September is national Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and the Mendhams Stigma-Free Task Force asks residents to join us in our mission of removing the stigma around mental health issues. Especially now during the COVID-19 pandemic, anxiety and stress have increased dramatically. People are concerned about getting sick and unwittingly spreading the illness to a vulnerable loved one. There are heightened worries about lost income and unemployment. Many are struggling with social isolation. Parents and students are facing unknowns with the start of a new school year. And, overall, there is a pervasive uncertainty about the future. As a result, calls to New Jersey’s suicide prevention hotlines have escalated. And young adults are among the most at risk. In a report issued last month by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four young adults, between the ages of 18-24, said they had considered suicide in the past month because of the pandemic, and more than 40% of those surveyed indicated they have experienced a mental or behavioral health condition connected to COVID-19. Our own community has experienced the heartbreaking loss of young people who died by suicide, which brought us together in collective grief and support for those families. The Stigma-Free Task Force hopes this month will serve as a catalyst to focus on mental health. We encourage residents to seek support for themselves and to help family, friends and neighbors seek help. A simple check-in text, phone call or e-mail can go a long way toward showing someone they are not alone. You can visit our Stigma-Free Task Force Webpage, to access a variety of resources, hotlines, community organization and support groups at: http://www.mendhamtownship.org/cn/webpage.cfm?tpid=17312 You can also follow the Stigma-Free Task Force on Facebook and Instagram @mendhamstigmafree. Below is a list of resources that are a good place to start in seeking help for you or a loved one: NJMentalHealthCares - If you are feeling the emotional and mental toll of COVID-19, call (866-202-4327) for free, confidential support from trained specialists 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Crisis Text Line - Free 24/7 support for those in crisis. Text 741741 from anywhere in the United States to get support from a trained crisis counselor. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline - Offers free and confidential support for people in distress. (800-273-TALK) NJ Hopeline - Specialists are available 24/7 for confidential telephone counseling and support. (855-NJ-HOPELINE - 855-654-6735) 2ND FLOOR - A confidential, anonymous helpline for New Jersey's youth and young adults. (Call or text - 888-222-2228) ReachNJ.gov - Helps individuals identify, prevent, treat and recover from substance abuse. Call to speak with a resource officer and find the nearest treatment facility. (844-Reach-NJ) Join us to End the Stigma! Warm regards, Mendhams Stigma-Free Task Force Amalia Duarte, Chair and Mendham Township Committeewoman Mary Kornick, Mendham Borough Liaison Allyson Bush Hillary Clark Jill Kendrick Kathleen Kontely Kristin Mikula Laura Montenegro Kristen Murphy Trish O'Brien Meyer Ted Rostiac Stephanie Sabetta Tara Skirzenski Melissa Young