Key Therapy Counseling, a Monroe company that works with both Newtown Social Services and Newtown Police Department, donated 22 'caring kits' to the police department on April 6.

A 'caring kit' is a bag of items that officers can give to distressed individuals, usually youths, to help them deal with stressful situations. The donated bags included coloring books with crayons, fidget items, stuffed animals, bookmarks, stickers, and other objects that could potentially be comforting to a child dealing with a situation such as a domestic dispute or other crisis. Monroe Police Department has also previously received caring kits.

Key Therapy Counseling Clinical Director Stephanie Loglisci said the kits were the idea and project of counselor Abby Mastrone. The kits would "bridge the gap between children and the police."

"In situations like that, kids are scared and think they're in trouble," said Loglisci. "This lets the kids know they are safe with things they are used to. It's a great way to turn a scary situation into a positive."

Loglisci noted that in wellness and support, items like those in the caring kits are used by the therapists on a daily basis.

Newtown Police Officer MaryHelen McCarthy said that tools like the kits are "very important."

"A lot of our job now is crisis intervention," said McCarthy.

McCarthy also noted that the Police Department relies on Newtown Social Services in many situations. She said the police utilize Social Services "at least" three times per week.

"Social Services has resources that we don't," said McCarthy. "They're our experts. [Director] Natalie [Griffith] and her staff is pretty much the backbone of our mental health outreach."

Meanwhile, Social Services itself relies on Key Therapy Counseling as a resource for assistance with many cases, including suicidal and neurodivergent children.

"They get our folks in right away," said Griffith.

The donation marked the first time that the involved officers, Social Services staff, and Key Therapy Counseling staff had met in person after previously only speaking with each other remotely via phone, e-mail, etc.

"It's support all around," said McCarthy.

The 22 kits are just the start, according to Mastrone. They intend to donate more next month and may change around the items included based on feedback they get from the first round.

Editor Jim Taylor can be reached at jim@thebee.com.