Bernards Voices

In recognition of the 25th Anniversary of National Eating Disorders Awareness Week (February 26-March 3, 2012) the Healthy Outcomes Partnership, an initiative of the Somerset Hills YMCA, invites you to join us in a discussion of healing and hope.

Come hear a young woman share about her struggle with anorexia and her journey to recovery. Listen to our panel of experts as they talk about the signs and symptoms of eating disorders and available treatment options. Get the information and resources you need to help your child, your friend, your loved one.

Everybody Knows Somebody

Wednesday, February 29th, 7:00pm

at the Somerset Hills YMCA

This event is free & open to the community

For more information on this event and other upcoming mental heathworkshops email SusanVisser, Healthy Outcomes Coordinator at svisser@somersethillsymca.org

The Somerset Hills YMCA will be offering a 3 session Mental Health First Aid Training class to the community on Thursdays, February 23rd, March 1st & March 8th 2012 from 5:00pm-9:00pm. Participants must be able to attend all three sessions.  The cost is $75 which includes a light dinner, handbook and materials.

Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking, evidence based public education program that helps participants identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Mental Health First Aid is offered in the form of an interactive 12-hour course that presents an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders in the U.S. and introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common treatments.

Those who take the 12-hour certification course will learn a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care.

This course has benefited a variety of audiences and key professions, including: primary care professionals, employers and business leaders, faith communities, school personnel and educators, state police and corrections officers, nursing home staff, mental health authorities, state policymakers, volunteers, families and the general public.

For more information on this upcoming training contact Susan Visser, Healthy Outcomes Partnership Coordinator at the Somerset Hills YMCA at svisser@somersethillsymca.org or 908-766-7898 x553

The Somerset Hills YMCA will be offering Mental Health First Aid Training to the community on October 18 & 25, 2011.

Mental Health First Aid is a groundbreaking, evidence based public education program that helps participants identify, understand, and respond to signs of mental illnesses and substance use disorders.

Mental Health First Aid is offered in the form of an interactive 12-hour course that presents an overview of mental illness and substance use disorders in the U.S. and introduces participants to risk factors and warning signs of mental health problems, builds understanding of their impact, and overviews common treatments.

Those who take the 12-hour certification course will learn a 5-step action plan to help an individual in crisis connect with appropriate professional, peer, social, and self-help care.

This course has benefited a variety of audiences and key professions, including: primary care professionals, employers and business leaders, faith communities, school personnel and educators, state police and corrections officers, nursing home staff, mental health authorities, state policymakers, volunteers, families and the general public.

For more information on this upcoming training contact Susan Visser, Healthy Outcomes Partnership Coordinator at the Somerset Hills YMCA at svisser@somersethillsymca.org or 908-766-7898 x553

Community Hope will host the Annual Forum on Mental Health on Thursday, May 26, 2011 beginning at 12:45 p.m. at the Lewis Morris Park Cultural Center, 300 Mendham Road in Morris Township.

The theme of this year’s event is “Creating Positive Energy for Wellness: Innovative Strategies for Discovering Inner Strength”. The workshop presentations will be conducted by Jeanne Rohach, a freelance workshop facilitator who specializes in the areas of self-esteem and stress reduction; Anna Marie Van Eck, Director of LearningRx in Florham Park and Debbie Morris, a movement coach.

The Forum is an educational event promoting wellness and recovery for health care professionals; individuals with mental illness; their family members and caregivers. The Forum is also open to the public. For more information or to register go to http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?oeidk=a07e3maqdv6e88c14b6&llr=pytra5bab

Congratulations to the Ridge High School and William Annin Middle School PTOs, which were awarded a Mini-Grant in the amount of $500 from Building Youth. The groups will use the grant to co-sponsor a parenting presentation on November 10 by Michael J. Bradley, Ed.D. called Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy at Ridge H.S. at 7-8:30 p.m.

Using humor and practical advice, Dr. Bradley uses this information to help parents navigate the sometimes stormy waters of adolescence and emerge with the family intact.

For more information, call Carol Jean Floegel at 766-6761.

Keep Your Family Safe this Holiday Season and Read Our Thanksgiving Safety Tips

– From Bernards Township Board of Health

The Bernards Planning Board is currently engaged in a review [aka "reexamination"] of the township master plan.  This task is undertaken every six years and is mandated by state law.  Working meetings are held at Town Hall on the last Wednesday of each month.  Members of the public may observe and there is opportunity for public comment.

“Land Use” is the principal element in the master plan,  The review must include the goals, objectives, and recommendations for land use throughout the township, and this includes residential development.

Bernards currently has many kinds of houses that serve many kinds of households.  However, current regulations restrict new residential development to single family units.  Statewide data over decades has shown that single family units in the aggragate tend to produce fiscal losses, and multifamily units in the aggragate tend to produce fiscal profits.  Extensive data show that we have this condition in Bernards.

There is a simple explanation:  Single family units in Bernards are on average home to four times as many public school students as multifamily units.  The average tax revenue produced for each student from a single family unit is about half the revenue produced for each student from a multifamily unit.     

I propose that the township development regulations be revised to allow the substitution of two townhouse units for each single family unit that is allowed under current zoning, in those locations where there will be no adverse impact on nearby property owners.

In addition to the fiscal benefit, townhouses use and disturb less land.  This is particularly relevant for the future of the quarry land.  A townhouse development on the relatively unsteep south slope will allow the lake and surrounding land to be used for a public park.

I have submitted two letters to the Planning Board supporting this proposal and made a brief presentation to the board on June 24.  To read the letters click on June 17 letter and June 25 letter. 

Bill Allen,  July 10, 2009 and July 27, 2009