Free ‘Unity in the Community’ Event on June 30th

The Bergen County Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) will host its free “Unity in the Community” event on Sunday, June 30th from 11am – 4pm at Overpeck County Park in Ridgefield Park, NJ. Care Plus NJ, Inc. (“CarePlus”), a pioneer in integrated primary and behavioral health services for adults and children is a proud sponsor of the event which will feature safety demonstrations and education, music, food trucks, kids’ activities and wellness activities, vendor tables and more.

An innovative and international model, the Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) is a national model that provides crisis intervention training with community mental health care and advocacy partnerships. The CIT trainings are designed to educate first responder and law enforcement professionals on how to safely and compassionately deescalate and assist a person experiencing a mental health crisis. The goal of CIT is to bring community stakeholders together to provide a safer and more effective response to people with mental illness who are in crisis, thus improving overall safety, access to mental health services and transforming communities. To-date CIT has trained more than 300 law enforcement and mental health professionals in Bergen County as part of the 40 hour curriculum requirement and over 250 law enforcement and mental health professionals in a one-day training.

The first community event of its kind in Bergen County, “Unity in the Community” is a means for CIT graduates and supporters to come together and educate the community and stakeholders on the benefits of CIT and how through the training, first responders can more safely and effectively intervene in the event of a mental health crisis.

“The Unity in the Community event is an opportunity to raise awareness of the Bergen County CIT as well as a chance to continue to break the stigma surrounding mental illness. It’s a great way for us to connect with our community and familiarize individuals, agencies and law enforcement with Bergen County CIT on a deeper level through fun-filled activities,” said Amie Del Sordo, LCSW, Vice President, Hospital and Community Services, CarePlus and Bergen County Mental Health CIT Coordinator.

Some of the demonstrations featured at the Unity in the Community event include: a presentation on “The Importance of Protecting AND Serving”, fire prevention and evacuation demonstrations, Emergency Service Unit and tactical demonstrations, K9 demonstrations and more. Other entertainment and activities will include: face painting, pony rides, yoga, prizes and contests, a “Mad Science” show and more. Admission to the event is free, but Bergen County CIT is requesting that all attendees bring a non-perishable item to help support the Center for Food Action, a non-profit that provides food, housing, utility and heating assistance to northern New Jersey’s poorest and most vulnerable residents. For each donated item, attendees will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win a prize.

In addition to CarePlus, the Unity in the Community event is sponsored by Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, the Englewood PBA, Full Circle Counseling Center, Garden State Plaza’s Sleep Number, the Jewish Family & Children’s Services, the Cliffside Park PBA and the Cliffside Park Fire Department. To learn more about Bergen County CIT visit: facebook.com/CITBergenCountyNJ/.

About CarePlus

For more than 40 years, Care Plus NJ, Inc. (“CarePlus”) has been a pioneer in integrated primary and behavioral health services for adults and children in northern New Jersey. Based in Paramus, New Jersey, CarePlus is committed to providing the most comprehensive integrated treatment options through 72 programs designed to meet the full spectrum of health and wellness needs for adults and children in the communities it serves. Specializing in acute care, CarePlus provides immediate, high-quality health services and support programs for individuals in crisis. Nationally ranked for excellence in customer satisfaction by the Mental Health Corporations of America, CarePlus is mission driven ensuring that anyone who needs it has access to specialized care. To learn more about CarePlus and its wide range of programs and services, visit https://www.careplusnj.org/.