NAMI Sussex envisions a community where those impacted by mental illness obtain the help, support and hope they require to achieve resiliency, recovery and wellness.
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NAMI Sussex has a new phone number |
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The new phone number for NAMI Sussex is 862-299-9250 so please update your contact information.
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NAMI Sussex Support Groups |
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Tuesday, March 21st - ONLINE FAMILY SUPPORT GROUP for family members (or close friends with a caregiving role) - meets via Zoom on the third Tuesday of every month, 7:00-9:00 p.m. Everyone on our email list will receive a reminder and instructions how to register for the group the Wednesday or Thursday before. The co-facilitators of the group are Annette Hoffman and Charles Cantelmo. Please note that registration is required using a link to a Google Form that will be provided in our email invitation.
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NAMI Hudson County hosts a Family and Friends Webinar
Tuesday, March 14th from 7-8:30pm
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NAMI Family & Friends is a free 90-minute seminar that informs people who have loved ones with a mental health condition how to best support them. It’s also an opportunity to meet other people in similar situations and gain community support. The seminar is led by trained volunteers with lived experience of supporting a family member with a mental health condition. They will walk you through the following topics.
- Understanding diagnoses, treatment and recovery
- Effective communication strategies
- The importance of self-care
- Crisis preparation strategies
- NAMI and community resources
Participants will receive a free E-book after attendance that explains many of the topics covered in the class in more detail. The e-book is available in English, Arabic, Farsi, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
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Make Your Submission to the 2023 Dara Axelrod Poetry Contest |
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April is the National Poetry Month and May is Mental Health Awareness Month. NAMI NJ inaugurated the Annual NAMI NJ Dara Axelrod Expressive Arts Mental Health Poetry Contest in 2014, which has grown to be a well-loved public event with enthusiastic responses from NJ’s diverse communities each year. The 2023 Mental Health Poetry Contest has commenced! The theme for this year's poems is "Joy": What is Joy? How does Joy feel? How does it smell? Does it look inviting?
Click here to view the prompt, guidelines, and previous contest results.
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NAMI NJ offers a training course on advocating for mental health
Reimagining Crisis Response will be offered on
Wednesday, March 22, 2023
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET
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Grassroots advocacy is simple; it’s about using your voice to influence policy makers. Turn your experience into a positive voice with the NAMI Smarts for Advocacy grassroots advocacy training. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy will enhance your advocacy skills by helping to shape your powerful and personal story that will move policy makers. Whether you are new to advocacy or have years of experience, this integrated training will equip you to be informed, confident and ready to make a difference. NAMI Smarts for Advocacy modules include: Telling Your Story, Contacting Your Policymaker, and Meeting Your Policymaker.
Reimagining Crisis Response
Reimagining Crisis Response is a new NAMI Smarts module that covers the basics of the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and NAMI’s comprehensive vision for a crisis system that includes local call centers, mobile crisis teams, and crisis stabilization centers. Join us for a class that covers the basics of Module 1: Telling Your Story in the service of advocating for a crisis system in New Jersey that provides a mental health response to a mental health crisis.
Registration closes on Tuesday, March 21, at 5 p.m.
Space is limited to the first 100 registrants.
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Upcoming Offerings of Family-to-Family
(In Person and Online Classes)
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NAMI Family-to-Family
NAMI Family-to-Family is a free, 8-session educational program for family, significant others and friends of people with mental health conditions. It is a designated evidenced-based program. This means that research shows that the program significantly improves the coping and problem-solving abilities of the people closest to a person with a mental health condition.
NAMI Family-to-Family is taught by NAMI-trained family members who have been there, and includes presentations, discussions and interactive exercises. NAMI Family-to-Family not only provides information and strategies for taking care of the person you love, but you’ll also find out that you’re not alone. Recovery is a journey, and there is hope.
NAMI Greater Bergen County
Wednesdays, April 19 – June 7, 2023
7:00 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. ET
Virtual
NAMI Burlington County
Tuesdays, March 14 – May 9, 2023
6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. ET
First Presbyterian Church (In-person)
Room 8, Moorestown, NJ 08057
NAMI Mercer County
Thursdays, April 20 – June 8, 2023
6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. ET
NAMI Mercer Center (In-person)
1235 Whitehorse Mercerville Rd. Bldg. C, Suite 303
Hamilton, NJ 08619
NAMI Mercer County
Thursdays, April 20, 2023 – June 8, 2023
NAMI Mercer Center (In-person)
1235 Whitehorse Mercerville Rd. Bldg. C, Suite 303
Hamilton, NJ 08619
NAMI Union County
Thursdays, March 9, 2023 – May 4, 2023
In-person
To register or if you have questions, contact Pat Roman at 732-397-8123 or email patroman2@aol.com. Please include in the subject line: F2F Course. A F2F teacher will contact you with the details.
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NAMI NJ and NAMI Camden offers NAMI Basics, online from May 1st to June 12th |
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Classes are every Monday
May 1, 2023 - June 12, 2023 (not Memorial Day)
6:45 p.m. - 9:15 p.m. ET
NAMI Basics is a 6-session education program for parents, caregivers and other family who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This program is free to participants. The course is taught by a trained team with lived experience raising a child with a mental health condition. They know what you’re going through because they've been there too.
What You’ll Gain
By participating in NAMI Basics, you’ll realize that you are not alone. You’ll find support and shared understanding—compassion, reinforcement and empathy from people who truly get your situation. And don’t forget: Your experiences may also help others in the course. Together, you will all learn that recovery is a journey, and there is hope.
NAMI Basics Covers:
- The impact mental health conditions can have on your entire family
- Introduction to mental health diagnoses including: ADHD, OCD, Anxiety, Depressive Disorders, Bipolar Disorder, Schizophrenia and more
- Different types of mental health care professionals, available treatment options and therapies
- An overview of the public mental health care, school and juvenile justice systems and resources to help you navigate these systems
- How to advocate for your child's rights at school and in health care settings
- How to prepare for and respond to crisis situations (self-harm, suicide attempts, etc.)
- The importance of taking care of yourself
- Much, much more!
For questions, contact: Tony & Sandy Wilson
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MHA launches TeenConnect, a new resource to support teens and young adults |
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The Mental Health Association has launched a new teen support line for teens and young adults, ages 13-24. Teens and young adults can call the toll-free number, 1-888-866-6054 or text 1-973-791-5700 to speak/text with a trained young adult for non-crisis support and understanding. Both lines are supervised by mental health professionals. The line is open from 5-10p.m., Monday - Friday. This is not a crisis line.
To download the flyer, click here.
MHA also runs a peer support line for adults. This line is staffed by adults who have lived experience with mental health struggles and offer non-crisis support. The peerline hours are 11am-2 pm , Mon-Fri (1-877-760-4987) and 5pm-10pm, daily (1-877-760-4987, 1-866-445-3902, 1-800-381-2059).
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The Wellness Hub (a new psychiatric emergency care facility) is now open in Newton! |
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A new facility, operated by the Mental Health Association, which offers emergency psychiatric services to local residents is now open in Newton. The Wellness Hub (Early Intervention Support Services - EISS) is located at 83 Spring Street, Suite 303 in Newton NJ (just across the hall from the Intensive Support Family Services office in the Cochran Building). Public street parking is available and parking is free in Lot #3 accessible via Trinity Street. At this time, the center is open from 9am-5pm, Monday to Friday. These hours will expand as the program develops to evening and weekends.
The Wellness Hub is essentially a psychiatric urgent care center and offers the following services:
Crisis Prevention
Psychiatric Assessment and Evaluation
Medication Evaluation and Management
Therapy/Counseling
Linkage and Referral to Community Resources
Nursing Assessment
Co-Occurring Substance Use Counseling
Support and Therapeutic Groups
Recovery Planning
Family Counseling
Peer Support
Transportation to treatment provided, as needed
To see the flyer for the Wellness Hub, click here.
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A New Resource for Families: NAMI Helpline Available Now |
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During this difficult time, the NAMI HelpLine is here for you. HelpLine volunteers are working to answer questions, offer support and provide practical next steps. The resources on this page provide information to address many needs and concerns.
Let’s stay connected, text, chat, call or email the NAMI HelpLine today.
The NAMI HelpLine can be reached Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 10 p.m., ET.
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The Suicide Prevention Lifeline, now called the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, Changes to 988 |
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On July 16th the Suicide Prevention Lifeline switched to a 988 number to provide easier access for individuals needing assistance with mental health related distress. The 988 number can be reached by phone or text and a chat feature is available at the Suicide Prevention Lifeline website which is:988lifeline.org.
This contact number can be used for mental health emergencies involving suicide, but also for assistance for individuals who are experiencing emotional distress, whether or not suicidal thoughts or intentions are present. This number can be used by individuals who are experiencing distress or by concerned loved ones who need support and resources.
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NAMI NJ ONLINE SUPPORT GROUPS
NAMI Family Support Group
Wednesdays at 7 pm ET
NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group
Every Tuesday at 6 p.m. ET
4th Wednesdays at 12 p.m. ET
Every Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET
NAMI Family Support Group is a 60-90 minute support group for adult friends and family members (18+) of people with mental health conditions. Participants gain the support of peers who understand their experience and gain insight into others’ challenges and successes.
NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group is a 60-90 minute support group for adults (18+) with a mental health condition. Participants gain the support of peers who understand their experience and gain insight into others’ challenges and successes.
Attendance is limited. For information and registration, click here. Please register by 11am or 4 pm on the day of the support group. You will receive a link via email on the day of the scheduled group.
Specialty Statewide Support Groups
LGBTQ+ NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group
Last Sunday of the month at 7pm EST
March 26th, 7-8:30pm
For more information, click here
Spouse/Partner Support Group*
2nd Thursday and 4th Thursday of the month at 7 pm EST
(March 9th, March 23rd)
4th Thursday of the month at 7 pm EST
March 23rd
Asylees/Refugees NAMI Connection Recovery Support Group
3rd Friday of the month at 4 pm EST
March 17th
Family With a Loved One Who Is In/ Has Been in a State Hospital
Thursday, March 16, 2023 at 7 p.m. ET
Connect with other family members who have or had a loved one in a NJ State Hospital. NAMI Family Support Groups are free, confidential and safe groups of families helping other families who live with mental health challenges. In NAMI Family Support Groups, families join a caring group of individuals helping one another by utilizing their collective lived experiences and learned wisdom. Family members can achieve a renewed sense of hope for their loved one living with mental illness. Contact vdelosangeles@naminj.org for more information. Register here
*Attendance is limited. For information and registration, click here.
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Other Free Online Support Groups |
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IFSS Family Support Groups - Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. and 1st and 3rd Mondays at 11:00 a.m.. Call Carrie Parmelee at 973-579-4399 x. 402 to request an email with links to the meetings or a number to join by telephone. You can also check the website for the Mental Health Association, mhainspire.org.
Intensive Family Support Services (run by the Mental Health Association) in Sussex County also offers free counseling, referral and support services to individual Sussex County families who support an adult loved one who is coping with a serious mental illness. There are IFSS services offered in every county in NJ. For more information please call Carrie Parmelee at 973-579-4399, ext. 402 or send her an email at cparmelee@mhainspire.org.
To see all the programs and services offered by the Mental Health Association, check their website at mhainspire.org.
Family Partners of Morris/Sussex Counties - Various groups for youth (ages 13 - 21) and parents. Click here for information.
MHA NJ Hope & Healing Counseling Resources - For free emotional support and counseling from NJ Hope and Healing Crisis Counseling Program (CCP), click here.
The Mental Health Association in NJ has a peer-run Virtual Wellness Center. To find out more information click here.
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Project ASPEN
a partnership between NAMI NJ and Rutger's University on adolescent depression
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Project ASPEN is a collaboration between a team of researchers from Rutgers University and NAMI NJ to provide credible and timely research evidence that can inform evidence-based policy response to the crisis of adolescent depression. The goal of Project ASPEN is to connect policymakers, advocates, mental health professionals, parents, and members of the public with the latest research and briefs pertaining to the issue of adolescent depression. This resource was created with grant support from the William T. Grant Foundation, and in partnership with experts from the Graduate School of Education and the Graduate School of Applied and Professional Psychology.
To read more about Project ASPEN and access Project ASPEN resources, click here.
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Recent Announcements From the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) |
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During this difficult time there has been difficulty accessing counseling services. Rutgers is contracted with DMHAS to offers counseling through tele psych with experienced mental health counselors. Please call 1-833-223-0011 to access this valuable service.
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DMHAS funded Collaborative Support Program continues to advertise their program as a resource to individuals in need of respite services. CSP offers Peer run respite programs to individual adults as an alternative to visiting the emergency room or a traditional inpatient setting. They can help by turning a crisis into an opportunity for Wellness and Recovery. They can be reached by calling 1-862-229-1401 or visiting www.cspnj.org.
Explanation added by NAMI Sussex editors: There are three CSPNJ Peer Respite Houses in NJ that can provide up to ten days in a house with 5 private bedrooms and shared kitchen, bath and living room, with trained peers available onsite 24/7 to work with individuals on Wellness and Recovery from mental health conditions. This program is provided free of charge. Transportation can be provided upon request. All admissions must be voluntary and self-referral is required. Participants are allowed to come and go from the house during the day if they have their own or public transportation. Thirty days of follow up support is provided after a Wellness Respite House stay. For those who would prefer to remain at home during a mental health crisis, CSPNJ can provide up to ten days of wellness planning and intensive phone contact with trained peers who also live with mental health conditions.
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Shatterproof is set to come to NJ in 2022. The website is free to use and will be providing information on addiction treatment facilities in the state. They will have a needs assessment for a loved one to execute on their own to determine the level of care possibly needed. Providers will have their information on the website and it is completely free to them. This means free advertising and marketing for them. To learn more go to www.treatmentatlas.org.
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FREE ONLINE/IN-PERSON EVENTS |
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Monday, March 6 – Intensive Family Support Services of Middlesex County invites you to attend their Spring Speaker Series virtual presentation “Supportive Housing in Middlesex: What Families Need to Know”. This presentation will be held from 5:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. via zoom. They will provide information about Supportive Housing programs in Middlesex County at Bridgeway and UBHC. Register Here|Download Flyer
Thursday, March 9 – Join NAMI Chief Medical Officer Ken Duckworth and author of NAMI’s first book, “You Are Not Alone: The NAMI Guide to Navigating Mental Health,” for another session and Q&A with interviewees from the book. This session will be held via Zoom at 4 p.m. Register Here
Tuesday, March 14 – Brain & Behavior Research Foundation presents: Meet the Scientist Webinar on Neuroscience of Stress and Metabolism which will be held at 2 p.m. Dr. Ross will describe how her lab works with mouse models in order to advance our knowledge and describe potential treatment targets for Anorexia Nervosa and other diseases that affect both the brain and the body. Register Here
Wednesday, March 15 – Please Join the Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS) of Bergen and NAMI Greater Bergen for a webinar on “Learning More about Medications Used to Treat Mental Health Conditions.” Kristan Louis, APN is prepared to answer questions from families about commonly prescribed psychotropic medications and this event will be held from 7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Register Here
Thursday, March 23 – Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA) Morristown Area Education Lecture Series: Rebecca Grossman-Kahn MD MBA will lead a discussion on Poetry, Prose, and Paintings, mental illness and art. Learn more
Saturday, March 25– The Alliance of Private Special Education Schools of North Jersey presents a Special Needs Resource Fair & Family Fun Day event that will be held from 11 a.m. – 1.pm at Union County College Student Center in Cranford, NJ. This event is free of charge for all and will include more than 50 resource tables, gift cards up to $100, several games and much more! Register Here
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Recorded Video and Webinar Resources |
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Please see the link below to access a series about mental illness recently appearing on PBS. There are 4 episodes on demand. The series covers the trials and errors of treatment over history, how definitions of mental illnesses have shifted, how jails have become the de-facto mental health facilities and what treatment looks like today with our continued challenges.
To watch the first video presentation in a series developed by the DMHAS Adult Suicide Prevention Committee click here. Their goal is to share tips, ideas, and ways to manage during this life-changing pandemic. Watch here.
For replays of webinars offered by Family Partners of Morris and Sussex Counties offered in May, 2021 as part of their Lunch and Learn series, click here. The topics discussed during this series included: Organizations Collaborating To Help, Involvement Opportunities, Mobile Response & Stabilization Services Available 24/7, Overview of Care Managers & In-Home Assistance, Meet the Family Partners Team and Hear Highlights of Services.
For past NAMI NJ webinars, click here.
For replays of NAMI's Ask the Expert webinars, click here.
For NAMI Covid-19 Support and resources, click here.
For replays of Team Up for Hope's webinar series, click here.
For the TIME100 Video series on mental health presenting conversations with advocates and thought leaders in the mental health field including Daniel H. Gillison, Jr., CEO of NAMI; Taraji P. Henson and Tracie Jenkins of the Boris Lawrence Henson Foundation; and Matthew McConaughey, click here.
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Helpful Website Resources |
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Website for NAMI Sussex ( namisussex.org) - Our website offers information about upcoming presentations, support groups and NAMI courses, numerous educational and informational resources and local community resources for Sussex County families.
Websites for NAMI National (nami.org) and NAMI New Jersey (naminj.org) – The national and state-based websites for NAMI have a great deal of information that is useful to both consumers and caregivers. These websites provide educational information about different diagnoses, types of treatment and resources for support for both consumers and families. You can also find information about NAMI signature programs and opportunities for advocacy.
Website Resource for the Latest in Research Findings about Mental Health -This website from NAMI provides summaries and links to some of the latest research findings in the area of mental health. To view, click here.
Website for the National Institute for Mental Health (nimh.nih.gov) – a division of the National Institutes of Health which has educational information about mental illness, treatment, recent research findings and clinical trials.
Website for Substance Use and Mental Health Services Administration (samhsa.gov) – a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services that provides information about mental illness and substance use.
Websites for local organizations who help those who struggle with addiction - The Center for Prevention and Counseling offers many programs for those in addiction recovery and family members who seek to support them. Their website is: https://centerforprevention.org/. The Hope and Serenity Recovery Community Center recently opened in Sparta and also offers many services for those in addiction recovery and those seeking help to improve mental health wellness. Their website is hasrcc.org.
Website for the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (dbsalliance.org) – a national organization dedicated to helping individuals living with mood disorders. This website offers information about diagnoses, treatment options, peer support, support for friends and family and a tool to help find local support groups
Website for the Brain & Behavior Research Foundation (bbrfoundation.org) – The Brain and Behavior Research Foundation is a global nonprofit organization that aims to improve the understanding, prevention and treatment of psychiatric and mental illnesses. This foundation awards grants for important research. They have a monthly series called “Meet the Scientist” webinars that are often featured in this newsletter. They also provide a venue for recent research findings and you can find links to videos about various topics, called the Healthy Minds series.
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Click on this link to support NAMI Sussex when you shop -
Amazon donates 0.5% of the price of your eligible AmazonSmile purchases to NAMI Sussex. AmazonSmile is the same Amazon you know. Same products, same prices, same service. Learn about AmazonSmile.
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NAMI Sussex
P.O. Box 652, Sparta, NJ 07871
admin@namisussex.org
1-862-299-9250
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NAMI Sussex is an all-volunteer 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides support, education, and advocacy throughout the Sussex County, New Jersey area on behalf of individuals and families affected by mental illness. |
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