Resources For People In Crisis Coming To Red Bank On Saturday

RED BANK, NJ — Free resources to help members of the public dealing with homelessness, addiction or other problems will be offered this Saturday, the borough announced.

The event, from 9 a.m. to noon Feb. 3, is at the Red Bank Train Station, off Monmouth Street and Bridge Avenue.

Various health and community partners will offer free hygiene kits, Narcan kits and more, the borough says.

Partners include the JBJ Soul Kitchen, Parker Family Health Center, Hackensack Meridian Health Jane Booker Family Health Center, Preferred Behavioral Health Group and Hope One Monmouth.

The Monmouth County Hope One Mobile Unit, with a dedicated recovery specialist, visits communities to help address the opioid epidemic, the county says. You can read more about the program and its regular stops here.

Apart from Narcan kits and other materials, it offers vouchers for free 30-day treatments, the county says.

"Generally speaking, there is a need in Red Bank and literally everywhere in the country for Narcan and addiction services due to the ongoing opioid crisis," said Chief Darren McConnell.

He said the Police Department, while not a sponsor of the event, is all too aware of the need for addiction services.

"Between January of 2022 and December of 2023 our police officers administered Narcan 41 times during emergency responses. The more widely available Narcan is, the more people will be saved from potential overdose deaths," McConnell said.

Red Bank Councilmember Kate Triggiano said the van goes to many city hubs in the county regularly and is now making visits to Red Bank.

"It's nice to see this offered in Red Bank," she said.

Also, the borough also offers social service support to those in crisis.

Through a settlement of a federal opioid class action lawsuit, the borough has been able to obtain funds to contract with licensed social services professionals who support residents needing borough help in a crisis.