TOWN OF WALLKILL – The Wallkill Town Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Robert Hertman, is continuing its innovative role in dealing with the mental health crisis.
The police department has teamed up with Orange County Mobile Mental Health to embed two professionals within the town agency when dealing with persons in crisis.
Having professionals stationed in Wallkill will reduce response time when intervention is needed.
Town Supervisor George Serrano, a retired White Plains police officer, said this program works; he knows from personal experience since that department also has embedded mobile mental health counselors.
District Attorney David Hoovler praised the program.
“The co-occurring disorders of substance abuse as well as mental health issues, they permeate our society and they permeate the people that come in contact with our law enforcement, and if this program helps our law enforcement divert these people away from the criminal justice system and get them the help they need, and they can make a recovery and they need to come into our system, that is the best thing that can happen,” he said.
The collaborative one-year Wallkill program, paid for with a grant secured by Assemblywoman Aileen Gunther (D, Forestburgh), began operating last Monday and has already helped a number of people, said Chief Hertman.
