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NFSB Inclusive Healthy Communities Program Training Enters New Phase
Nutley Family Service Bureau (NFSB) continues to advance the Inclusive Healthy Communities program with new training for both NFSB staff and our community partners.
In 2022, NFSB was awarded a grant from the New Jersey Division of Disability Services to launch the program with the goal of creating a more inclusive, accessible place to live for people with disabilities. Jackie Gebhardt-Burns, LPC, ACS, NFSB Program Director, Mental Health Services, is now overseeing the initiative.
The primary focus in recent months has been scheduling 102-level training with fellow IHC partner organizations, including the Township of Nutley, Nutley Public Schools, Nutley Senior Manor, and the local clergy council.
Disability Awareness Training: Engagement
While 101-level training focused on education about history and data related to people living with disabilities, our 102-level training focuses on engagement. In other words, how do you effectively engage with people and connect them with resources? What types of assistive technology are available to enable more effective engagement?
This training offers valuable insights into engaging with individuals who:
- are blind or have low vision
- utilize service animals
- are deaf or hard of hearing/li>
- have mobility-related disabilities
have speech-related disabilities/li> - have cognitive or intellectual disabilities/li>
- have mental illness/li>
- have substance use disorders
This training has been presented to NFSB staff by SRS Strategic Associates Principal Shelley Samuels, MPA, who has served as a project manager and subject matter expert for Inclusive Healthy Communities since NFSB was awarded the grant that is funding the program.
Peer Support
Ever since the Inclusive Healthy Communities initiative was launched two years ago, the community has expressed interest in forming a peer support group for people with lived experiences with disabilities, where people could gather, support and learn from each other, and share resources. While our hope is to eventually offer peer support, we are still in the research phase. The NFSB team has partnered with Mental Health Association of New Jersey (MHANJ) for guidance with regards to credentialing for peer leaders.
MHANJ has provided training to NFSB’s Mental Health Services staff to create a deeper understanding of peer support and its importance in mental health settings. NFSB clinicians learned about the history of peer support, research that supports the positive impact of peer support, and the role of peer support in recovery-oriented care as well as the integration of peers into multidisciplinary teams.
Educational Event (2025)
We’re in the early development and conceptual stages of a major Inclusive Healthy Communities educational event geared towards mental health professionals in the spring of 2025. Look for details in the coming months!
“The more we discuss this initiative and present information to the community, the more we see enthusiasm and interest in expanding it beyond Nutley,” Jackie said. “During a training session with Nutley Public Schools, a teacher was already talking about bringing what he learned into the classroom. People are excited about creating systemic change, not just in Nutley, but throughout society as a whole.”
Check the NFSB blog and social media pages for updates on the Inclusive Healthy Communities program!
