The City of Perth Amboy has expanded its mental health education initiative with a $12,000 grant from the New Jersey Healthcare Quality Institute (NJHCI). The grant was awarded through NJHCI’s statewide Mayor’s Wellness Campaign to help reduce stigma, increase access to resources, and support overall community wellness.

Throughout 2025, the initiative reached more than 450 residents across all age groups with workshops and training sessions designed to build practical skills, encourage healthy conversations, and connect residents to support.

“Mental health is a key tenet of our wellness campaign here in Perth Amboy. The strength of our City is built on the resilience of our residents, and the more individual residents are able to get the mental health support they need, the stronger we grow together.”

Mayor Helmin J. Caba

Building City Capacity to Support Residents

Perth Amboy began 2025 by strengthening internal infrastructure with a comprehensive staff training session on March 4. Twenty-five City staff members, including directors, department heads, and administrative leads, participated in training provided by KGC Consulting.

• 80% of staff reported increased awareness of available mental health resources.
• 100% of participants were trained to recognize signs of stress and support appropriate referrals for employees and residents.

“This training was essential to ensuring our entire City team understands how to support mental health in our community. When our staff are equipped with these tools, we can better serve every resident who walks through our doors.”

Mayor Helmin J. Caba

Resident-Focused Workshops Led by a Local Social Worker

The City’s mental health education programming is led by Mabel Leonardo, a Perth Amboy native and social worker. Sessions are designed to feel interactive and welcoming, with open conversation about stress, coping skills, stigma, and how to support one another.

“Our main focuses during our workshops are engagement and connection. Every part of our lessons has an activity attached so they never feel like lectures. We want to make sure that residents always feel like they are in a safe space when we are with them.”

Mabel Leonardo

2025 Program Highlights

Since March, programming has been delivered across Perth Amboy to youth, families, seniors, and community groups, including:

• Youth Alliance Training (June 17): 15 youth participants showed a 30% increase in identifying coping strategies.
• Senior Mental Health Workshop (June 19): 40 seniors participated; 50% reported reduced feelings of isolation and 40% increased recognition of coping strategies.
• Summer Camp Workshops (July–August): Four workshop cycles engaged 120 youth in each cycle, covering coping skills, self-care, emotional identification, and myth vs. fact education.
• Youth Police Academy (August 1): 20 cadets participated; 90% agreed mental health education should be part of youth police training.
• Success Bound Program (August 6): 50 high school students participated; 25% showed increased willingness to talk to a trusted adult about stress.
• Teen Center Cooking Class (September): 30 youth engaged in stress management conversations while learning culinary skills.
• Youth Police Academy (October 4): 50 cadets trained, strengthening understanding of mental health’s role in community safety.
• Sip & Paint Teen Session (October 6): 20 teens participated in expressive arts-based wellness activities.
• Youth Alliance Meeting (October 15): Peer support and mental health messaging planning.
• Substance Use Prevention Month, Devyn Sanchez Memorial Walk (October 25): Outreach to more than 100 residents focused on prevention and awareness.
• Family Success Center Workshop (October 29): Families learned communication skills and stress-management techniques.

Ongoing Outreach

In addition to in-person workshops, the City has supported awareness efforts through consistent social media messaging and rotating mental health and opioid awareness content on the ScreenHub Digital Board on New Brunswick Avenue.

Leonardo is also supported by interns from Perth Amboy High School who are helping share information about mental health resources and practical self-care habits. Workshops are free and generally offered at least once per month, with additional sessions scheduled as opportunities allow.

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Source: TAPinto Raritan Bay Staff, “Perth Amboy Invests in Community Wellness with Mental Health Education Program.” Read the original article.