As Mental Health Month comes to a close, it‘s important to continue to focus on mental wellness throughout the year. So often we place emphasis on improving physical wellness, that mental wellness does not receive the attention it deserves. Mental wellness, defined by the World Health Organization, is a state of well-being in which every individual realizes their own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to the community. The state of one’s mental health can influence the ways in which they look at themselves, their life and others around them. Without a healthy mental state it can be extremely challenging to live life to the fullest extent. [...]

After serving our country, many veterans face difficulties when they return to civilian life. Without structure and support, many of these men and women feel lost and may face hardships such as homelessness, unemployment, hunger, addiction or mental illness. Since 2008, Oaks Integrated Care has partnered with the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs to provide services for homeless or at risk veterans through the Veterans Haven program. The program provides transitional housing for veterans and emphasizes sobriety, employment and reintegration into the community. The Treatment Team, comprised of Addiction Specialists, Social Workers, RNs and Vocational Counselors, offers group therapy, job readiness, relapse prevention, health and wellness programs, life strategies, anger management, computer training and a Post-Traumatic Stress [...]

To celebrate Mental Health Month this May, the Tri-State K-9 Crisis Response Team returned to Oaks Integrated Care for a 2nd year to teach us about their therapy dogs and the different services they provide! The therapy dogs serve children, families, neighborhoods and communities that are in crisis in an effort to provide comfort, stress relief, emotional support and crisis intervention services. Teams will comfort victims of trauma, disaster, or violence fostering resilience and self-efficacy. When asked about the process of becoming a handler/dog team on the crisis response team explained, “Each dog must have been a therapy dog for at least a year. The dog and handler need to have basic obedience skills, manners and be able to pass [...]

May is Mental Health Month! As Oaks Integrated Care joins the Instagram community, we want to shed light on the strides the social media platform has taken to support mental health. Instagram is one of the largest social media platforms in the world. Recognizing their ability to offer help and support, the photo sharing app has stepped forward in an effort to better the mental health of their users. Recently they introduced a new tool aimed at helping users who suffer from mental illness and depression through encouragement from friends and family. 1 in 5 people experience mental illness in a given year according to the World Health Organization and an estimated 350 million people suffer from depression. To offer [...]

Last week Girl Scout Troop 25033 dropped off food donations to our pantry in Mt. Holly and helped stock the shelves. The troop was working on their budgeting badge and took a trip to the grocery store to shop for donations.

Oaks Integrated Care needs your support as a corporate sponsor or advertiser! With the generosity of our community partners, we can provide critical programs for our area’s most vulnerable children, adults and families. As a sponsor, you will receive numerous marketing opportunities to help your company shine consistently as an advocate in our community. Our 2017 sponsorship package includes 3 major fundraising events: Haddonfield Progressive Dinner- April 28, 2017 Touch A Truck- September 23, 2017 Moorestown Progressive Dinner- October 2017 Proceeds from the events will benefit the Oaks Food Pantries in Mt. Holly and Berlin which serve over 800 families a month in our community. Your sponsorship will strengthen our capacity to provide health and social services while demonstrating your [...]

Every January we think about how we can better ourselves as we start the calendar year. We make resolutions, determined to follow through and reach all of our goals. We stick to these resolutions for a couple of months but for various reasons slowly let them slip away. As we head into March, now is the perfect time to reevaluate resolutions or form new goals worth keeping. Whether you’re looking for new resolutions or never made any to begin with, we’ve got you covered! Check out these simple tips to help promote better mental and physical health. Disconnect: Although disconnecting from electronics seem scary, it can actually help improve your emotional well-being and leave more time for healthy activities [...]

You can #MakePromPossible by donating your dresses and accessories so deserving teens in our community can attend their prom in style! We accept donations of formal dresses in good condition of all sizes, colors and styles appropriate for a high school prom. Please also consider donating dress shoes, formal purses, clutches, shawls and jewelry. Hold a Dress Drive Invite your classmates, co-workers or community to help. We can provide you with a toolkit including collection bins, posters and email templates. *This is a great activity for high school students! Make a Monetary Donation Drop- Off Details When: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. NOW until March 31 Where: 79 Chestnut Street, Lumberton 31 Lexington Avenue, Ewing 770 [...]

Dear Friends, I am thrilled to announce that Oaks Integrated Care officially welcomed Preferred Behavioral Health Group as a new affiliate on January 1, 2017. 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 State of New Jersey and both organizations’ Boards of Trustees approved the affiliation. As an affiliate, Preferred Behavioral Health Group remains an independent company under the leadership of CEO, Mary Pat Angelini, while becoming a member of the Oaks family of services. 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 [...]

Whether you gave through volunteering, donating or advocating on our behalf, we can’t thank you enough for sharing the warmth and joy of your heart with those served by our organization. In 2016, you helped us collect over 18,000 diapers, 1,100 backpacks, 400 prom dresses, 1,600 Thanksgiving meals, 8,000 holiday gifts and MUCH more for vulnerable children, adults and families in our programs. As our organization grows, so has your generosity. Each life touched means hope for wellness, recovery and the opportunity for a stable, productive future. We look forward to your continued support and working with you again in 2017! Take a look at some of our favorite photos from 2016: From all of us at Oaks Integrated Care, [...]