The ARRIVE Together program, launched statewide by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, pairs Rutgers police officers with licensed mental health professionals from Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care to respond to calls involving emotional distress.

Rutgers University Police Department’s New Brunswick Division has joined ARRIVE Together in Middlesex County to improve responses to mental health and behavioral crises.

In Monmouth County, ARRIVE operates two models—the Link 2 Care Referral and Follow-Up model and the Co-Response model—with plans to expand to Bayshore in 2025.

A third model, the Critical Incident model, integrates ARRIVE teams with the Monmouth County Emergency Response Team for high-risk calls, emphasizing de-escalation.

Brookings Institution notes the program’s effectiveness, with 97% of encounters using no force and 98% not resulting in an arrest.

Officers receive Crisis Intervention Team training and may conduct follow-up visits to promote continuity of care and reduce future crises.

Link 2 Care connects non-crisis individuals with mental health resources, logging roughly 550 referrals countywide since 2024.

Responding teams prioritize de-escalation, safety, and linking individuals to support services and treatment options.

Officials describe ARRIVE Together as transformative for public health and safety, aiming to build trust through compassionate, resource-driven responses.

An ARRIVE Together/Link 2 Care Resource Fair for law enforcement is scheduled at Brookdale Community College to educate and coordinate efforts.

The program was launched statewide after data showed high use-of-force involving individuals with mental health or substance issues, and it has since grown to five county models with ongoing funding from the Office of the Attorney General.

Crisis Intervention Training is a prerequisite for ARRIVE participation, with studies indicating increased officer confidence after CIT training.