July was designated as Minority Mental Health Awareness Month in 2008 to bring awareness to the unique struggles that underrepresented groups face in regard to mental illness in the United States (US).
Dr. Orif Turel, a leading researcher in technology addiction and an associate professor at CSU Fullerton, says compulsively checking Instagram, Facebook and Twitter isn't just fun — it could be hurting our brain.
Understanding the appeal and setting boundaries
When 13 young adults who had experienced homelessness met at the U.S. Capitol for a briefing of congressional staffers, the message was simple.
Children with incarcerated parents and children in foster care, who come disproportionately from poor and minority households, face many threats to their healthy development and lifelong wellbeing
Amid sharply rising rates of teen suicide and adolescent mental illness, two states have enacted laws that for the first time require public schools to include mental health education in their basic curriculum.
A fundamental concept that should drive the development and implementation of your high school program is identifying and creating systems and supports that will assist students with ASD as they transition from school to the adult world.
People can text “summer meals” to 97779 or visithttps://www.fns.usda.gov/summerfoodrocks to find local sites. Both the text number and website provide locations, meals served and times meals are served, based on a person’s zip code.
The pattern of highly accomplished and successful people committing suicide is transfixing. It assures the rest of us that a life of accolades is not all that it’s cracked up to be and that achieving more will not make us happier.
TOMS RIVER - After 37 years serving the most vulnerable people from Lakewood to Little Egg Harbor, Ocean County Hunger Relief will permanently close its doors and cupboards on June 30.
People with disabilities or their families now will be permitted to create a tax-free savings account to pay for housing, transportation and other services to help them lead independent lives, under a program announced Monday by Human Services Commissioner Carole Johnson.
As New Jersey and the United States continues to battle a drug epidemic wreaking havoc on so many, lawmakers are voting on a series of bills aimed at providing solutions to a deadly problem. Read more
The Ocean County Health Department is pleased to announce the start of the 2018 Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) process. The first step in this process is launching the 2018 Ocean County Community Health Needs Assessment Survey to guide the development of goals to improve healthcare in Ocean County over the next five years.
The Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) for the Fiscal Year (FY) 2018 Continuum of Care (CoC) Program Competition has been posted to the FY 2018 CoC Program Competition: Funding Availability page on the HUD Exchange. Additional resources are available on the e-snaps page on the HUD Exchange.
Clinics will be held at the Ocean County Health Department, 175 Sunset Avenue, Toms River, on Friday, July 6, from 1 pm to 3 pm and at the Family Planning Center in Lakewood, 290 River Avenue on Thursday, July 12, from 12 to 2:30 pm.
Their deaths are part of larger trend in the US. Since 1999, suicide rates in the US have risen nearly 30%, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Nearly every state has seen a rise over that period.
TOMS RIVER – The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) will be hosting their 48th Housing Recovery Information Session on June 19 to help homeowners and rental property owners affected by Superstorm Sandy with reconstruction and rehabilitation efforts.
...drug prevention education in schools has evolved significantly since the "Just Say No" days of the '80s — and now typically takes an approach that's more appropriate for the era of ubiquitous weed access. It's one that emphasizes decision-making and critical thinking skills instead of abstinence.
The aim of a new federal law is to reduce the number of children who end up in the troubled foster care system — the biggest reboot of the child welfare system since 1980. But already, the Family First Prevention Services Act, signed into law by President Donald Trump in February, is generating some controversy.
Nearly half a million children go missing every year in the United States, according to the most recent data available from the FBI.
Creating — and sticking to — a summer schedule will make it easier for kids to stay organized, help them manage transitions without melting down and make it less difficult to get back into a good routine when it’s time to go back to school.
This story is part of the “90 for All” series, which examines the challenges facing traditionally underserved students, particularly low-income and homeless students, English learners, students of color, and students with disabilities.
Meeting the emotional challenges of caring for children with mental health issues
If you have a child who may have problems learning or may need special education services, information on what's available will be here.
PFLAG Jersey Shore is proud to announce we have formed a collaboration with Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) and the Ocean County Family Support Organization (FSO) of Toms River! This collaboration allows us to expand our outreach and work with OPC and FSO to increase our service delivery system in Ocean County.
he number of school-age children and adolescents hospitalized for suicidal thoughts or attempts has more than doubled since 2008, according to a new Vanderbilt-led study published today in Pediatrics.
One federally-funded youth life skills program in Madison Heights, Michigan, is at the forefront of addressing these issues, providing entrepreneurship, employment and educational training opportunities to youth who are in foster care in or around the Madison Heights local community.
The “iFamily”, the family centered around technology, is the new normal and the root cause of many of our teen’s struggles.
How heavy Instagram and Facebook use may be affecting kids negatively
Teen suicide is taking more children's lives than cancer, Democratic Sen. and former Gov. Richard Codey said Wednesday as he unveiled a plan to combat the "growing epidemic" with a $1 million grant.
OCEAN COUNTY – Are you or someone you know in need of home repairs? Habitat for Humanity may be able to help!
"Juuling” is the latest trend among high school students but do teens know what they're inhaling?
A new study probes the benefits and drawbacks of digital media use among child and teen campers.
Want to prevent kids from using drugs and make it stick into young adulthood? Get the community involved and intervene before they’re teens, say researchers from the University of Washington.
A new federal law, propelled by the belief that children in difficult homes nearly always fare best with their parents, effectively blows up the nation’s troubled foster care system.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is accepting applications for Mental Health Awareness Training grants (Short Title: MHAT) totaling up to $47.4 million over the next three years.
When you text the word "Stepup" to 732-338-0833, it returns a message that reads "To break the silence and access resources on sexual violence, please visit" and includes a link to the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office's webpage.
TOMS RIVER – Corey Ressler was 22 when he died of an opioid overdose. In the summer of 2010, friends called 911 from Corey’s cell phone, but the call dropped. Someone called 911 from a different location about 30 minutes later, but it was too late.
At an upcoming Knock Out Opioid Abuse town hall meeting, scheduled for May 17 at Calvary Baptist Church in Little Egg Harbor Township, experts plan to discuss with community members the programs and initiatives in place to get more people into treatment and recovery.
On Saturday, May 12, 2018, Toms River Regional Schools will host a unique teacher learning experience entitled Jersey Shore SpEdCamp. In following the EdCampNJ tradition, SpEdCamp 2018 will be unlike traditional conferences with paid speakers and a narrow set of subjects.
An open letter about what the ER can (and can't) do for your child in a psychiatric emergency
Rutgers researchers determine New Jersey’s autism prevalence rate is 1 in 34
The purpose of this program is to build or expand the capacity of State Educational Agencies, in partnership with State Mental Health Agencies (SMHAs) overseeing school-aged youth and local education agencies (LEAS).
TOMS RIVER – Two county freeholders recently dropped by Ocean County College to give a “state of the county” presentation to students and the public.
Two sessions will be held in May, open to all ages 13 and up, male or female.
OCEAN COUNTY – The Ocean County Health Department (OCHD) will be hosting a Community Job Fair on May 17, 2018 from 4-7 p.m. at the department’s main campus, 175 Sunset Ave. in Toms River.
Thousands of children in New Jersey have been through traumatic events that can have profound long-term consequences. It’s our job to help them
UC Davis MIND Institute research finds increased inflammation may be culprit
