HANOVER — The Mental Health Symposium recently held in Hanover Township provided interested family members and friends with crucial information about where and how to receive information about addiction services, crisis hotlines, and primary and elder care services. This Mental Health Symposium, organized and designed to help raise mental health awareness, will be replicated throughout a number of participating municipalities.
To view the entire program, complete with all contact information, click here.
Sponsors of this one-of-a-kind gathering included the Township of Hanover, the New Jersey Coalition 4 Education and Positive Choices (NJC4EPC) The Morris County Sheriff’s Office, and the Mayors Wellness Campaign.
“The purpose of the Symposium is to provide current, relevant, accurate information to struggling family members and/or friends so they can find assistance. Our goal is to help as many people as we can,” explains Mayor Gallagher. The Mental Health Symposium held on October 3, in Hanover Township, is a one-of-kind assemblage of professionals from different organizations all working towards the same goal of improving everyday life which is designed to be replicated by partnering municipalities.
The panel of speakers included a consortium of local mayors including Mayor Joseph Pannullo, East Hanover; Mayor Mark Taylor, Borough of Florham Park; Mayor Jason Karr, Borough of Morris Plains; Mayor Tim Dougherty, Town of Morristown, and Mayor James Barberio, Township of Parsippany-Troy Hills. Morris County Commissioner, Stephen H. Shaw, rounded out the impressive list of public servants at the Symposium and provided information about what help is available from county agencies.
Tracy Cappiccille, Director of NJ Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) Morris/Sussex Counties Mental Health Association, presented a comprehensive slide show focused on the behaviors of at-risk teenagers. In addition to pointing out warning signs and red flag behavioral warnings, the presentation offered practical tips on how to speak to teens and family members in difficult situations. For more information click here.
On the other end of the age spectrum, Lucy Deutsch, (Retired) Senior Citizen Advocate in Morris County, delivered vital information about resources available to families seeking primary and elder care services. To see this information, click here.
The Morris County Sherriff’s Office Hope One Mobile Outreach Team was on hand at the Symposium and described their efforts to prevent drug overdoses and deaths throughout Morris County. For more information click here.
Public Health Nurse Supervisor, Katherine Whitehead of Hanover Township discussed the importance of asking for help when it is needed: “We come from a society where asking for help is considered a sign of weakness. Nothing is further from the truth.”
Denise Brennan, Hanover Township Superintendent of Recreation & Parks Administration and coordinator of Hanover Township’s Mayor’s Wellness Campaign wrapped up the program with a discussion of the importance of staying connected through programs, events, activities, classes, and sports.
For those who are interested in these life-altering topics but could not attend, the Symposium was recorded and will soon be released for general viewing.
The next Free Mental Health Symposium will be held in East Hanover towards the end of the year. The date and speakers will be announced shortly.
