Press Releases

March 1, 2023 COVID-19, associated isolation and other related difficulties are commonly considered to be the most significant factors contributing to the increasing rates of depression, anxiety and suicidal thoughts and behaviors among teenagers. While this is a fact, it is also true...

February 28, 2023 Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) is elated with Governor Phil Murphy's proposed significant investments in the behavioral healthcare workforce. It is clear that Gov....

January 19, 2023 Greater Investment in the Behavioral Healthcare Workforce Is Needed for the Wellbeing of New Jersey's Diverse Population A March 2022 report by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration shows that the nationwide number of behavioral health soci...

September 26, 2022 Dr. Otto Wahl, Author of Media Madness: Public Images of Mental Illness, to Deliver Keynote and Anti-Stigma Guidelines at this Event October 3, 2022 After a hiatus of several years, the Governor's Council on Mental Health Stigma* was reactivated in January 2022. U...

September 9, 2022 September Is National Suicide Prevention Month and National Recovery Month Across the nation, drastic shortages of mental healthcare and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment professionals have resulted in only about 28% of the need for these services being met,...

May 25, 2022 Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. (NJAMHAA) is devastated to hear about the horrific loss of 19 students and two teachers, and serious injuries to several more children and ad...

May 23, 2022 Open conversations about mental health that have occurred as a result of the pandemic are helping to eliminate stigma, which is the greatest factor that prevents individuals from seeking help. An extremely powerful tool is sharing experiences with mental health challenges...

May 4, 2022 "The power of hope: That's where we come in as providers. That one interaction, that one engagement can really change the trajectory for an individual in need. You're really looking at a multigenerational solution because we have the opportunity to engage not just the mom,...

April 28, 2022 "[At Carrier Clinic,] I underwent such a major transformation…They really helped me through that darkest phase…It does me a world of good to know that I'm helping others, even if it's in just one small way." -- Shauna Moses, Vice President, Public Affairs and Member...

April 13, 2022 "When it came to therapy and my behavior, they [Youth Consultation Service] gave me guidance on how to live with my mental health disorders. The whole agency kept me on track." - Tamika Walton, Employee, Youth Consultation Service Please click here to watch a video ...

March 31, 2022 The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. (NJAMHAA) will honor Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who also serves as Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs, New Jersey State Senator Vin Gopal (D-11th District) and U.S. Cong...

March 23, 2022 Awards to Be Presented during the Spring Conference, Nurturing Diverse Communities, April 5th at Noon The New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies, Inc. (NJAMHAA) will honor Lieutenant Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who also serves as Commissioner ...

March 22, 2022 On March 21, 2022, Debra Wentz, Ph.D., President and CEO of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA), testified before the New Jersey General Assembly Budget Committee. Dr. Wentz's oral testimony focused on the critical status of the ...

March 14, 2022 NJAMHAA Calls for More Funding to Create New Opportunities for All New Jersey Residents "I was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia…everything shut down for me. With [everyone at] Oaks Integrated Care, I was able to get back to living a normal life…[Now] I feel I...

March 8, 2022 Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO While Governor Murphy only briefly touched on mental health and substance use treatment investments in statements during his budget address today, digging deeper into the State of New Jersey Budget in Brief Summar...

March 2, 2022 Statement from Debra L. Wentz, PhD, President and CEO, NJAMHAA On behalf of the members of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA) and those they serve, I thank President Biden profusely for highlighting our nation's mental health c...

February 16, 2022 NJAMHAA Shares Inspiring Examples, Calls for More Funding to Create More Opportunities As Black History Month highlights the meaningful accomplishments of many individuals, often overcoming great adversity, the New Jersey Association of Mental Health and Addiction ...

December 21, 2021 While the holiday season is a joyful time for many people, especially for those who are able to reunite with friends and family after long separations due to the pandemic, this is unfortunately not the case for many other individuals. Traveling to see loved ones is s...

Children and adults throughout New Jersey represent every ethnicity, race, language, culture, gender identity and religion, and many of them have mental health and/or substance use disorders (SUD). However, many do not have access to community-based services that have been proven to be hi...

Just a few weeks after the assassination of President Jovenel Moïse, the citizens of Haiti are facing much more devastation from an earthquake that claimed the lives of nearly 1,300 individuals, seriously injured at least 5,700 people and left thousands more displaced due to total destru...