BRANCHBURG TOWNSHIP, NJ (Somerset County) – Deputy Director Commissioner Jeff Kuhl was at Raritan Valley Community College (RVCC) on Saturday for the “STOMP OUT” walk, to help raise awareness about mental health.
The event featured multiple agencies from the community that provided services and information to individuals who experience mental health or substance use problems, as well as their families.
“Stigmas surrounding mental health often impacts individuals who are suffering from seeking treatment. The goal of this walk is to spread awareness about mental health conditions and to let people know that help is out there,” shared Deputy Director Kuhl.
In May, the Commissioner Board announced that all twenty-six municipalities in Hunterdon County signed resolutions to be 100% ‘Stigma Free’. The month of May is recognized as Mental Health Awareness Month, and the county is committed to this national movement of raising awareness about mental health. Educating residents and the public on the stigmas associated with mental health can serve to remove the barriers of negative judgement for those in need of mental health services.
Kuhl added, “My Board colleagues join me in being most appreciative of our local officials in all twenty-six municipalities in Hunterdon County, which have committed to the ‘Stigma Free’ campaign. Our goal is to create greater awareness about the negative effects of stigmas and provide education for the public, towards creating stigma free environments in the home, the workplace, at school, and everywhere.”
The STOMP OUT event was free to attend, and participants could walk the track at RVCC for as many laps as they like. Various agencies set up information booths along the track to provide information, water and light refreshments were served.
