Honoree at Mental Health Association of N.J.’s Evening of Excellence, details impact her group, the Society of the Prevention of Teen Suicide, is having

October 6-12, 2024 Is Mental Illness Awareness Week......

Council Publishes New Issue of Stopping Stigma, Focusing on Serving Underserved/Marginalized Populations

Youth, Young Adults and Other Groups Experience Mental Health Vulnerability
NJ Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma Event Provides Critical Guidance.......

The Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma is seeking a Coordinator of Community Outreach and Partnerships, a nonexempt position, which reports directly to the Council Chairperson.......


more information

On May 22, 2024, the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma hosted a Youth Roundtable, Addressing the Youth Mental Health Crisis: Fostering Understanding and Partnerships to Further Support the Younger Generations. “While the staggering statistics about mental health disorders and suicide thoughts and actions certainly reinforce the urgent need to eliminate stigma and ensure access to treatment and support services, individuals’ experiences are even more compelling. I am tremendously grateful to the youth who participated in this event, as the mental health challenges and stigma they endured give them a perspective that all of us can and must learn from in order to provide the most meaningful support for children, teens and young adults,” said Debra L. Wentz, PhD, Chair of the Council; President and CEO of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies; and Executive Director of the New Jersey Mental Health Institute.

The event featured opening remarks by Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW, Commissioner, New Jersey Department of Children and Families; a keynote presentation, Why There Is an Ongoing Mental Health Crisis among Children and Youth, by Shavonda Sumter, MBA, President and CEO of Children’s Aid and Family Services, Member of the New Jersey General Assembly and New Jersey Legislative Black Caucus Chair; and two panel discussions: Telling it Like it Is: Youth with Lived Experience and Family, Faith-based and Community Resources that Help.

Please click here to watch the recording of this event.

Council Publishes New Issue of Stopping Stigma, Highlighting May 22^nd Youth Roundtable, Inspiring Successes and Valuable Resources

Emily Grossman, MA, CPRP, NYCPS-P, a member of the Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma and Founder of Emily Grossman Peer Life Coaching and Training Services, wrote an inspiring book, Unlocked: From Psych Hospital to Higher Self – 25 Keys to Recovering from Depression, Anxiety, or Bipolar Disorder, which will be published on October 17, 2023.

Emily Grossman, MA, CPRP, NYCPS-P, Founder of Emily Grossman Peer Life Coaching and Training Services and Member of the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma, shared her inspiring story on the Passion, Purpose and Possibilities podcast.

Today, October 10, 2023, is World Mental Health Day 2023, an opportunity for people and communities to unite behind the theme ‘Mental health is a universal human right” to improve knowledge, raise awareness, and drive actions that promote and protect everyone’s mental health as a universal human right.

While World Mental Health Day shines a spotlight on opportunities to support mental health initiatives, every-day of the year offers a chance to champion mental well-being!

Click any of the below links to get involved and for more information on World Mental Health Day 2023!

• National Council for Mental Wellbeing - World Mental Health Day 2023
• Mental Health Foundation - World Mental Health Day 2023
• World Federation for Mental Health - World Mental Health Day 2023 Toolkit
• World Health Organization - World Mental Health Day 2023

Click here to download the inaugural edition of Stopping Stigma, which features the Council members, recent events and ongoing initiatives.

In addition to launching the new website, to coincide with Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 1-7, 2023), the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma launched a biannual newsletter, Stopping Stigma, featuring the Council’s members and initiatives.

The New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma congratulates member Emily Grossman, MA, CPRP, NYCPS-P, Director of Training, Coordinated Behavioral Care, for being selected to receive the Self-Advocacy Award from Mental Health News Education (MHNE), publisher of Autism Spectrum News and Behavioral Health News.

On March 9, 2023, Middlesex County hosted its annual Stigma Education Forum to reinforce the importance of eliminating stigma, and invigorate individual and collaborative efforts and share resources to achieve this goal.

Council member Susan Tellone, RN, MSN, CSN, Clinical Director, Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide was interviewed.

On January 7, 2023, I had the pleasure of participating and speaking at Invisible Pain day held at the Middlesex Fire Academy. It was a day filled with survivors, brave and courageous families, friends and loved ones. It was a day of support, resources, coping strategies, love and mostly HOPE! I had the pleasure of speaking alongside such wonderful, compassionate and informed speakers.

“The power of words is undeniable, as is the power of the media,” said Debra L. Wentz, PhD, Chair of the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma, President and CEO of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) and Executive Director of the New Jersey Mental Health Institute, in her welcome remarks for the Council’s media roundtable on October 3, 2022.

Statistics show that individuals struggle with mental health issues for more than a decade before reaching out for help. Their reluctance to speak up about their difficulties and seek assistance is due to stigma, which causes feelings of shame and embarrassment.