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Consumer Connections
is a
comprehensive program designed to recruit, train, and support consumers of mental health
services in the role of becoming providers of human services. Consumer Connections is a
three-tiered approach that works! |
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The
Consumer Provider Association in New Jersey (CPA) is a statewide
association of consumers of mental health services who are
working as providers of mental health services. For more
information, please
email us. |
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The Career
Connection Employment Resource Institute (CCERI) is a new
program that aims to expand employment opportunities for
persons with mental illness by creating system change
through the promotion of best practices, including models
for training and technical assistance for mental health
providers, innovative state of the art direct employment
services for consumers, and coalition building and
collaboration in the community. For more information, please
contact
Faith McCalla. |
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 Community
Advocates
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Community Advocates is the direct
advocacy arm of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey.
Community Advocates is a program that provides individual, direct
advocacy on behalf of adults with mental illness through support and
education, and by linking them to community-based mental
health and social services. For more information, please
contact one of the following: Atlantic County –
Jaime Angelini.;
Hudson County and Union Counties
Steven Rosenel; Ocean County –
JoAnn Bonnett. In Passaic County, please contact
Rebekah Leon at 973-478-4444. |
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ICE
and Esperanza Self Help Centers Self-help centers
are places where mental health consumers can go to feel
safe and relaxed. The purpose of a Self-Help Center is
to provide an environment of support and empowerment
that promotes wellness, which is a state of social,
spiritual, mental/emotional and physical health for
consumers living in New Jersey. For more information on
the ICE self help center, please contact
Jaime Angelini.
For Esperanza, please contact Marta at 908-272-5296 |
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Peer Outreach Support Teams (POST)
Consumer-providers offer advocacy and peer counseling
to mental health consumers in their communities. For more
information, please contact:
Jaime Angelini in Atlantic County
or
JoAnn Bonnett in Ocean County. In
Passaic County, please contact Rebekah Leon at
973-478-4444. |
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Schizophrenics
Anonymous (S.A.), is a self-help support group for persons
with schizophrenia or related disorders, organized and
managed by persons with the illness. SA's goal is to
help restore dignity and a sense of purpose for persons who are
working for recovery from schizophrenia or related disorders. MHANJ sponsors
three SA groups in Hudson, Ocean, and Atlantic Counties. For more
information, please contact one of the following: Atlantic
County -
Vicki Phillips; Hudson County –
Steve Rosenel; Ocean County –
JoAnn Bonnett. In Morris County, please contact the
Mental Health Association in Morris County at
973-377-9280. |
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Family
Services |
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Intensive
Family
Support
Services |
Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS)
Understanding and coping with mental illness when experienced by a family
member or friend is a painful and challenging journey. Information and
support are needed, although sometimes difficult to find. The Intensive
Family Support Service of the Mental Health Association is designed to
assist families. For more information on the Union County program, please contact
Joyce Benz. In Atlantic county, contact
Christine Gromadzyn. |
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Parent Education
Whoever said being a parent was easy?
The needs of children today have changed drastically from those of
years ago. But what parent is ever ready to face those
challenges? MHANJ offers three parent education programs that
range from the toddler years to the turbulent teenage years. For
more information, please contact
Tina Chiari. |
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Community Education |
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Community
Education |
The Community
Education Department is pleased to offer on-site
presentations in the workplace, at schools, health fairs,
businesses, and for community organizations.
Presentations are conducted by an MHANJ staff member or
other specially qualified speaker. We can also arrange
for an MHANJ staff person or volunteer who can speak about a
topic from a personal perspective. This first person
viewpoint, combined with a lecture or role-play
presentation, can be a very effective educational tool. The
Community Education Department is dedicated to promoting
mental health and decreasing the stigma surrounding mental
illness by providing education to enhance awareness and
understanding. If you are interested in a Community
Education program, please contact
Robyn Gorman 973-571-4100, to
discuss the needs of your organization and how the MHANJ can
assist. |
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Mental
Health Players uses trained volunteers to present
interactive role plays that illustrate mental health
issues. These role plays are based on specific mental
health topics, but may be customized to meet the needs
of a particular audience, such as teens or seniors.
This is an excellent way to introduce the audience to
mental health, and to allow the audience to challenge
their own beliefs about mental health and mental
illness. For more information about the Mental Health
Players and how MHANJ might be able to structure a
presentation for your group, please contact
Sharon Curran at
973-571-4100. |
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Project Return is a educational program for adult
mental health consumers only, dedicated to teaching
various wellness techniques which can enhance one's
quality of life. Some of the techniques discussed
include Wellness Recovery Action Planning (WRAP) which
was developed by Mary Ellen Copeland; domains of
wellness, and they affect one's life; building a support
network; and coming up with techniques that work for
you. For more information about Project Return
classes, please call 973-571-4100. |
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Multicultural Outreach
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Multicultural Outreach
Recognizing that people of
color might be unaware of mental health issues and
resources, MHANJ has begun providing educational
seminars to churches and community groups. If your
group or church is interested in learning more about
mental health, please contact
Laverne Williams
or call 973-571-4100.
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