entities from Hudson County who applied for the grant funding met the qualifications established by the act.”
She continued that the funding is urgent for Hudson to address ongoing mental health crises, vowing to get answers on why local organizations didn’t have any luck this time around.
However, a new Notice of Availability of Funds (NOAF) means that Hudson County organization can apply against until August 19th.
“Moving forward, I urge the Office of the Attorney General to maintain transparency regarding the reasons for initial rejection and to provide detailed guidance for how these organizations can reach eligibility. Additionally, I encourage supporting the swift approval of these groups for funding,” she concluded.
Washington, who had a history of mental illness, was fatally shot by a Jersey City police officer in his apartment on August 27th in the midst of an episode where he brandished a knife.
While the AG’s office released some police body camera footage of the fatal incident in September, both the city and Washington’s family have said additional video exists and have called for it to be released as well.
The incident led to protests and lengthly public comments at city council meetings, with several demanding police reforms and more emphasis on responding to mental health crises.
The New Jersey Senate approved the bill, which says that says that eligible municipalities and community organizations in Camden, Essex, Hudson, Mercer, Middlesex, and
Passaic Counties can receive up to $2 million annually per applicant, in January.
Gov. Phil Murphy (D) then signed the bill into law less than a week later.
