NJMentalHealthCares is New Jersey’s behavioral health information and referral service. Our profession staff of trained specialists uses their experience and understanding of the behavioral health system to provide callers information and connect them to the services they need, such as: legal, housing, employment, rehabilitation, inpatient and outpatient, self-help and more. Our specialists also provide supportive counseling on the telephone, psycho-education, advocacy and telephone case management to ensure every caller is linked to their desired service plan. NJ MentalHealthCares uses most up-to-date listing of NJ’s public behavioral health services. A follow-up call and ongoing telephonic case management is offered to every  …

There is no health without mental health! It is important to realize that both mental health and physical health play important roles in overall wellness.The National Institute of Mental Health indicates that about one in five adults in the U.S. live with a mental illness. For example, feelings of stress, anxiety and sadness can impact our heart functioning and immune system. According to the Center for Medicare and Medicaid services, behavioral health encompasses mental, emotional and social wellness and actions that impact wellness. Learning about mental health and substance misuse conditions can help you become more aware of when outside  …

Take a moment to consider your surroundings. Do you feel safe? Do you have access to health care and grocery stores? Does your home support you, both physically and mentally? Challenge yourself to look at your world and how different factors can affect your mental health. Where a person is born, lives, learns, works, plays, and gathers, as well as their economic stability and social connections, are part of what is called “social determinants of health” (SDOH). The more these factors work in your favor means you are more likely to have better mental well-being. However, when it seems like  …

Healthcare practitioners employ an array of modalities in the treatment of physical and mental health disorders. Medication management, therapy, exercise and other lifestyle changes are regularly recommended.  Often overlooked is an inexpensive option for the maintenance of good physical and mental health: nature. There is now a significant body of evidence supporting the mental health benefits of outdoor immersion. “Green therapy” known as ecotherapy, has been shown to alleviate symptoms of depression.  In the early 1980’s, the forest agency of Japan encouraged people to walk in the woods for better health. Known as “forest bathing” or shinrin-yoku, the practice was  …