Mental Health Awareness in May
May is more than just the arrival of warmer days. It is Mental Health Awareness Month, a time dedicated to supporting and advocating for those living with mental health conditions. While our society has made significant strides in promoting awareness and advancing treatments, there remains a long road ahead to ensure dignity and safety for all individuals affected by mental illness.
Over the past few decades, mental health has gained recognition as a core aspect of overall well-being. Community-driven efforts have sparked conversations that were once unacknowledged, bringing mental illness out of the shadows and into the mainstream dialogue. Public awareness campaigns, such as “End the Stigma” movements, have empowered individuals to seek help without shame. Schools and workplaces increasingly offer mental health resources, acknowledging that mental well-being is not just an individual issue, but a collective responsibility.
Medical advancements have also transformed how mental health is treated. Improved talk therapies, newer medications, and other interventions assist individuals in managing conditions more effectively than ever before. Meditation, mindfulness practices, and peer support groups provide alternative paths to healing.
However, despite these advancements, significant challenges remain. Among the most critical is the intersection of mental health and the criminal justice system. Time and again, individuals experiencing crises have encountered law enforcement responses that result in harm rather than help. Individuals such as Victor Perez, Andrew Washington, Victoria G. Lee, and Najee Seabrooks, whose lives were lost due to police interventions serve as stark reminders of the systemic failures that still must be addressed. Too often, those in crisis are met with force instead of care, reinforcing the tragic consequences of inadequate mental health infrastructure within public safety systems.
We must do better.
While law enforcement plays a crucial and needed role in public safety, they should not be the primary responders in mental health crises. Recognizing this, New Jersey has taken steps to revise its use-of-force policies and expand programs that pair officers with trained mental health specialists. But these measures must go further, prioritizing a shift away from policing mental health altogether.
A growing number of cities have successfully implemented Crisis Intervention Teams (CITs), designed to respond to psychiatric emergencies with trained mental health professionals. These teams focus on de-escalation and treatment, ensuring that individuals receive the care they need instead of facing confrontation.
New Jersey’s existing crisis response framework must evolve toward fully integrating CIT programs statewide. This means empowering psychiatric experts to lead crisis interventions. Mobile crisis units staffed with experienced clinicians must be readily available, offering swift and compassionate intervention. Trained mental health professionals understand how to engage individuals in distress, defusing dangerous situations without relying on force. These models must be expanded to ensure that no one loses their life simply for experiencing a mental health crisis.
Our very own Passaic County’s CIT program can serve as a model for other counties in New Jersey. The program has equipped its officers with the skills to de-escalate crises and connect individuals with appropriate support. It has been honored for its dedication and leadership, in training officers in CIT response.
For Mental Health Awareness Month, let’s celebrate the progress we’ve made while recommitting ourselves to the work ahead. Through education, reform, and compassion, we can build a future where mental health care is accessible, and crisis intervention is humane. Every conversation and every act of understanding brings us closer to a world where mental wellness is a right, not a privilege.
Christopher Alcazar is the Executive Director of the Mental Health Center of Passaic. He is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.