OceanMHS was awarded grant from the New Jersey Hurricane Relief Fund to continue our Hurricane Sandy to continue providing our Path to Renewal Program through June 30th, 2014. The program provides individual and group counseling as well as community based education.

This program is unique in that individual outpatient counseling can be arranged either in one of our offices (Bayville or Manahawkin) of at another Ocean County location of the client’s choice. Early on we realized some people who needed these services lost their transportation, were displaced from their homes, or needed to be at their home to meet with contractors to oversee renovations. Our goal was to make it as easy and convenient as possible for people to address their mental health and trauma needs.

The case management and community education component has also helped many Ocean County citizens to understand when they are feeling the trauma of the storm, and learn what they can do if they need help processing, accepting and addressing their new life circumstances. In addition, we help educate the community on how the trauma of the storm may have triggered a past trauma in a person’s life, and where that person can get help. The community educator has presented to workplaces, community groups, and individuals.

“This grant could not have come at a better time,” shares OceanMHS Director of Adult Clinical Services. “We have seen in increase in the amount of need, and we want to keep providing these valuable services as long as we can.” Thanks to the generosity of the NJ Hurricane Sandy relief Fund, we know the program will be here for at least one more year.