Jennifer Obsuth

November 2019 Brick, NJ—When Justin was accepted as an Intern in Preferred Behavioral Health Group’s School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) at Brick Township High School, he was hoping for a good experience for his final year as a social work major student at Rutgers University. He is now realizing that this experience is providing both an opportunity for him to uniquely help students and an opportunity for him to forge his own path toward self-discovery. Justin, now 25, grew up in Brick Township in a loving family. When he was middle-school-aged, he began to realize that he was “not like the other boys” when it came to his sexuality, and realized he was gay. He often struggled with anxiety and panic episodes as he grappled with understanding himself and seeking his own place in the world. He acted out with different types of rebellion, and when he started at Brick Township High School as a freshman, he was put in remedial classes. As a sophomore, a friend invited him to a Gay Straight Alliance club meeting, one of the groups coordinated by the SBYSP at the high school.  Justin enjoyed the group meetings and they gave him confidence to be comfortable with who he was. In addition to hosting groups and providing programs centering around mental health issues, the SBYS staff are professional counselors who offer an open-door policy for students needing counseling or a listening ear. Justin met Dave Seegert, the director of the SBYSP; and the drop-in policy allowed him to spend time with Dave several times a month whenever he needed someone to talk to about his emotions and anxiety. During the next few years, Justin graduated out of the remedial classes, and Dave was his “go-to” and helped keep him centered. “Dave gave me the confidence to believe I had strengths and helped me to accept myself,” said Justin. After graduation, Justin spent several years at Ocean County College discovering his strengths and then embarked on a path to become a Social Worker. He enrolled in the Rutgers BSW (Bachelor of Social Work) program and will now graduate in the spring. When choosing his internship location, Justin had two goals in mind. He wanted to work with teens and wanted to be involved with the LGBTQ community. He reached out to Dave, was accepted, and was on his way back to the high school he graduated from not that many years ago. What’s it like to be back? Justin is realizing how important the SBYSP was for him as a student and is intent on giving back to those with whom he shares a similar path. As an intern, Justin is running several lunch groups, sees students one-on-one, and is facilitating group activities in the classrooms. Dave is now his supervisor, a different role than a counselor, but Justin sees him as his mentor. “Now I have an even greater respect for him; he has so much to do, but still makes time for me.” Upon graduation, Justin plans to earn his Master’s Degree in Social Work and then become a Licensed Clinical Social Worker; quite a journey from his early days in high school!  “In the School Based Youth Services Program, I made a lot of friends and connections; it prepared me and taught me how to manage the panic and anxiety better. I learned that I can push through, no matter what. The program is invaluable – an amazing program with people that care.” Preferred Behavioral Health Group’s School-Based Youth Services Program is in four schools:  Brick Township High School, Brick Memorial High School, Veterans Middle School, and Lakewood High School. For more information, contact Dave Seegert at dseegert@brickschools.org

October 2019. Bridgewater. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA) presented Preferred Behavioral Health Group (PBHG) with the Outstanding Employer Award at its recent Awards of Excellence Reception held in Bridgewater. PBHG was cited for its innovative and comprehensive initiatives for its staff of over 400. The award was presented by NJBIA President and CEO Michele Siekerka and accepted by PBHG CEO Mary Pat Angelini. In its presentation, PBHG was cited for its robust internship program which enables undergraduate and graduate level students the opportunity to gain the skills and experience required for their degrees, while also fortifying a recruitment pool for future positions. In addition, the organization has begun the process of becoming a Trauma-Informed Care organization which benefits both the employees and the clients served by better understanding the effects of trauma on an individual. Preferred Behavioral Health Group also has a wide array of employee benefits which provide recognition and promote retention. Caption Mary Pat Angelini, left, accepts the Outstanding Employer Award from NJBIA’s Michele Siekerka.

October 25, 2019. Ocean County—Preferred Behavioral Health Group (PBHG) is asking the public for donations of new or gently used coats for children and adults to support families in our communities that are homeless and struggling with mental illness. The PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) program at PBHG provides intensive community-based outreach to adults who are mentally ill, homeless, or those who are in immediate danger of becoming homeless in northern Ocean County. Services include outreach, mental health screening, mental health, and referrals for primary health care, job training, educational services, and housing. All sizes of coats and jackets are needed. There are three convenient drop off locations: BRICK: Preferred Center for Children and Families, 1500 Route 88, Brick: Mondays 9-9, Tuesday-Thursdays 9-5, Fridays 9-4, and Saturdays/Sundays 9-5; TOMS RIVER: 591 Lakehurst Road: Monday to Friday from 10 am – 4 pm; and LAKEWOOD: 725 Airport Road, Suite 7G: Monday to Friday from 9-4. The deadline for the coat drive is Wednesday, November 13. For more info, contact Danielle Farrell at dfarrell@preferredbehavioral.org. Thank you!

September 30, 2019 New Jersey Department of Children and Families’ Assistant Commissioner Niurca Louis recently visited the Brick Township School Based Youth Services Program (SBYSP) to connect with program staff and learn about the history and successes of School Based Programs which serve nearly 30,000 students state-wide in 97 school districts.  Preferred Behavioral Health Group has operated SBYSPs since 1988 in the Lakewood School District and since 2000 in the Brick School District.  During this visit, school officials and agency leaders discussed the importance of maintaining strong prevention and intervention services to youth by way of School Based Programs since school is where they spend so many hours of their adolescent years on a regular basis. According to Dave Seegert, PBHG School-Based Program Director, “There is no better place to access critical mental health services that also build meaningful social connections with peers and adults than School Based Programs.  Our model breaks down all the barriers and obstacles to receiving effective treatment.  Students can access our programs free of charge, on their own terms, for 9-hours a day, 12-months a year.  This level of involvement has proven to be the success of School Based for over 3 decades.” For more information on these programs, contact Dave at dseegert@brickschools.org. Caption: From left to right: Bill Kleissler, Brick Township High School Principal, Dave Seegert, PBHG Director of School Based Programs, Niurca Louis, DCF Assistant Commissioner, PBHG CEO Mary Pat Angelini and Tara Chalakani, PBHG Vice President of Mental Health Services for Youth and Families.

September 24, 2019— Ocean County, NJ – The Nicholson Foundation has awarded Preferred Behavioral Health Group (PBHG) a $1.1 million grant to pilot a project in Ocean County that will benefit Ocean County infants and toddlers aged 0-36 months and their parents who are recovering from a substance use disorder. The In-Home Recovery Program (IHRP) will be run in partnership with the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, the Yale Center for Child Studies, and the NJ Department of Child Protection and Permanency (DCP&P). The IHRP will provide the support needed for families to remain in their homes while parents are receiving treatment for substance use disorders. Child and family therapists and family support specialists will work closely with the enrolled families and offer parenting education, linkages and referrals to community resources, problem-solving tools, and more. “Too often we see young children removed from their homes which can cause irreparable trauma while adding further stress to parents who are struggling to stay in recovery,” said Tara Chalakani, PBHG Vice President of Mental Health Services for Youth and Families and the project lead. “Rather than weaken family bonds through separation, we expect to strengthen the bonds between parent and child.” Yale University piloted this program in Connecticut for one county, and its success is spreading through the state and now is active in 18 Connecticut counties. The Nicholson Foundation, based in Newark, is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of vulnerable populations in New Jersey. “As we watched the success of this program in Connecticut, we wanted to bring it to New Jersey, said Shannon Ayers, PhD, Senior Program Officer for The Nicholson Foundation. “We chose Ocean County based on the proliferation of individuals struggling with opioid use disorders, and we chose Preferred Behavioral Health Group to manage the project due to their 40 plus years of experience providing mental health and substance use programs and services for all ages,” she continued. “Parental separation is one of the greatest traumas of childhood, so if we can provide the supports to keep babies and toddlers in a stable environment in their home, we may be able to stop the cycle.” Chalakani said. Hiring for the program is in process, and families will be enrolled beginning in January of 2020. It is an 18-month pilot project. For more information, email info@preferredbehavioral.org. For IHRP job listings, see www.preferredbehavioral.org/careers. ### Preferred Behavioral Health Group is a non-profit organization that has served the community for over 40 years.  PBHG provides mental health and substance abuse education, prevention, support and treatment.  Its mission is to deliver quality and compassionate behavioral health services to individual and families all the time.  For more information:  www.preferredbehavioral.org.

August 20, 2019. Brick—Preferred Behavioral Health Group (PBHG) announced it has received a Major Grant in the amount of $10,000 from The Provident Bank Foundation to support their Shore Adolescent Independent Living  (SAIL) program in Toms River. Preferred Behavioral Health Group was selected to receive the grant based on their 41-year history of providing mental health and substance use programs in the area.  The SAIL program provides critical programming five days a week to teens 13-18 years of age that live with a mental health condition. The students receive individual, group, and family therapy as well as academic education, psychiatric treatment and medication monitoring. The grant from Provident Bank Foundation will support the program by assisting with the transportation costs enabling the teens to get to and from the program. “As with any daily program, often the greatest challenge is providing participants with reliable transportation,” said Mary Pat Angelini, PBHG President and CEO “We are extremely appreciative of Provident Bank for helping us bring this successful program to youth with mental health challenges throughout Ocean County,” she continued. “The Provident Bank Foundation is honored to help further initiatives that are making a difference in the lives of residents in our local area,” said Jane Kurek, Executive Director, The Provident Bank Foundation. “We are pleased to support organizations that contribute to a sense of community and offer a diverse set of programs that make people healthier, happier and safer.” The goal of the Major Grant is to support organizations that have identified an immediate need in the community and for the individuals they serve. The Provident Bank Foundation’s funding directly supports efforts to enhance the quality of life in the New Jersey and Pennsylvania communities served by Provident Bank through three Funding Priority Areas: Community Enrichment, Education, and Health, Youth & Families. Picture Caption. Jane Kurek, Executive Director of The Provident Bank Foundation (2nd from left), along with Stacey Kavanagh, VP/Market Manager of Provident Bank (left) and Virginia Tesch,VP/Market Manager of Provident Bank (far right) presented The Provident Bank Foundation’s $10,000 Major Grant to Mary Pat Angelini, Preferred Behavioral Health Group President and CEO . About Preferred Behavioral Health Group Preferred Behavioral Health Group is the premier mental health and substance use provider serving Ocean and Monmouth Counties and beyond, helping to build up individuals, communities, and families so they can live improved lives, embrace healthy lifestyles, and can enjoy a higher quality of mental, psychological, and physical health. For more information, visit www.preferredbehavioral.org About The Provident Bank Foundation The Provident Bank Foundation was established in 2003 by Provident Bank to enhance the quality of life in the region through support of not-for-profit groups, institutions, schools and other 501(c)(3) organizations that provide services in communities served by the Bank. Since inception, the Foundation has granted more than $25 million to not-for-profit organizations and institutions working toward stronger communities. For more information, visit www.theprovidentbankfoundation.org or call (862) 260-3990.

July, 2019 — Last year, we began an extensive renovation of our mental health outpatient center in Lakewood. Titled, “Be The Change,” the goal of the renovation is to strengthen healing and comfort through interior updates and enhancements using evidenced-based design. Here in our news blog, we will begin featuring different aspects of this renovation, beginning with our chosen wall art. For more information on our campaign to fund this renovation, please contact Linda Keenan at lkeenan@preferredbehavioral.org. At Preferred Behavioral Health Group, we recognize that all environmental factors impact healing and wellness.  For this renovation, every interior design element, including the artwork, was selected for the positive impact it would generate. Research has indicated that patients exposed to nature or images of nature, were likely to heal more quickly.  In addition, they exhibited less stress and required less pain medication.  Therefore, we curated our artwork from 2 photographers whose work focused on nature and resonated with our wellness initiative –Dr. Henry Domke and Parker Hilton.  Dr. Henry Domke was a Family Practice Physician for over 20 years, but he always had in interest in photography.  He completed a graduate program in Fine Arts and combined his passions to launch an art collection of photographs of native plants and animals.  He works closely with interior healthcare designers to provide the artistic pieces that will enhance and promote wellness.  After his career as a physician, he continues to heal through his photographic art.  Parker Hilton is a native of the New Jersey shore.  Starting his career as a professional travel and fashion photographer, Parker later completed a graduate program in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  He has now found innovative ways to combine his passion for photography with his understanding of the clinical benefits that art can have as part of overall wellness and healing.  Here at our Lakewood location, the art and artists have compelling stories.  But more importantly, the stories of how the art has moved individuals a positive way while visiting our site are the stories of which we are the proudest.

June 2019. In January of this year, PBHG began a journey to become a Trauma-Informed organization. What is Trauma-Informed Care? The definition: a framework of thinking and acting, which is directed by understanding the profound neurological, biological, psychological, and social effects trauma has on an individual. In simpler terms, it means that we recognize there are all types of trauma that impact who we are and who we have become. We ask “what’s happened to you?” rather than “what’s wrong with you?”. Being a trauma-informed organization has many benefits for both our employees and the consumers we serve. At PBHG, we recognize that being a trauma-informed organization is a process and not a destination. We have a Trauma-Informed Care Change Team meeting regularly to shape this process and the team has just finalized the first of a number of tool kits designed for employees and consumers. To learn more about trauma and trauma-informed care, please click the link below to take a look at our first Toolkit. For questions or comments, email us at tic@preferredbehavioral.org. https://www.preferredbehavioral.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/TIC-Toolkit-1.docx

May 1, 2019. By Mary Pat Angelini. Well, it is that time of year again…spring is in the air and we are all counting down the days till summer break.  For many parents, this is also the time of year when our children are planning proms and graduation parties.  We at Preferred Behavioral Health Group want to remind you to make this a safe and sober time for your children and communities.  Young people are bombarded with messages about alcohol every day.  Unfortunately, many of these messages are not reality based… The reality is that underage drinking can lead to car crashes, drowning, personal injury accidents, unplanned pregnancies and school failure.  The messages parents send to children about alcohol are crucial.  Many parents allow their teenage children to drink alcohol at home in an effort to teach them how to drink responsibly.  They may have good intentions, but the results can be deadly.  What parents do, in fact, is facilitate their child’s comfort with alcohol by sending a dangerous mixed message.  Too many adults think underage drinking is harmless or worse – acceptable if parents take cars keys away from youth.  Every year we hear about teens dying from alcohol poisoning or alcohol related poisonings and drowning that occur after adults provide alcohol to youth.  Nobody has the right to endanger the welfare of someone else’s child by providing them with alcohol. Individuals who purchase, provide or pour alcohol for anyone under age 21, except their own child, is breaking New Jersey law and can be charged under state or municipal law.  Underage drinking is illegal, has long term health consequences and is a factor in all five of the leading causes of death among youth.  We want this to be a happy prom and commencement season, underage drinking isn’t part of that picture. So please make time to talk to your children and set clear boundaries.  Surveys show that parents have a tremendous impact and influence on their children’s decisions about drinking.   It is imperative that parents are aware of the risks posed to their children, most especially at this festive time of year.  Proms, graduation and the parties that follow make this a perfect time to talk to your child about alcohol and to set up some prevention strategies.  Make a Safety Plan–  Talk to your teen about not drinking and driving and not being a passenger in unsafe circumstances.  Who will they call if they need a ride?  Role play some scenarios until you are sure they will not be pressured to take any unnecessary risks. Hiring a Limo-Don’t leave the hiring to your teen.  Make the arrangements yourself, and make it clear that the driver is to make no stops other than those you’ve pre-authorized.  Ask what measures the driver takes to prevent the limousine from becoming a place for children to drink.  Renting Hotel Rooms-In general, hotels don’t rent to minors and need a parent’s involvement.  A parent whose credit card is used is liable for damages, which can be considerable if a party gets out of hand.  Don’t let your child attend a hotel party unless you know and trust the chaperones. Throwing a Post Prom Party at Home– Make it clear that you won’t allow gate-crashers.  Get advance agreement with your teen on the party rules.  Greet guests at the door.  Your teen will want you to keep a low profile, but it is responsible to circulate.  Check your yard periodically.  Do not serve alcohol! If the party is at Someone Else’s House-Call the host parent in advance to find out the ground rules.  Find out when the party will end and who will be chaperoning.  If your child has more than one party invitation on prom night, it’s safest to have him/her pick one for the evening and not party-hop. Through our prevention unit, Prevention First offers a wide variety of information regarding the dangers of underage drinking, the legal consequences of hosting underage drinking in your home and how parents and other family members can host safe and fun alcohol free events for youth.  Call us at 732-458-1700 ext. 3102 or visit our resource center for free information on this and many other related topics at 185 Rt. 36, Building B, Suite B20, West Long Branch, NJ 07764. Mary Pat Angelini, Chief Executive Officer, Preferred Behavioral Health Group

April 2019. Special thanks to Jim and Carmella for sharing their very personal story to inspire and bring hope to those suffering from mental illness. The road was not an easy one for Jim and Carmella of Toms River. They were both diagnosed with bi-polar disease early in their 20’s, and spent several decades struggling to find happiness, success, and peace. Jim (age 55) started with Preferred Behavioral Health Group (PBHG) when he was 23 in our Interact and DARE programs, but he had difficulty adhering to the guidelines and the structure. In his words: “I bottomed out and continued to drink, which made my mental illness worse – I was in denial.” His illness caused paranoia, anxiety, and depression. Over the next decade, he was in and out of psychiatric hospitals; returning regularly to our Interact program (which is a partial care program in Lakewood that runs daily Monday to Friday, providing therapy and services to support those with mental illness). He lost his driver’s license due to his drinking and was heavily fined as a result. His last hospitalization was in 2004, and he has spent many years living in a PBHG group home and until recently, a PBHG apartment. Carmella (age 53) began in a PBHG group home in 1986, but said she left soon after beginning. She returned to her roots in north Jersey but began associating with people that were not a good influence on her. “I spent the next 20 years in my drug addiction and mental illness and ended up in 2005 living in my car,” she said. After a hospitalization, she was referred to the Interact program, and slowly began to turn her life around. Jim and Carmella met in 2005 at a peer-led support center, and their relationship bloomed when they were both in Interact. They got engaged in 2007 and married in 2009! Jim and Carmella both have a strong work ethic; while in Interact they reached out to learn more about PBHG’s Supported Employment and Education program.  The Supported Employment program provides individualized service offering help with resumes, interview skills, on and off-site job coaching, and even transportation. Supported Education (offered in Monmouth, Ocean, Cape May and Atlantic counties) supports those interested or enrolled in post-secondary and certificate programs. Both Jim and Carmella have worked at a number of different jobs, receiving help from the Supported Employment program, and Carmella eventually opened up her own office cleaning business in 2008, “Carmella’s Cleaning Crew.” Carmella also was encouraged and supported in her efforts to go back to school and she received her Associate’s degree in business administration from Ocean County College in 2018. Jim and Carmella now run the business together. Both eventually needed less support from the Interact program and “graduated” to the StepDown program run in the evenings. A few years ago, they began serving as “Peer Specialists” at the Interact program, because they wanted to help others find their way. “If I didn’t accept the help from Preferred, the way I was going, I’d be dead.” said Carmella. “Preferred helped me obtain two of my life goals: to get my college degree and to get married!” Today, Jim and Carmella are doing very well. Their illnesses are controlled by medication, they are happily married, running their own cleaning business, and they recently moved into a non-PBHG apartment for 55+ seniors in Toms River.  “But this is not where we are going to finish,” said Carmela. “I want to continue my education and Jim wants to pursue getting his personal training certificate. We want to grow our business and keep helping others.” For more information on our Supported Employment and Education programs, please contact Jimmy Mezzo at jmezzo@preferredbehavioral.org. For information on our partial care programs, Primetime and Interact, contact Keryn Shane at kshane@preferredbehavioral.org.