Mercer Council News

Hello all!  Happy New Year and I hope the holidays have treated you well.  Last year, we touched upon many topics in this parenting series. While I am just someone who is a dashboard for parenting concerns and information, I have found such inspriation in my coworkers and their expertise on different topics. This year they will be featured in between our regularly scheduled programs. Whi...

In the program I teach called Protecting You, Protecting Me (for children in grades K-5), one of the topics I discuss with students is the reasons for rules and laws. They learn that rules and laws are in place to protect themselves and others (i.e. wearing a helmet to protect the brain), show respect toward others (i.e. being polite), and to show order (i.e. not cutting others while in line at a ...

You are witnessing STICKER SHOCK! (at Joe Canal's Discount Liquors in Lawrenceville) So what is sticker shock? A sticker shock is where youth and leaders approach an alcohol retailer in our community and arrange to place a sticker reminder on packaged goods. On some color boxes, the circular neon green stickers really POP out and grab your attention. Often the PCMC members and youth sticker over 1...

A special thank you to all who participated in the Healthy Family Food Recipe Submission Contest. Three winners have been selected to receive a $25 ShopRite gift card, a goodie bag filled with Mercer Council giveaway items, and have their recipes featured in an upcoming recipe book. Congratulations Gionna, Vanya, and Isabelle! Your recipes look and sound delicious and are truly a healthy choice fo...

Dear Mercer Council Family, Friends and Community –   At the close of the year 2020, a year quite like no other, we reflect on the hardships, the uncertainty, the pain and loss, social and physical isolation, among many other challenges the year has thrown at us.  This year has been an emotional roller coaster, at times very difficult and uncomfortable to bear.  We’ve seen our colle...

On Thursday's at 12pm for the past two months, I have had the pleasure of hosting and answering questions for our "Let's Have A Conversation" series. Last week's presenation, LGBTQIA+ Youth and Drug Use Trends touched upon many important topics and concerns- thank you to those who attended. Here is the link to that YouTube video:  The last presentation of the year on December 17th, Signs To K...

Last week on December 3rd, I had the pleasure of talking to the group about having conversations with children before it matters. We discussed not only word choice, brain development, and trauma, but navigating through unknowns with children. Here is the link to the last parenting program:  This week, 12/10, LGBTQIA Youth and How To Help Them Get Through Adolesence  and What Can You Do T...

On Thursday, November 19th, I talked about stress and peer pressure for teens during Covid-19 and the Holidays. Meetings are still taking place every Thursday at 12:00PM - 1:00PM for any parenting questions you may have. Our Schedule will remain as follows:   This week, 12/3, we will be discussing how to talk to your kids BEFORE it matters. Here is the video from last meeting:  Next...

Greetings to our Mercer Council Family, Extended Family, Community Partners and Mercer County Community - It is hard to believe that the holiday season is upon us.  It has been a tumultuous year, filled with pain, suffering, sickness, loss, unpredictability, financial instability, social/physical isolation, among other hardships.  With these things, however, has come a sense of deep...

On October 29,2020 Program Coordinators, Amy Argiriou,and Vanessa DeRosa presented a webinar on Parental Empowerment: Combating Substance Abuse In Young  Adolescents.The webinar focused on a discussion on the dangers of underage drinking, effects of alcohol and drugs on the developing brain, and how to talk to your kids about drugs and alcohol. We know with the pandemic, working from home, po...

With colder weather arriving, COVID cases rising, and economic hardships abounding, Mercer Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction has been searching for creative ways to support other organizations involved in the fight against Substance Use Disorder.  Mercer Council has serviced the Mercer County location for the statewide DMHAS-funded Opioid Overdose Recovery Program (OORP), which provide...

I had the pleasure of hosting our weekly Parenting series centered around peer pressure. With stories shared and valuable input from participants, I am excited to know the potential for this prorgram.  This is the first session on Peer Pressure in General- A New Persepctive, that premiered on Thursday, November 12th, on our YouTub Channel:    This is what the rest of the series will...

(Graphic from Cannibisinvestor) Although not completely unexpected, the marijuana amendment to the New Jersey Constitution passed by 67% of voters in favor. While many feel this will ameliorate the travesty of racial injustice, and be a boon to all economies, those in prevention remain cautiously skeptical. Injustices with racial biases need to be addressed, but a sweeping amendment like this may ...

This past week, I was honored to be invited to share space with Stacey Ross and Marc North of Recovery Advocates of America on their show, 'The Fix'.  In addition to their roles at Recovery Advocates, Stacey and Marc are also Recovery Specialists on Mercer Council's OORP Team.  Through both of their roles, they are well versed in all things recovery and we are lucky to have their voices....

Mercer Council is currently interviewing qualified candidates to fill two openings in our Available School Youth Services Support Team (ASYSST) School Based Youth Services Program at Ewing High School!   Both positions allow for freedom to create a variety of activities and programming to support the school community, students and families as they navigate the high school years and challenges...

  As the world is changing and while it looks different from even ten years ago, I will try to effectively convey the difficulty in growing up in this tech world. Peer pressure looks different than it did a generation ago. Starting Thursday, November 12th at 12 pm to 1 pm, I will be hosting a weekly parenting meeting where I will discuss peer pressure in today’s youth. I will touch on many to...

Small ways you can give back to our community during this season of giving thanks:   Purchase a Reusable Give Back Where it counts Bag at ACME Supporting local non-profits has never been more important than it is right now! Give back to your local community by purchasing a $3.00 reusable GIVE BACK WHERE IT COUNTS Bag at the ACME located at 953 NJ - 33, Hamilton Square, NJ&...

In support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Mercer Council staff wore pink and spent a portion of our weekly staff meeting discussing the importance of prioritizing health and how Council's work in substance use prevention education impacts the overall health and well-being of every individual.  Studies show that a woman’s risk for breast cancer increases with the more alcohol she ...

  For many of us, 2020 has been like no other in recent memory. Public health restrictions caused by the crippling coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic have led to cancelled sporting events, concerts and other leisure activities we were accustomed to enjoying. Many vacations, graduations, and large celebrations have been put on hold, or eliminated. Despite the adjustments caused by th...

  We are pleased to report that in early October, Governor Phil Murphy devised a last minute budget adjustment with the support of  several legislative leaders that  approved the restoration of the School Based Youth Service Program!  This decision results in the restoration of Mercer Council’s ASYSST Program and nearly 100 other school based youth service programs, effective O...