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...
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...
Please join us on Thursday, October 29, 2020 at 10am to take part in a 1 hour webinar on combating substance abuse in today's young adolescents. This webinar will be presented by Vanessa DeRosa, Protecting You, Protecting Me Program Coordinator and Amy Argiriou, Botvin's Life Skills Training Program Coordinator. Topics to be discussed include the dangers of underage drinking, effects of alcohol an...
Have a healthy family recipe you think is above the rest? It's time to put it to the test and show others why yours is best! Reminder to all students in grades K-5 that recipe submissions are still being accepted now until November 2, 2020. Students who submit their recipes will receive a goodie bag filled with Mercer Council items and will be automatically entered to win 1 of 3 $25 ShopRite gift ...
The Opioid Overdose Recovery Program (OORP) team has been hard at work during the pandemic, ensuring that the invaluable Recovery Support services typically provided, continue to be available, accessible and effective no matter what challenges and barriers are going on in the world right now. The Mercer OORP team has worked with 921 individuals to ...
Food is an essential element for survival and especially now in these uncertain times, food can increase closeness and unite families and communities through sharing meals together. National Eat Better, Eat Together month serves to promote healthy eating habits among individuals of all ages. The benefits of families who frequently eat dinner together (at least five times per week) include improved...
Mercer Council team members Malissa Arnold, Jocelyn Cooper and David DeCamp all spent their Saturday supporting strong community partner, Recovery Advocates of America as they hosted their 8th Annual 5k Fundraising Walk/Run. Despite the pandemic, Recovery Advocates safely hosted another very popular and well attended event (over 400 participants!!), that not only raises awareness about subst...
Friday afternoon September 4th was a day that will live long in the history of school-based youth service programs. It’s a day where the students of the program took a voice to speak about the value of the program, services, and resources School Based Services offers to over 90 sites across the state of New Jersey. As an employee of Mercer Council and having been a part of the school-based youth s...
Sign up today for Protecting You, Protecting Me lessons! Evidence-based alcohol use prevention program for Grades K-5No cost to schoolsVirtual and/or in person instruction availableSample preview virtual lessons available upon request Please visit the following link for more information: Protecting You, Protecting Me Alcohol Use Prevention Program To inquire more about the program and/or for...
Action Requested: Commissioner Christine Norbut Beyer CUTS ALL Funding to School Based Youth Services Program, (Our ASYSST Program) eliminating mental health services for students. Several weeks ago I began working on a glowing report to share about the incredible Virtual Leadership Academy the ASYSST School Based youth Services Program successfully implemented the last week in ...
The Perfect Storm When opioid addiction and COVID-19 diverge or meet head-on this has created the perfect storm. Both catastrophic events have caused unprecedented challenges to the healthcare system impacting the care that is vital to our patient/client population. COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of our lives from uncertainty of our health as well as our families, unemployment, financial conce...
Many of us have experienced some sort of traumatic event in our lives, and times like the present can intensify feelings such as hopelessness and fear. "Trauma is an exposure to an extraordinary experience that presents a physical or psychological threat to oneself or others and generates a reaction of helplessness and fear (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2013). The exposure may have...
Our hearts are heavy, as we mourn and attempt to process the lives we've recently lost, who were taken from their families and communities too soon, unjustly and unfairly. As we sit and reflect on the recent tragedies, we understand and acknowledge that this racial and systematic injustice has been pervasive and long standing and that the result has been countless loss of lives for so many b...
Our thoughts are with our community, colleagues, partners, first responders and front line and essential workers during this challenging time! We are in this together, and because of that, we are stronger. Thinking of you and sending positive energy for health and well-being. Our staff have been very hard at work, continuing to deliver important services to the community, in meaningful and creativ...
Since 1949 May has been observed as Mental Health Month in the United States, and according to NAMI (the National Alliance on Mental Illness): 1 in 5 adults in the US experience a mental health condition in any given year. During this time of physical distancing, managing good mental health can be challenging. However, there are 2 practical tools anyone can use to add to their daily routine...
What do trampolines, toy trucks, popsicles, water talkies, earmuffs, and pringles hooks have in common? They were all invented by kids! May is National Inventor's Month! It's time to celebrate creativity and the inventions made by children and adults both in the past and present. Put on your thinking caps and check out the list of resources below dedicated to this topic. You might just discover th...
Want to stay connected with your kids? Try your cell phone.
Looking for a fun and interactive activity to play with your bored teen? Look no further than your own phone. I was recently chatting with my 20 plus year-old goddaughter about things to do during COVID-19 and she asked me if I had downloaded game pigeon? I had never heard about game pigeon. She explained that it was easy, fun and a way that I could interact with her as well as my two teenage children.
It’s as simple as downloading it from your app store. Its free and easy to download. Once another person has it on their phone, you can engage in playing fun games like scrabble, archery, pool and several other youth-oriented games. If you’re anything like me, you may only see your phone as a place to store numbers, but increasingly our phones are becoming our computers for a variety of life necessity functions. As far as I know, this is strictly for I phone users at the present time.
As we journey along during this unprecedented time, its important to find ways to stay connected. Something as simple as an interactive phone game with a teen sitting upstairs in their room alone can bridge a gap without seeming overzealous or irritating. It’s a simple invitation. And if they decline, don’t feel bad… you can even play some of the games alone. Even we adults need some time to break the monotony of our day.
Let’s continue to find creative ways to stay occupied, united and safe as we as we charter through COVID-19 together!
Tough Times Don't Last, But Tough People Do. As we all are enduring this difficult unprecented time during the COVID-19 pandemic, may the above underlined quote serve as a reminder that this time will pass and we will come out of it stronger than ever. With many unknowns surrounding us along with the stress, fear, and concern that individuals are facing, remembering the inner strengths we each pos...
April is nationally recognized as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the National Safety Council has postponed Distracted Driving Awareness Month to an undetermined date for later this year. Currently, there is less travel on the roadways due to the stay at home order put in place in the efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19. Even though Distracted Driving Awar...
As a child, I recall a woman in our church singing a song written by George Beverly that said “In times like these, we need a Savior; In times like these, we need an anchor; Be very sure, be very sure, you anchor holds and grips the solid Rock”When the life altering and crisis of COVID-19 arrived in the US , our lives became a storm of great unpredictability and fear. With so many aspects of our l...
How are you spending your time of social distancing? During this time at home in our domains, it is especially important to protect our bodies and brains! Our brains and body can benefit from the following things, try them out and experience the joy it brings! (Brain craft featured in collage picture courtesy of My Amazing Brain by TeachersPayTeachers website, link below) Check out the follo...
Our brain is the boss of our body, in charge of everything we do as human beings, and the most important part of our body. These statements are just a few of the many important messages children learn in the Protecting You, Protecting Me alcohol use prevention program delivered by Mercer Council. Our brain is so important, it has a whole week dedicated to it! Brain Awareness week was introduced in...
Known for our dedication to substance related prevention in the Mercer County Community over the past 40+ years, many familiar with Mercer Council are unaware that we facilitate an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) that provides free, short-term, confidential counseling services for employees and household members of approximately 15-20 local businesses. Mercer Council has licensed and...
January 9, 2020 was Law Enforcement Appreciation Day. Thanks to our School Security Coordinator, Don Ellison, for connecting us with retired local, law enforcement officer, George Cahill. Mr. Cahill also works for the Ewing High School district, and agreed to speak with our students in observance of the day. Our goal was to host a discussion about bridging the relationship gap between law en...
Several ASYSST Members met the staff on Saturday December 28 at Preferred Care Nursing and Rehab Center to meet and greet a group of nursing home residents for a combined art project. The initiative was spearheaded by Shakita Johnson ( youth development specialits) who organized New Year stencils and colored pencils and markers. Students strategically sat at the tables with the residents and engaged in friendly "chit chat" while coloring. The residents enjoyed the opportunity to interact with students and vice versa. 90 year old resident Esther P. quipped "They are such well behaved kids, they can visit us anytime". 16 year old ASYSST Student Morris reported " I learned a lot from the seniors... I really liked doing this!"
Program Director Gregory Smith said "Our hope is to engage the students from ASYSST in similar projects in the future as a way to learn to give back and in the process receive so much more"
On Thursday December 5, 2019, Mercer Council on Alcoholism and Drug Addiction hosted a company holiday dinner. The evening was filled with an abundance of good food, good friends, and good times. This exquisite event was not only a time of gathering and reflection, but also a time of appreciation. Mercer Council celebrated each other with heart-filled words of affirmation that was shared by the Me...
Matt Kiefer, owner of Kiefer Landscaping, and longstanding Board Member of the Mercer Council, planned and implemented the beginning stages of an exciting new project that the Mercer Council will begin developing in the new year. Matt has tapped into his craft to leave a lasting impact on the Mercer Council grounds and on the critical prevention work we do, and lives we touch. We...
Cotton candy, gummy bear, banana smash and mint. Enticing flavors tobacco companies are using to hook a new generation of kids to their products. A ploy they’ve been using for decades -- because it works. According to the 2019 Youth Tobacco Survey, 97% of youth e-cigarette users choose flavors and four out of five who have used tobacco started with a flavored product. That’s because fl...
Mercer Council Opioid Overdose Recovery Program (OORP) team members met this afternoon for their November staff meeting. OORP’s trained and uniquely qualified Recovery Specialists (Peers) are individuals with lived experience who are in recovery from substance related challenges. Peers are dispatched to Mercer County hospitals/emergency departments to meet bedside with i...
Mercer Council on Alcoholism & Drug Addiction
1931 Brunswick Avenue
Lawrence Township, NJ 08648
Tel - (609) 396-5874
Email - mcada@mercercouncil.org
Hours - Mon - Fri 8am - 4pm
