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MHAAC |
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MHAAC |
Mental Health Association in Atlantic County
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Victoria L. Phillips, Executive Director Vicki has worked for the Mental Health Association since 1982. During this time she has held a variety of positions and worked in various roles. She has coordinated volunteer programs, designed programs for DMHS & DYFS initiatives, worked as a consumer advocate, initiated and facilitated a support group for families of people who have mental illness, formed and acted as technical consultant for the ICE Wellness Center (one of NJ’s oldest self help groups for consumers of mental health services), served as an administrator and has lead workshops on a county, state and national level. In 1992, under the 450 programs, Vicki designed a five-week training curriculum for the six Atlantic County mental health agencies participating in the initiative. This combination of didactic & experiential training was the foundation for the MHA’s Consumer Connection Program. During this 1992 training, she worked with consumers from the local self-help center to develop the Voices tapes. These tapes were used to underscore the importance of first hand experience in working with people who are hearing voices. To date the tapes have been used to train: public health staff, state and local police, first responders, welfare department staff, hospital employees, occupational therapy students, to name a few. She served as Southern Regional Director for partnership between The Mental Health Association & Collaborative Support Program from 1995-2000. Her accomplishments during her tenure included the creation of 58 supportive housing units for persons with mental illness and the opening of three new self help centers in the Southern region. Vicki has been active in disaster
response since 1992, and has served locally on the Voluntary Organizations
Active in Disaster. Vicki has traveled to national disaster sites as a
mental health responder for the American Red Cross and during Katrina
combined her professional life with her volunteer work and went to New
Orleans to assist with animal rescue.
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Anne Groh, Office Manager Anne joined the Mental Health Association in 1999. Anne works as the Office Manager keeping the day to day administrative operations of the organization on track. Her attention to detail has made her an integral part of the operations in Atlantic. Anne's prior employment includes Playboy Hotel & Casino where she was employed as a Manager, Collective Federal Bank where she was a mortgage processor and a claims adjuster for the JUA carrier in the Automobile Insurance Field. Anne received her BS in Business from Richard Stockton College. agroh@mhanj.org
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Intensive Family Support Services (IFSS)
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Christine Gromadzyn, MSW, Director of IFSS & Acute
Care Prior to joining MHA, she attended Richard Stockton College where she received her BSW and she was awarded her Master's in Social Work from Monmouth University where she concentrated in International and Community Development. While working on her Master's, she worked in Latvia developing programming for homeless and street children. In addition, she is a certified training for Mary Ellen Copeland’s Wellness Action Recovery Plan. As Coordinator, she is responsible for the oversight and management of the IFSS program that provides support, education and advocacy for families of people affected by mental illness. For more information contact cgromadzyn@mhanj.org
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Portia E. Trader, CSW, DRCC Family
Advocate Portia E. Trader has been with the Mental Health Association sine 1980. She began her career with MHA as the Administrative Assistant to the Community Companion Director. She then was promoted to Office Manager where she worked until 1998, when she accepted the position as Family Advocate for Intensive Family Support Services. Before her employment with MHA, Portia's work experience included sales, as well as owning her own restaurant business. Prior to joining the agency, Portia attended South Eastern Business College of Virginia and then the New Jersey Civil Service Training School. In 1985, she graduated from Atlantic Community College with an A.A.S. in Hospitality and Management. ptrader@mhanj.org
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Elaine Joray BA, CSW, CPRP, DRCC Family
Advocate
Elaine joined the Intensive Family Support Program in 2004 and works as a family advocate with the team. She was been with the Mental Health Association in July 1997. Prior to working with IFSS she was employed as a member of the Consumer Case Management Team, responsible for providing a range of case management services to persons affected by mental illness who live in the community. Prior to joining MHA, she was employed in Massachusetts
providing services to individuals with developmental disabilities.
Elaine graduated from the University of Massachusetts, College of Public
and Community Services located in Boston.
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| Acute Care Family Support | ||
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Catherine Chiola, Acute Care Family Specialist Catherine “Cathy” has been part of the MHA team since October 2007. Prior to joining MHA, Cathy was employed by UMDNJ as a EMT in Camden and Atlantic City. Cathy left her EMT position to care for her children and grandchildren. Cathy brings personal experience to the Acute Care Family program, as she has a history of assisting family members with mental illness. Cathy has a adult daughter that suffers with mental illness and has faced experiences that many of our families are confronting. In addition to her daughter, Cathy grew up with her mother suffering from mental illness. She also is acutely of the feelings associated with loss, having lost her brother to the attacks of 9/11. Cathy was a client of the IFSS program and now finds strength in helping other families navigate the mental health system and finding hope for the future. |
Consumer Services
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Jaime Angelini, MA, DRCC Director of Consumer Services Jaime Angelini serves as our Director of Consumer Services. Her focus as Director is the oversight and management of a range community-based services that provide individualized support, education and advocacy services to adults with mental illness. Jaime began working with the Mental Health Association in October of 2001. She has worked with consumers in our case management program and most recently has spent the last several years working as a Family Advocate whose primary responsibility is to provide support, education and advocacy for families of people affected by mental illness. Her duties include the supervision of
all Consumer Services inclusive of the Peer Outreach
Support Team, the Boarding Home Outreach Program and the ICE Wellness
Center.
Jaime received her BA in Psychology from Richard
Stockton College and has her Masters
Degree in Organizational Management. She is a Disaster Response
Crisis Counselor and is working toward the completion
of her CADC certification.
jangelini@mhanj.org |
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Boarding Home Outreach
Wellness Center of Atlantic County- Individuals Concerted in Effort (ICE)
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Parenting Education
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Anne Groh, Parent Education Coordinator Anne joined the Mental Health Association in December 1998. Anne works as the Coordinator of the Parenting Education Program. As Coordinator, she is responsible for the oversight and management of the program. Anne collaborates with organizations such as Division of Youth and Family Services, The Atlantic County Justice Facility, The Atlantic City Rescue Mission, The Institute for Human Development, Family Court, Probation as well as area schools and hospitals. Anne is a graduate of Richard Stockton College where she earned her BS degree in Business and finance. Anne's prior employment includes Playboy Hotel & Casino where she was employed as a Manager, Collective Federal Bank where she was a mortgage processor and a claims adjuster for the JUA carrier in the Automobile Insurance Field. agroh@mhanj.org
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