Author: sbambino

Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin has announced that the Alternative Responses to Reduce Instances of Violence and Escalation (ARRIVE) Together program in Brick Township and Toms River – which works to improve communication between police and individuals with mental-health issues – is also available to residents of the state’s largest municipalities, including Cherry Hill.

Both north Jersey police departments will partner with Bright Harbor Healthcare to provide services during ARRIVE interactions with the public. 

“ARRIVE Together’s proven track record of improving outcomes for individuals encountering law enforcement while experiencing a mental-health crisis is a critical element of our efforts to make New Jersey safer,” said Platkin.

“There have been roughly 7,000 ARRIVE interactions since the initiative’s inception,” he added. “And every successful encounter is a testament to New Jersey’s commitment to approaching these calls with compassion and creating an environment where our residents are more comfortable with calling for help.”

Since ARRIVE began in December of 2021, increases in funding that include a $549,750 competitive federal grant have allowed the program to expand to all 21 counties in the state, serving more than 60% of its 9.5 million residents. The state’s 2025 budget allocated $20.1 million for the program.

“ARRIVE Together’s primary mission is to connect individuals in mental distress with certified mental-health professionals, ensuring these crises are deescalated safely, fairly and efficiently,” explained Gov. Phil Murphy. “This lifesaving program not only protects those in crisis, but also enhances the safety of law enforcement and our communities.

“We are proud to equip our state’s law-enforcement and mental-health professionals with the tools they need to effectively attend to those experiencing health crises and protect and serve our neighborhoods.” 

Platkin established the Office of Alternative and Community Responses (OACR) through a directive issued last year. The office supports, coordinates and spearheads initiatives that enhance the way the state’s Department of Law and Public Safety and its law-enforcement agencies respond to public-health crises.

“Law-enforcement agencies that have implemented ARRIVE Together have reported better outcomes, even for encounters not involving the teams assigned to the program,” noted Tiffany Wilson, director of the OACR. “When law-enforcement officers work in concert with mental- and behavioral-health professionals on calls involving individuals in distress, everyone benefits.” 

The ARRIVE Together pilot began with a plainclothes state police trooper who was paired with a mental-health screener from the Cumberland County Guidance Center to respond to 911 calls. ARRIVE models have been customized to fit the needs of the communities it serves.

In the more than 6,500 police interactions to date, there have been no serious injuries to officers or those needing help and no uses of force except in some involuntary transports.

A colorful, multi-sensory wonderland has opened its doors in Cherry Hill, where children of all ages can immerse themselves in a one-stop-shop destination that blends education, creativity and fun. 

Lindsay Forman Capecci, a special education teacher of more than a decade and mother of three, celebrated the grand opening of Wild Child Play Co. last month at 2076 E. Marton Pike. The play space offers programs and activities that focus on sensory play, STEM, art, gross-motor skills and messy play. 

“From the second you walk in, you can just tell it’s different from any of the other play spaces you’ve been to before,” said Capecci. “Everything is cohesive, high quality, and there’s a lot of options of play and things to spend your time doing here. We really try to gear it toward any kind of child, any kind of multi-sensory component.” 

At Wild Child Play Co., children can build, climb and play pretend in miniature buildings – including a grocery store, nail salon and veterinarian’s office – situated around the perimeter of the space.

“We really tried to find something for every type of kid and have the highest-quality toys and materials for them to use,” Capecci explained.

Wild Child Play Co. has been a long time coming for Capecci, who initially brainstormed the idea about five years ago after having twins. Though she had been around children for her entire career – mostly teaching at a private, special-education school in Voorhees – it wasn’t until Capecci became a parent that she discovered a need for an innovative space in the community.

“As a mom, I started going to all these birthday parties and seeing all these play spaces,” she recalled. “As a teacher, in the back of my mind, I always thought to myself, ‘I really feel like I could build a business like this,’ but I could do it from a more education-focused perspective, a more multi-sensory and aesthetically pleasing kind of business plan.”

Following the birth of her twins right before COVID, Capecci became a stay-at-home mom. But as they got older and started attending school full-time, she grappled with the idea of returning to the classroom or fulfilling a dream that had been percolating since 2020. 

“I’ve been looking for what’s gonna fulfill my passions in a new way,” she noted, “and I was just like, ‘Let’s do it. Let’s build this business that I’ve been dreaming of for so many years.’ So that’s what we did.”

With her dual master’s degree in early- childhood and special education, as well as certification in New Jersey as a Teacher of Students with Disabilities, Capecci was more than up for the challenge.

She partnered with grOH! Playrooms, a Washington, D.C.-based playroom design company, to bring the space to life. It was a no-brainer to go with grOH! because its owners are, like Capecci, former educators who do everything from an education-based perspective.

Off the bat, the company understood Capecci’s vision. She was adamant about opening Wild Child Play Co. in Cherry Hill, where she’s lived since high school after her family relocated from Mount Laurel.  

About a month after opening, Capecci is thrilled over how everything is going. Mornings have been so busy with open play that she recommends parents/guardians pre-book online if they plan to come during peak hours. Walk-ins are welcome until the space is at capacity. Wild Child is booked every weekend through April for birthday parties that enable two hours of private use. 

Parents are required to stay on site with their children for the duration of their visit, though there is a cafe offering coffee and the chance to socialize with other parents. 

“It’s really just a one-stop-shop for every age, every type of learner, every member of the family,” Capecci noted. “Every kid is so different, and the way that you teach every kid is different. I truly believe in meeting a kid where they are, both from an academic perspective and a sensory needs perspective.”

So whether a child prefers hands-on learning or something more play based, Wild Child Play Co. has activities, toys and other materials to suit them. 

“I wanted to make sure that every kid who came to Wild Child Play Co. had something that would make them feel at home,” Capecci pointed out, “and something that they would love to do in the space, no matter what kind of learner or what kind of play they like to do.”

Looking ahead, Capecci’s main goal for Wild Child Play Co. is to maintain a high-quality atmosphere while continuing to grow and expand to include field trips, classes and other programming. Meanwhile, her own children – 5-year-old twins and a 2-year-old – are cheering her on. 

“They love it here,” Capecci said. “They wish they could come more often. Every time I get a toy in the mail, they ask me if it’s for my ‘store.’”

Visit wildchildplayco.com/ for more information and to book an open play session.

Assemblywoman Melinda Kane is a prime example of how, even when life gets dark, it’s possible to find light and newfound purpose at the end of the tunnel.

The Cherry Hill resident took her oath in January as a member of the state’s general assembly, representing a district that encompasses Camden and Burlington counties. Kane also served on township council for eight years and as a county commissioner for six. 

Despite her decade and a half of experience in politics at various levels, the 67-year-old former special-education teacher – who was born and raised in Buffalo – never had a desire to run for office, until 2010, when her son Jeremy was killed at 22 while deployed in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Only a year and a half earlier, Kane’s husband Bruce passed away from stomach cancer.

“I was suddenly a widow and a Gold Star mother within an 18-month period,” Kane recalled. “I had to find a new purpose to my life. I wanted to carry on the goals that Jeremy had set, to live a life that made a difference and had an impact on others. I picked up where he left off.” 

Following Jeremy’s death, Kane unwittingly became more visible publicly when she began interacting with local elected officials, from the mayor to state senators. All of them, she reflected, were extremely supportive as they honored Jeremy and assisted Kane with anything she needed. They also welcomed her to speak at various Memorial Day events and veterans programming. 

It was around that time when Kane was approached about running for township council. At first, she was hesitant.

“I was always someone that was very much aware of what was going on politically, current events,” she acknowledged. “I was always reading the news, watching the news. But I never considered myself someone that would enter politics or ever be an elected official. The last time I held office was in high school, when I belonged to a youth group. I was successful, but that was really the extent of it.” 

Still, Kane obliged, and is grateful she did.  

“If you’re living the life you never thought you’d live, you might as well do the things you never thought you would do,” she noted. “This is not the path that I planned, the death of my son. But that was the approach that I took to life.” 

Kane loved the council experience right away. In addition to ensuring that other local Gold Star families were treated with the utmost respect and empathy, she was a positive force for township residents as a whole, listening to their concerns and getting them answers. 

“In so many cases, things happen to you at a time when you’re really overwhelmed and you just don’t know where to turn or what to do,” Kane added. “There are people in office and staff that have the answers that, in many cases, can help you.

“That’s what local government is for – to make a difference.” 

After her time on council and the board of commissioners, Kane threw her hat into the ring to fill the seat of longtime Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt, who stepped down after nearly 20 years to become county clerk. Such openings don’t happen very often, and Kane was very interested in representing the 6th District. 

So far, her years of experience in local and county government are greatly benefitting Kane in the assembly, as she already boasts in-depth knowledge about how each level operates. Some of her initial goals are to keep New Jersey an affordable place to live and to address the needs and concerns of her constituents. She will also continue her work supporting Gold Star families.

“Having lived in this district for almost 40 years now, I hope that people know who I am and that they find me approachable, and the things that they have questions about, they can call me,” she related. “If they see me, they can stop and talk with me. I’m happy to have a conversation with them about what is going on.” 

While Kane is filling the rest of Lampitt’s term, the entire 80-member assembly is up for reelection this year. If elected, Kane will then serve a full two-year term. 

When asked what Jeremy would say if he could see his mom holding office and working to support the masses, Kane said he’d be “extremely proud.” 

“Even when the worst things that could possibly happen in life happen, there’s a future that you may not be able to see at the time,” Kane explained. “I’m an example of not knowing what the future holds, but there’s opportunities to live a very meaningful, fulfilling life and to turn tragedy into something very positive.”