CONGRATULATIONS
Gage Blanck-Singer, MS, LCADC, LAC, NCC
the Latest Winner of the 2020 Mental Health Association in New Jersey’s
Behavioral Healthcare Hero Award
The Mental Health Association in New Jersey is proud to announce that Gage Blanck-Singer, LAC, LCADC, NCC is the latest Behavioral Healthcare Hero! Mr. Blanck-Singer works at Eva’s Village in Patterson, NJ. When he received this award, he was a counselor in the Intensive Outpatient Unit of Eva’s Village. He has recently been promoted to Clinical Supervisor of the Men’s Halfway House -- a low intensity residential program.
Mr. Blanck-Singer was nominated for this award by his supervisor at the time, Michael Rivera, Clinical Supervisor of the Outpatient Program at Eva’s Village. The majority of clients come to Eva’s Village outpatient facility for addiction treatment, but many have co-occurring issues. In March, when the pandemic erupted, they noticed clients displaying signs of illness such as fever and cough. The situation quickly escalated to include very sick clients presenting with Covid-19.
This was a potentially dangerous situation because the virus could quickly spread to the entire community including the residential units. A decision was made to set up an area to allow these sick clients to be isolated, receive treatment and hopefully recover. Mr. Rivera reports that, “Gage was instrumental in totally transforming the outpatient clinic office areas into a full-service infirmary,” or, as Mr. Blanck-Singer prefers to call it, the wellness center.
Mr. Blanck-Singer immediately volunteered to don the PPE and take shifts on a regular basis to care for these patients. This was at the beginning stages of the pandemic, when the risks were not fully understood and information on the virus was changing daily if not hourly.
“Gage became a "nurses’ aid" by assisting and monitoring sick clients by bringing them food three-times a day, taking temperatures and checking their breathing,” states Mr. Rivera. This work was critical due to a lack of capacity at the local hospital and it continued every day for three months.
Mr. Blanck-Singer is thrilled to report that, “We didn’t lose anyone. All of our patients recovered and we even had an elderly gentleman with additional medical issues who made it out." He added, "It was more than the physical care – we had to be there for them; to care for them psychologically and emotionally. Our focus in addiction recovery is on social support groups and all of those sessions stopped due to Covid-19; it was up to us to keep them emotionally healthy.”
Moreover, Mr. Blanck-Singer extended himself further by simultaneously volunteering at the Men’s Halfway House, a separate division, that was experiencing crises due to the pandemic. “He would transition from his sick patients and come here to fill any position, whether a residential or a clinical staffing need. He obviously went so much above and beyond his normal duties during this crisis,” stated Victoria Nagel, Clinical Director of the Halfway House for Men. He saw the need across the entire community and was eager to assist. “Having him was such a relief, like a breath of fresh air,” she shared.
When asked how scary it was to be thrust into a role you are unprepared for with so much responsibility for people’s lives, Mr. Blanck-Singer modestly says, “I was really happy to be there with them when they needed me most. It’s what I do -- I love this.”
Spoken like a true hero!
Congratulations to Gage Blanck-Singer! The Mental Health Association in New Jersey is proud to honor this dedicated professional. His incredible courage, generosity and sacrifice indicate his willingness to go to extraordinary measures to bring comfort to those individuals navigating Covid-19, addiction and other behavioral health concerns during the pandemic.
