Camden County Health Department to offer free community support groups – Camden County, NJ

Report on the “Healing Together” Community Initiative and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

The Camden County Department of Health and Human Services has initiated a strategic partnership with the Genesis Counseling Center to launch “Healing Together,” a community-based mental health support group. This program is designed to provide free, accessible therapeutic services to all residents of Camden County, directly contributing to several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by promoting well-being, reducing inequality, and fostering community resilience through strategic partnerships.

Program Objectives and Scope

The primary goal of the “Healing Together” initiative is to offer a safe, non-judgmental, and therapeutic environment for community members. The program is structured to achieve several key outcomes:

• Foster peer connection and emotional support.
• Provide psychoeducation and effective coping strategies.
• Build individual and community resilience to prevent crisis situations.
• Promote social skills and self-esteem.

The group will address a wide range of needs within the community, including:

1. Grief, loss, or emotional distress.
2. Impacts of substance abuse on individuals and families.
3. Conflict and relationship issues.
4. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, and other mental health conditions.
5. Support for recovery, trauma, and social isolation.

Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The “Healing Together” program is a practical implementation of global development objectives at the local level, with significant contributions to the following SDGs:

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  The initiative directly addresses Target 3.4 by actively promoting mental health and well-being. By offering preventative support and tools for managing emotional stress, substance use, and mental health conditions, the program works to reduce premature mortality from non-communicable diseases and establish a foundation for healthier lives.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  By providing these crucial mental health services completely free of charge, the partnership dismantles economic barriers to care. This ensures that all Camden County residents, regardless of their financial status, have equitable access to support, directly addressing inequalities in health outcomes.

• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

  The program contributes to making communities more inclusive, safe, and resilient. It creates a vital social infrastructure where individuals can build support networks, fostering a sense of belonging and collective wellness that strengthens the entire community fabric.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  This initiative exemplifies Target 17.17, which encourages effective public-private and civil society partnerships. The collaboration between the Camden County government and the Genesis Counseling Center demonstrates a successful model for leveraging combined resources and expertise to achieve critical public health and development objectives.

Operational Details

• Schedule: Every Monday at 6:00 p.m.
• Location: Genesis Counseling Center, 566 Haddon Avenue, Collingswood, NJ, 08108.
• Contact for Information:
  1. Genesis Counseling Center: (856) 858-9314
  2. Camden County Office of Mental Health & Addiction: (856) 374-6368

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article on the “Healing Together” support group in Camden County addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by focusing on community wellness, mental health, and accessible support systems.

• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being

  This is the most prominent SDG in the article. The initiative directly aims to improve the mental health and well-being of Camden County residents by providing a “therapeutic space” to address issues like “anxiety, depression, PTSD or other mental health conditions,” “substance abuse,” and “emotional distress.” The goal is to help people build “a happier, healthier life.”

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

  The article highlights that the support group is designed to overcome common barriers to mental healthcare. By making the service “free of charge” and “open to all Camden County residents,” the program addresses economic inequalities that often make mental health services “out of reach.” This promotes social inclusion by ensuring that support is available regardless of a person’s financial situation.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  The program is a result of a collaboration between a government entity and a community organization. The article explicitly states that the “Camden County Department of Health and Human Services has partnered with Genesis Counseling Center” to create the support group. This demonstrates a partnership approach to achieving community health goals.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Based on the focus of the “Healing Together” program, the following specific SDG targets can be identified:

1. Target 3.4: Promote mental health and well-being

   This target aims to “reduce by one third premature mortality from non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment and promote mental health and well-being.” The “Healing Together” group directly supports this target by offering a space for “prevention” and support. It helps individuals “openly navigate challenges,” build “resilience before crisis,” and address a wide range of mental health conditions, thereby promoting overall mental well-being within the community.

2. Target 3.5: Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse

   This target calls for strengthening “the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol.” The article explicitly mentions that the support group will help people navigate challenges like “substance use” and address “the impacts of substance abuse.” This provides a direct, community-based mechanism for prevention and support for individuals dealing with addiction.

3. Target 10.2: Promote universal social inclusion

   This target aims to “empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… economic or other status.” The article emphasizes that a key reason for the group’s creation was that “mental health services are often out of reach due to cost or other obstacles.” By making the group “free of charge” and “open to anyone and everyone,” the initiative actively promotes social inclusion by removing economic barriers to essential health support.

4. Target 17.17: Encourage effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships

   This target encourages partnerships to support the achievement of the SDGs. The article provides a clear example of this through the formal “partnership” between the “Camden County Department of Health and Human Services” (a public entity) and the “Genesis Counseling Center” (a civil society/community organization) to deliver a vital community service.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several qualitative and quantitative indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Indicators for Targets 3.4 and 3.5:

  • Provision of mental health and substance abuse support services: The existence of the “Healing Together” group itself is a primary indicator that services are being provided to promote mental health and address substance abuse at the community level.
  • Scope of services offered: The article lists the specific areas the group will address, including “grief, loss or emotional distress, the impacts of substance abuse, conflict and relationship issues, anxiety, depression, PTSD or other mental health conditions.” This list serves as a qualitative indicator of the comprehensiveness of the mental health promotion efforts.
  • Number of participants: While not stated, a logical indicator for measuring the reach and impact of the program would be the number of residents who attend the weekly meetings. This would quantify the number of people receiving support for mental health and substance abuse issues.

• Indicators for Target 10.2:

  • Proportion of services provided free of charge: The article explicitly states the service is “free of charge.” This is a direct indicator of the removal of economic barriers, a key component of reducing inequality in access to healthcare.
  • Policy of universal access: The statement that the group is “open to all Camden County residents” and “open to anyone and everyone” is a policy-level indicator of promoting social inclusion.

• Indicators for Target 17.17:

  • Number and type of partnerships: The article identifies a specific public-civil society partnership between the “Camden County Department of Health and Human Services” and “Genesis Counseling Center.” The existence of this formal collaboration is a direct indicator of progress toward this target.

4. Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: camdencounty.com