October 2-8 is Mental Illness Awareness Week. During this week communities come together to discuss and educate others on mental illness, helping to end the silence that often exists. Some stats on mental health in the U.S. are… Approximately 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness in a given year. Approximately 1 in 25 adults experience a serious mental illness in a given year that substantially interferes with or limits one or more major life activities. Approximately 1 in 5 youth aged 13–18 experience a severe mental disorder at some point during their life. Just over half (50.6%) of children aged 8-15 received mental health services in the previous year. We Can Help! Oaks Integrated Care provides over 150 [...]

Wayne Gretzky once said, “Skate to where the puck will be, not where it is now or was a second ago.” I couldn’t agree with this strategy more, which is why I’m thrilled to announce that Oaks Integrated Care and Preferred Behavioral Health Group plan to affiliate on October 1, 2016. The new partnership will enhance our mission, expand services into Monmouth and Ocean Counties and strengthen our ability to succeed in the changing healthcare environment. The affiliation unifies two clinically strong, financially healthy organizations with a shared mission of improving the quality of life for individuals and families living with a mental illness, addiction or developmental disability. Together we will strengthen service delivery, advance best practices and maximize [...]

Imagine trying to recover from a serious mental illness and not knowing where you will be sleeping at night. Or imagine the difficulty of managing a chronic illness such as diabetes or heart disease without a stable space to come home to. Unfortunately, situations like these are common in our communities. The words “affordable” and “housing” often do not fit together in New Jersey, especially for those with special needs. In January 2015, 10,211 homeless adults and children were counted across the state of New Jersey during a “point in time” count which gives a snapshot of the homeless population. Forty two percent reported some type of disability, with more reporting mental health issues than any other type of [...]

Thank you to Easter Seals NJ for sharing this amazing video of Tina who is beyond excited to be a new greeter at Walmart. You can truly hear the pure joy in her voice as she tells her happy story. Tina is in a program at Easter Seals NJ and also receives housing from Oaks Integrated Care. She has clearly come a long way and worked hard to gain the skills necessary to gain employment. We couldn’t be more proud! Please watch and share the excitement. Tina hopes her story can help others and you can help make that possible! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luwHDb_yxm0&feature=youtu.be