Last week, we attended the 1st annual Middlesex County Conference on Mental Health & Addiction Recovery.

The event brought together addiction recovery and mental health professionals, and different state/county agencies to discuss key issues, such as, collaborative approaches to maintaining wellness & sustaining recovery and strengthening families & communities.

Joseph F. Vitale, State Senator, 19th Legislative District, gave the opening remarks.  He discussed various legislation that would improve health care reform for the patients and the professionals.

Dr. Tian Dayton, PhD., was the keynote speaker for the event. She has been a guest expert on NBC, CNN, MSNBC, Montel, Rikki Lake, John Walsh, and Geraldo. She is the author of 15 books in the field of mental health and addiction recovery. She discussed and illustrated the application of Nueropsychodrama in the treatment of relational trauma.  As funeral care professionals, our CareTeam encounters families dealing with the grief related trauma and the doctor provided valuable insight into this area.

The event gave the opportunity for professionals to discuss their personal successes and methodologies in dealing with mental health & addiction recovery. The event even brought Charlie Mills, the drummer from Skid Row and Twisted Sister. Charlie is a founding Member of “The New Jersey Recovery Advocates”, which utilizes advocacy through education and awareness. He is a counselor and someone who is in long-term recovery from substance abuse.

The other attendees were somewhat surprised at our attendance (being the only funeral home attending), however, it opened their eyes to what we are increasingly dealing with. The Conference was well worth attending.

Randy Gagnon