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A Quarterly Newsletter from NJ MentalHealthCares                   Winter 2017


Who Cares? We do!
Do the issues featured our newsletter articles below concern you? Do you have any questions at all about mental health -- on behalf of yourself or a loved one? Do you need a resource for a client? Call the NJ MentalHealthCares' toll-free, confidential number.  Our staff of trained, behavioral care specialists uses their experience and expertise to help callers identify the the problem and then determine the best next steps to make a difference. Our counselors listen, they offer support and education and apply their understanding of the system to provide information and help connect callers to the services they need. They serve as advocates and telephone case managers to help ensure that every caller is linked to the services they need. 
Tackling Women's Mental Health
March is Women's History Month. We take the time to remember the contributions of women in our society and in our world.  We also pause to reflect on the great strides and challenges women faced throughout history and now in our modern times.    One area that women continue to struggle with is the area of their Mental Health.  In the US, it is reported that Mental Health illnesses affects over 50 million people, with women suffering in higher rates from certain mental illnesses.  Reports from SAMSHA estimates " that 23.8% of American women have experienced a diagnosable mental health disorder in the last year, compared to an estimated 15.6% men who have mental illness."
 
The most common mental health disorders that women suffer from are depression, anxiety, and somatic complaints. In the  World Health Organization 's,  Gender Disparities in Mental Health Report, findings show that women are two times more likely than men to develop certain mental health conditions and two to three times more likely to attempt suicide, although four times more men die from suicide.
 
There are a variety of factors that contribute to the gender disparities in mental health illnesses that affect women.  Biological factors such as hormonal fluctuations that affect a women's moods lead to depression issues. Sociocultural issues that impact women's status and treatment in society, such as multiple caregiver roles, role shifts, sexualization and sexual abuse of girls and women all contribute to depression or other mental health disorder.  Economic and social policies that place women and children at unfair advantages, leading to increase of gender inequality thereby contributing to the rate of common mental health disorders.  Patterns of help seeking behavior show that women, more than men, are more apt to seek and report about mental health distress to their medical caregivers while doctors are shown to be more prone to diagnosing a woman with a mental health condition.

Click the following for pertinent articles: 
"Common Mental Health Issues Among Women" from Foundations Recovery Network

"Women and Mental Illness"  from Psychology Today

"Gender and Women's Mental Health" from World Health Organization
Steps for Helping a Friend with  Mental Illness!
Reaching_hands Trying to determine the best approach to helping a friend who expresses mental health distress can be a challenge.  Providing support for the short term and the long term is a strong commitment but not impossible.  Click here for some suggestions for first steps that can help make a difference in supporting a friend and encouraging him/her to get the help he/she needs. 
I'm Not Stressed!
A self-help support group dedicated to a particular issue may provide just the right type of assistance and information that someone needs. The New Jersey Self-Help Group Clearinghouse database has contact information for over 8,600 support group meetings throughout  the 21 counties of New Jersey. They cover a broad spectrum of physical and behavioral health challenges, providing valuable emotional, social, and community support through peer assistance and education.

For more information call the New Jersey Self-Help Group Clearinghouse toll-free call line at 800-367-6274, 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday or visit its website,  njgroups.org. 

This service is funded by the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services.
   NJMHC Phone
Call Center Statistics
December 1, 2016
through
February 28, 2017

Total Calls: 3,058

Most Requested:
Behavioral Health 
Services -- 94%
PRW
The MHANJ's Peer Recovery WarmLine (PRW) )is a peer-run service providing ongoing telephone support to mental health consumers as they work towards their recovery. All calls are answered by peers who are trained, supportive mental health consumers. 

The MHANJ's NJ Connect for Recovery Call Line was established to support two distinct groups across the state of New Jersey: those concerned with their own opiate use; and, those who are experiencing distress related to the opiate use of a friend or family member. NJ Connect for Recovery also offers support and education groups.
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The NJMentalHealthCares Helpline helps individuals, families and communities identify, understand and effectively navigate programs that comprise the mental health, substance abuse and human services delivery systems.