Lea Kahn, Staff Writer
By Lea Kahn, Staff Writer, “I have a son who is an addict.”, With those words, Tracy Healy – former East Windsor Regional School District Board of Education member and community volunteer – outlined her son’s story and the need for a community-based resource center to provide mental health and addiction counseling services., Healy said her son, who is now 22 years old, dabbled with heroin when he was 16 or 17 years old. It didn’t take long for him to become addicted to drugs. He realized that he needed help and he came to her, she said., But the road to a drug-free life is not a smooth one., “He has been in more (drug) rehab places than I can count. Not a single one is in this town. I don’t know that it would have made a difference, but my son cannot live in this town because he needs help every single day of his life,” Healy said., And her son is not alone, Healy said., Many people need help, she said. They need someone to talk to, but they don’t know where to go or how to find help., “We need this in our town. It’s not somebody else’s problem. It’s our problem. We have a problem and it is here. It’s not ‘Cops’ on Channel 29 at 9 p.m. Saturday night,” Healy said., Something has to be done, she said., That “something” is a community-based resource center that would provide counseling for young and old who are experiencing mental health issues or drug and alcohol addiction. And it is lacking in East Windsor Township and Hightstown., Nearly 200 people turned out last week to listen to Healy and other proponents of just such a community-based resource center., Those attendees came to the community-wide meeting to brainstorm exactly what is needed and how to make it happen. The meeting was organized by ICARE of East Windsor-Hightstown – the Initiative for Counseling, Addiction, Renewal and Education., David Coates, one of ICARE’s supporters, told the attendees that mental health counseling services had been available in Hightstown and East Windsor off and on for many years. The last counseling center left town in 2007., The result is that “our kids are dying,” Coates said. They are wonderful children, but they have problems – and the community has not stepped up as it needs to do, he said., “This cannot go on,” Coates said., Keith Jackson, a co-founder of ICARE, told the group that he became involved after his son lost two close friends to drug addiction. It is not right to see a group of 20-year-olds at a funeral home, he said., That’s when his son approached him and told him that something has to change -and that’s what galvanized him to become involved with ICARE, Jackson said., ICARE creates a bridge for children who are struggling, and for parents who are struggling with their children, Jackson said. It gives them a “lighthouse” – an open door where they can find someone to help them, he said., “There are a lot of people who care. It’s not just ‘I care.’ We care. The important thing to know is that there is an issue in the community,” Jackson said, adding that it impacts everyone., There is no time to wait for someone to make it happen, he said before the attendees broke out into smaller groups to brainstorm possible solutions., Each of the “breakout” groups returned with suggestions as to what is needed and how to proceed., One theme that emerged is the need for help to be available around the clock – whether it is through a hotline or social media. Young people, in particular, need to know that they are not alone and do not have to deal with issues by themselves., While professional counselors are needed to staff a resource center, volunteers can be trained to help, too, another breakout group said., Another group suggested reaching out and learning how other communities have handled these issues, and then adapt those strategies to fit this community’s needs., With that information and suggestions in hand, the next step is to review and prioritize them. Foundations and county and state governments may be approached for funding for a counseling center in the community.
