“Sadly, too often, the stigma around mental health prevents people who need help from seeking it. But that simply doesn’t make any sense. Whether an illness affects your heart, your arm or your brain, it’s still an illness, and there shouldn’t be any distinction. We would never tell someone with a broken leg that they should stop wallowing and get it together. We don’t consider taking medication for an ear infection something to be ashamed of. We shouldn’t treat mental health conditions any differently. Instead, we should make it clear that getting help isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength—and we should ensure that people can get the treatment they need.” —Michelle Obama

“You can’t go back and change the beginning, but you can start where you are and change the ending.” -  C.S. Lewis

September is designated National Recovery Month in the United States.  Following the stark reminders of the toll of addiction provided by events held throughout August in remembrance of those we have lost to death through drug overdose.  Recovery Month provides an opportunity to turn away us from our grief and anger at the preventable deaths of our neighbors, friends and family; to celebrate those of us in recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol and the dedication of service providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible.

As I am sure many people have felt before me, Michelle Obama said it much better than I could (see quote on stigma above and don’t skip them next time, yeah, I’m talking to you!).   In short, societal stigma around seeking help for mental illness and substance use disorders, an artificial distinction, is both illogical and deadly.  Appropriately, September is also National Suicide Prevention Month.

Recovery and suicide prevention share more in common than a celebratory month.   As social animals, we thrive in connection and despair in isolation.   The support from partners, friends, and family; how connected we feel to others and our community, as well as the availability of high-quality behavioral healthcare, all have tremendous impact on our chances for recovery from addiction and the likelihood we will attempt suicide.  

I’ve struggled with diagnosed depression and anxiety throughout my life and I’m in recovery from alcohol use disorder.  As a social worker, whose colleagues are trained mental health and addiction specialists, you would think reaching out for help when I needed it should have been easy for me. It was decidedly not so.  It took more than a year of worsening depression, suicidal ideation and the rapidly accelerating progression of my substance use to dangerous levels, for me to swallow my pride and finally admit that I could not heal myself.  Every day I am grateful that I did not do any lasting harm to anyone else or myself during my active addiction, particularly during that last year. I was not alone: “more than half of people with mental illness don't receive help for their disorders. Often, people avoid or delay seeking treatment due to concerns about being treated differently or fears of losing their jobs and livelihood. That's because stigma, prejudice and discrimination against people with mental illness are still very much a problem.”

In the United State, over 49,000 people died by suicide in 2022, that is 1 death every 11 minutes. Suicide is the 11^th leading cause of death in the United States, 2^nd leading cause of death for ages 10-14. Somerset County has seen a recent increase in suicide deaths, specifically with males, ages 15-45 (Suicide Data and Statistics | Suicide Prevention | CDC).  Shame is deadly and stigma kills.

There is a saying in the recovery community that the “only cure for addiction is connection”.  While a bit simplistic, I agree with the sentiment. Too many of us prefer to suffer silently than admit to the sin of human frailty.  Mental illness, addiction, shame, and stigma grow in isolation. When we honestly share our struggles with others and foster environments in which we all feel safe to do the same, they are diminished. 

• To learn more about how you can support recovery in your workplace please visit: Recovery Friendly Workplace | Community in Crisis .
• If you are having thoughts of suicide, need mental health-related crisis support, or are worried about someone else, please call or text 988 or visit the 988 Lifeline Chat and Text  to connect with a trained crisis counselor.
• If you would like help connecting to treatment for substance use and/or support in recovery please contact Richard Hall Community Health and Wellness Center’s Reach 4 Recovery | Somerset County program.

Please be kind to yourselves and your community,

Zach

Somerset County Office of Youth Services at the 2024 4-H Fair: Engaging Fairgoers for Ideas

Submitted by Antonietta B. Phelan, Principal Program Director, Office of Youth Services

PART I: The Idea of Getting an IDEA!

I’m not entirely sure how this all came about, but after a typical day at the office, I found myself thinking about how we could better engage the public in letting us know what youth programs they’d like to see in their communities. My thoughts were inspired by one of my children’s favorite books, What Do You Do With an Idea by Kobi Yamada, which explores how to nurture an idea and turn it into something meaningful. Anyone who visits my office will see artwork from my son (then 5) based on this book, proudly displayed on my office door. He’s loved this book since his preschool days.

To explain what the Office of Youth Services does "in a nutshell" (or perhaps "in an eggshell" if you’re familiar with Yamada’s book), our Planning and Program Unit oversees several boards and commissions at both the county and municipal levels. These include the Commission on Child Abuse and Missing Children, the Children’s Inter-Agency Coordinating Council, and the Youth Services Commission, which serves youth across Somerset County. Additionally, we coordinate fourteen Municipal Youth Services Commissions that serve all twenty-one towns within the county. These youth-centered planning bodies seek “ideas” to explore, review, create, fund, and implement programs and services for kids of all ages throughout Somerset County, utilizing federal, state, and local grants.

I brought this idea to the Youth Services team, and we decided to display an Idea Board at our table during the 4-H Fair to prompt public feedback. We thought this would draw people to our table at the County tent, giving us a chance to ask fairgoers for their opinions and ideas on youth programs, services, and activities. We figured, why not give it a shot and see what ideas our citizens had for us? With our whiteboard sparkling clean and stocked with colorful post-it notes and pens, we were ready to go. Now, all we had to do was wait for the fair!

PART II: Mother Nature Had Other Plans...

Excited to finally have a new activity at our Office of Youth Services table, we were ready to engage the public—until Mother Nature decided that the three days of the 4-H Fair would be a perfect time to wreak havoc with the weather. Despite the inclement conditions, the fair managed to open for one rainy day. Surprisingly, people still showed up, and our idea board, titled If money were no object, what programs, services, or activities would you like to see in our schools and communities?, garnered significant interest.

We received dozens of responses! Many brave fairgoers, decked out in their best rain gear, took the time to stop by and chat with our staff. This turned out to be a great conversation starter, allowing us to engage with the public and inform them about our services. Fairgoers of all ages shared their ideas, and here’s what we received in just one day:

• Pet racing near Somerville or Raritan
• A beach volleyball court
• Nature activities – learning about birds, animals, flowers
• Horse races near Somerville or Raritan
• Stargazing
• More forests for walks
• More fairs
• A skate park
• A swimming pool
• Special needs programs for IDD/Autism
• A fishing pond
• Real-life skills training
• A baking club
• Pro-bono sports/music extracurriculars
• An equestrian team
• Elementary school sports
• Music lessons (specifically drums!)
• Dog training
• Bring back middle school sports
• A dance team – for competition or performance
• Internship job training and placement programs
• Tae Kwon Do
• A program where you take care of dogs and get to keep them
• Discounted summer camp
• A theater (mentioned twice)
• Less bumpy roads (thanks, but that’s a different department)
• Traffic calming in downtown Somerville (thanks again, but we’ll pass that along to Somerville…)
• County-wide summer camp (mentioned three times)
• A youth recreation center in Somerville

PART III: Closing Thoughts

Overall, we received a wide array of ideas—some practical, some fun, some specific, and some quite general. We believe we achieved our goal of engaging the public in a fun and meaningful way, sparking conversations about what we do and how we can help. Importantly, we also learned what interests the public. These conversations have already started to influence some of our planning discussions, as we consider what we can do to meet some of these ideas.

For providers, this also presents an opportunity to evaluate how well they’re promoting their existing services. If a service you offer was mentioned, this might be a good time to assess your current outreach and explore ways to expand your audience!

Our staff noted that many people were surprised we were seeking public input—and what a great way to share ideas! While we don’t know exactly who our “idealists” were or where they’re from, we’re grateful for their input. We plan to present our idea board again at the 2025 4-H Fair, and we hope you’ll stop by the Office of Youth Services table to say hello and share your ideas!

If you’re interested in finding out more about how to get involved with one of our planning boards or learning more about the Office of Youth Services, we encourage you to contact us at 908-704-6333 or Youth@co.somerset.nj.us.

 CENTRAL JERSEY HOUSING RESOURCE CENTER (CJHRC)

CJHRC’s SAVINGS MATCH PROGRAM (GET UP TO $900)

 NEEDS PARCIPANTS NOW! 

A huge number of Somerset and Middlesex County residents tell CJHRC they are stressed about money and also struggle to have savings.  Life is unpredictable and often an emergency can arise and without savings, many run into debt due to changing unexpected items or encounter other issues.  CJHRC is accepting applications NOW!  We need to have 6 applicants enrolled by December 1, 2024 or CJHRC may need to discontinue this program for low enrollment.  All clients who have completed the program since 2010 have all felt it was an extremely beneficial program and they mastered how to budget, track monthly expenses and build a savings account.  Almost all (95%) improved their debt and improved their credit scores.  Find out more about this unique program by calling a CJHRC counselor at 908-446-0037.    

THINKING OF BECOMING A HOMEOWNER?

Did you know CJHRC offers free homebuyer education (individual, online or virtual webinar)?

Are you a potential homebuyer? Do you want to learn about Fair Housing, Money Management, Credit, How to Obtain a Mortgage, the Important of Obtaining a Real Estate Attorney, Homeowner’s Insurance, Grant Opportunities, the State of NJ Very Low/Low/Moderate Income Program and more? Once the counseling is complete and all required paperwork is submitted, a certificate (valid for 12 months) will be issued which can help to obtain down payment & closing cost assistance grants, a special mortgage rate, and reduced attorney rates.  Contact CJHRC today at 908-446-0036 to learn how you can enroll in one of our FREE homebuyer certificate counseling programs. 

ARE YOU CURRENTLY A HOMEOWNER?

CJHRC’s post purchase individual counseling assists homeowners who want to learn about budgeting, the pros and cons of refinancing/home equity loan to pay off debt or do improvements, homeowner’s insurance, available rehab grants in Somerset County, contractor scams, weatherization and utility assistance, home maintenance/safety tips and much more.   CJHRC Counselors can be reached at  
908-446-0036 and are ready to help you!   

ARE YOU STRUGGLING TO PAY YOUR MORTGAGE? 

If you are a Somerset County homeowner struggling to make your monthly mortgage payments, please don’t wait to contact a CJHRC Counselor to learn what options are available to you.  The longer you wait, the more difficult it is to get caught up or work out a plan with your lender/servicer.  Call 908-446-0036 to speak with a CJHRC Counselor.

CJHRC’s staff provide FREE counseling services for financial literacy, pre- and post-purchase, rental, mortgage default/foreclosure, Fair Housing issues/questions and homeless counseling.  Contact a CJHRC Counselor at 908-446-0036 or visit our website at www.cjhrc.org to view resources. 

Make sure you like us on Facebook (Central Jersey Housing Resource Center) or follow us on Instagram (cjhrc_housing) to get important housing announcements, resources and information.  CJHRC posts weekly on our social media accounts.

2024 DisABILITY Expo & Job Fair 

The Somerset County Office on Aging & Disability Services and The Greater Raritan Workforce Development Board are delighted to invite you to our upcoming DisABILITY Expo and Job Fair on Saturday, Oct. 5, from 1 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Senior Wellness Center at Bridgewater, located at 876 E. Main Street, Bridgewater, where local community organizations, businesses, and organizations will be offering a variety of screenings, employment opportunities, and community services. This event represents an opportunity for us to come together and positively impact our community.

FREE Workshops  Limited space for each workshop is available.
Kelly Boyd, Access & Functional Needs Planner with the NJ Office of Emergency Management, will present on Emergency Preparedness and Register Ready. This presentation offers emergency preparedness tips that you can use, as well as an overview of the Register Ready program.

Jannell Wilson, Community Educator with the Office on Aging & Disability Services, will present on the Personal Assistance Services Program (PASP). This program is designed for individuals with physical disabilities. This impactful program provides funds for personal care, transportation, errands, housekeeping, and medical supplies (to name a few) and allows the participant to choose an agency or hire a family member or a friend.

FREE Transportation
The Somerset County Transportation Division’s paratransit services will offer FREE shuttle service. Residents must register for transportation by Monday, Sept. 16.

Click here to register or call 908-203-6080 for more information.

A Day at the Fair: 2024 4-H Fair

Submitted by Luisa Hernandez, Office of Youth Services

Despite the rainy weather that dampened this year's 4-H Fair, we were thrilled to be part of the event and connect with the community. Although attendance was lighter than usual, the meaningful connections we made were truly invaluable.

We continued our tradition of annual prize drawings, and this year’s lucky winners were Cathy Magulak of Hillsborough, who won the Serenity Basket, and Valerie Wick of Bridgewater, who received the School Supply Basket. You can see the winners with their prizes in the photo below.

A big thank you to Friends of Somerset County Youth for their generous donations of these baskets!

Friends of Somerset County Youth is non-profit organization committed to supporting Somerset County's most vulnerable children. The organization focuses on addressing the needs of abused and neglected children. Over the years, they have funded creative therapies, supported parenting programs, and provided essential mental health services to hundreds of children. Their initiatives include mentoring, educational support, trauma-informed care, and therapeutic experiences for children who have experienced trauma.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this year’s 4-H Fair memorable despite the weather!

4-H: 

You are personally invited to attend the Somerset County 4-H Round Robin Competition which will take place at the Somerset County Board of Agriculture’s “Agriculture in Action” event on Saturday, September 7, 2024. The entire event will take place from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the farm of Chris and Laura Carnevale, 115 Wertsville Road, Hillsborough, NJ 08844. The Somerset County 4-H Round Robin Competition will begin at 1:00 p.m. in the arena.

Round Robin is an event that is usually showcased at the Somerset County 4-H Fair where the 1st place showman of each animal division competes for the overall grand champion showman of the 4-H fair. Unfortunately, the Round Robin event was postponed this year after the poor weather forced the fair to be closed for 2 out of the 3 scheduled days.

• Rummage Sale, September 13 & 14

Friday, Sept 13th       9:00 am - 12:00 pm, 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Saturday, Sept 14th           9:00 am - 3:00 pm

This is your perfect opportunity to grab some incredible deals on a massive variety of donated goods. All money made from this event goes directly to the Somerset County 4-H Association which supports Somerset County 4-H youth based events, scholarships, and learning opportunities in our community. For more info, visit: https://4histops.org/events/rummage-sale24

DONATIONS ACCEPTED

Drop off Dates:  SEPTEMBER 8, 9, & 10

Drop off Times: Sunday, Sept. 8: 12 - 3pm, Monday, Sept. 9: 9am - 12pm & 6pm - 8pm, Tuesday, Sept. 10: 9am - 12pm & 6pm - 8pm

• 4-H Open House, September 26

Have a passion? We have a club for that! Join Somerset County 4-H on Thursday, Sept 26th at the Ted Blum 4-H Center from 6:30-8:00pm and learn about our 60+ clubs! For more info, please visit https://4histops.org/

ANR/Rutgers Master Gardeners: 

Somerset County ANR and Somerset County Division of Solid Waste Management are hosting a Composting Workshop on September 19, 2024! The workshop will be at the Ted Blum 4-H Center at 310 Milltown Rd. in Bridgewater.

This program is open to Somerset County residents and employees only, and will run from 10-11. Registration is required, but is free. Composting bins will be available for an additional cost of $50. 

Register by September 16. For those interested in attending, please contact Melissa Harvey at harvey@co.somerset.nj.us or (908) 231-7109.

• The Somerset County Rutgers Master Gardeners will be at the Bedminster Farmers Market on Saturday, September 7, bring your lawn and garden questions to our table!

FCHS:

• Join us for this month’s series of FCHS Wellness Wednesday webinars! These webinars take place every Wednesday at 12:30pm. Registration is required, but is free. To see September’s webinars, please visit: https://njaes.rutgers.edu/wellness-wednesdays/