[Congressional Record Volume 159, Number 42 (Thursday, March 21, 2013)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E358]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      HONORING NEWBRIDGE SERVICES

                                 ______
                                 

                      HON. RODNEY P. FRELINGHUYSEN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 21, 2013

  Mr. FRELINGHUYSEN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor NewBridge 
Services in Pompton Plains, Morris County, New Jersey, which is 
celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2013.
  In the latter portion of 1962, local ministers were taken aback by 
the exponential increase in counseling requests within the Pequannock 
Valley area. This prompted a group of concerned citizens to meet and 
discuss mental health needs of the people in their surrounding areas. 
From this meeting the Northeast Morris County Guidance Center was 
founded under Reverend Donner B. Atwood of the First Reformed Church of 
Pompton Plains. The name of the facility was soon changed to the 
Pequannock Valley Mental Health Center, which began serving on December 
23rd, 1963. This center was initially intended to carry out mental 
health services for adults and children in Butler, Kinnelon, Lincoln 
Park, Montville, Pequannock, and Riverdale. Rapid growth over the next 
decade extended the programs to the areas of Boonton, Boonton Township, 
East Hanover, and Mountain Lakes.
  In 1977, due to the addition of several new programs, the Health 
Center nearly tripled in size. These new programs included the 
Transitional Care Program, which was able to provide the Day Treatment 
Center with full time help for psychiatric emergencies, boarding home 
services, and counseling for at-risk clients. The Youth Services Bureau 
was also created to meet the ever-growing mental health needs of 
adolescents in the servicing towns.
  In 1980, the Outreach Program, designed to help additional at-risk 
clients, was established alongside Project 70001, and the Youth 
Employment Program, intended to help troubled children and adults 
obtain jobs. Moreover, in 1986 the center expanded further by adding 
the Project Families Youth-In-Touch program and the Adolescent Partial 
Care program in 1987, aimed at helping troubled members of young 
society become more aware of their problems in order to overcome them. 
Finally, in June of 1998 the name of center was changed to NewBridge, 
effectively becoming responsible for almost all public mental health 
service in the upper portion of Passaic County.
  NewBridge's goal has always been to provide children, individuals and 
families with substance abuse treatment and outpatient counseling. They 
also seek to empower the children, parents, teachers, and communities 
they serve to coordinate their own efforts in assisting those who are 
struggling with substance abuse and mental health issues. NewBridge is 
able to continually be effective through its 175 trained professionals 
that serve throughout the 16 municipalities in Morris and Passaic 
Counties. These professionals include adolescent and clinical nurse 
specialists, addiction and domestic violence professionals, care 
managers, and therapists concentrated in marriage and family problems. 
NewBridge also employs highly trained nutritionists, psychiatrists, 
psychologists, and social workers.
  By means of services, facilities, and employees dedicated to 
consistently helping members of the community, NewBridge has impacted 
the Morris and Passaic areas through state-of-the-art constructive 
methods of support and personal education. Children and adults can now 
receive the proper care and advice they deserve. This assistance has 
made these 16 municipalities happier and healthier places to live.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and your colleagues to join me in 
congratulating NewBridge Services as it celebrates its 50th 
Anniversary.

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