NJ Spotlight published the following article on March 11, 2014. To read the full article, click here.
MENTAL-HEALTH CRISIS INTERVENTION PROGRAM AVAILABLE IN ONLY 11 COUNTIES
ANDREW KITCHENMAN | MARCH 11, 2014
Advocates want to quickly expand a program that offers an alternative to the longstanding practice of bringing people to hospital emergency rooms when they are experiencing a mental-health crisis.
Early Intervention Support Services (EISS) provides treatment for up to 30 days through community providers, frequently allowing patients to become stabilized after crises without visiting hospitals.
The state has been building the program, which is under the auspices of the Department of Human Services, for several years. It’s currently available in 11 counties. Support for speeding up expansion of the program was voiced during an Assembly Human Services Committee hearing on mental-health crisis response held yesterday.