New Jersey’s 7th Annual Suicide Prevention Conference: Connecting Communities to Save Lives

Dr. Kirchner, Administrator of Psychological Services, is the Chief Clinical Psychologist for the State of New Jersey, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS). Until her transfer to the Office of Medical Director, in 2012, she had served inpatients at Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital, New Jersey, specializing in geriatric psychology.
She has been the co-chair of the NJ DHS/DOH Adult Suicide Prevention Committee that functions as a resource to state and private agencies serving the mental health and addiction needs of all New Jersey residents, as well as the community at large. 
She has also chaired the NJ DOH/DBHS Centralized Trauma-Informed Care Committee for the last 3 years and devoted her time and energy into transforming the psychiatric hospital system to a trauma-informed care environment.
The areas of Suicide Prevention and Trauma have been Maria’s interest and passion for a long time with a firm commitment to contributing to further decrease the number of deaths and attempts by suicide and the accompanying emotional pain statewide as well as nation-wide.

Ally started serving as the NJ Suicide Prevention Coordinator in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services at the Department of Human Services in April of 2019. Among various initiatives, she serves as the Project Coordinator on the NJ 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline team and co-leads the NJ Governor’s Challenge to Reduce Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Families. Ally received her Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in 2015.

Philip D. Murphy took the oath of office for a second term as New Jersey’s 56th governor on January 18, 2022. He is the first Democratic governor to serve a second term in 44 years.

Governor Murphy currently serves as Vice-Chair of the National Governors Association. He was Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association in 2020.

Since taking office in 2018, Governor Murphy has focused on building a stronger, fairer, and more affordable New Jersey. Under his leadership, New Jersey has made strides in growing the state’s economy and creating new economic opportunity while shrinking longstanding inequities, restoring fiscal responsibility to state government while expanding critical investments, and delivering real tax fairness and relief, including 14 tax cuts for New Jersey’s middle class and seniors.

Governor Murphy guided New Jersey from being the epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic to a model state for following the highest level of public health standards and data-driven response, implementing among the nation’s most robust vaccination efforts and fostering a strong economic recovery. Over the course of two years, the Murphy Administration has provided billions of dollars in state and federal relief to small businesses, schools, homeowners, tenants, and landlords, and middle-class families.

Governor Murphy has put a special emphasis on making New Jersey more welcoming to both established high-tech enterprises and start-up companies in the innovation economy. In January 2021, he enacted a new set of state economic incentives, focused on promoting the growth of new small businesses and innovative startups, enacting the state’s first tax credits for historic preservation, and expanding credits for brownfields reclamation and redevelopment, among other initiatives.

Under the governor’s leadership, New Jersey has emerged as a leader in the deployment of clean energy technologies, including one of the nation’s most-aggressive proposals for the development of offshore wind. He helped break ground at both the Paulsboro Marine Terminal and the South Jersey Wind Port in Salem County, where more than 1,500 new jobs will help secure New Jersey’s place as a global leader in offshore wind component manufacturing and logistics.

The Governor has also focused on making New Jersey a leading location for film, television, and digital production, enacting a new incentive program that drew more than half-a-billion dollars in investment to New Jersey in 2021.

Under Governor Murphy’s leadership, New Jersey had already emerged as a national leader on a number of nationally significant issues prior to the pandemic. He secured the dignity of working families by moving to a $15-per-hour minimum wage, guaranteeing earned sick days, and expanding paid family leave. The governor has enacted initiatives to provide a tuition-free public college education for qualified students. He has embraced policies that have driven down the cost of healthcare. He has expanded protections for the state’s immigrant and LGBTQIA+ communities. And he has enacted and proposed gun safety laws to combat gun violence and promote responsible gun ownership.

Governor Murphy has also made New Jersey a model state for social justice through fostering the state’s nascent adult-use cannabis industry, enacting among the country’s strongest automatic voter registration measures, restoring voting rights to individuals on parole or probation, expunging the records of numerous non-violent offenders, and creating the nation’s strongest provisions for environmental justice, alongside numerous other new laws. He has also put a focus on eliminating stigma and promoting a compassionate approach to tackling opioid misuse.

Amy Lauren Kennedy

The Kennedy Forum

Amy Kennedy and her husband former Congressman Patrick J. Kennedy launched The Kennedy Forum, a nonprofit which leads a national dialogue on transforming the health care system by uniting mental health advocates, business leaders, and government agencies around a common set of principles, including full implementation of the Federal Parity Law,   Amy spent over a decade teaching middle school and holds a master’s in environmental education.  In 2020, Amy ran for office on a mental health platform in New Jersey’s 2^nd congressional district. Although her bid was unsuccessful, she continues to advocate for mental health nationwide. Amy serves on the National Advisory Board for JED Foundation, the Board of Directors for Parity.org, and previously sat on the National Board of Directors for Mental Health America, but now serves as an advisor.

Amy and her husband live on the shores of southern New Jersey with their five children.

Visit Amy’s website to learn more about her ongoing work.

Commissioner Sarah Adelman has led the New Jersey Department of Human Services since January 2021, and was confirmed as Commissioner in March 2022. Under her leadership, the Department has helped residents through the pandemic by making significant investments in child care and food assistance, improving and expanding services for older adults and individuals with disabilities, protecting health coverage for more than 2 million residents, and continuing to enhance mental health and addiction service

Adelman joined the Department in 2018, initially serving as a Deputy Commissioner, overseeing the Division of Developmental Disabilities, Division of Aging Services, and the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services, which operates the Medicaid/NJ FamilyCare program. She also served on the Board of the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.

The Department's programs serve one in three New Jersey children and one in five adults, with a budget of approximately $20 billion in state and federal funds and a staff of about 7,500.

Before joining Governor Murphy's Administration, Adelman served as Vice President at the New Jersey Association of Health Plans and Chief of Staff at the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute. She also served on the Board of Trustees for Samaritan Healthcare and Hospice and the Board of Directors for a statewide child abuse and neglect prevention program.

Adelman received her Bachelor of Arts summa cum laude from Rowan University and a certificate in Advanced Healthcare Leadership from Seton Hall University as a fellow in the inaugural class of the New Jersey Healthcare Executives Leadership Academy.

Mary Jean Weston is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has many years of experience as both a social work administrator and a therapist. She currently serves as the NJ 988 State Lead. In this capacity, she has guided the state’s preparation for and transition to 988, the new 3-digit dialing code for suicidal, mental health and substance use crisis.  

Mary Jean has worked for the Division of Mental Health and Additions Services (DMHAS) since 2019 as a Regional Coordinator in the Office of Community Services. In this role, she oversees Division contracts with Mental Health agencies in Middlesex and Monmouth counties. She also has oversight of the mental health call/contact centers including the five 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline centers and the NJ Suicide Prevention Hopeline.

Mary Jean earned her Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and her Masters of Social Work degree from Smith College School for Social Work. Prior to her work with DMHAS, served as the Executive Director of Jewish Family Service, Houston and as the Associate Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers - New Jersey Chapter.

Melissa Horn has been with the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services since 2021. Melissa is a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and an Emergency Response Coordinator with the Division’s Disaster and Terrorism Branch. Melissa also acts as a member of the NJ 988 team helping with the planning and transition to 988 in New Jersey. Melissa earned her Bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University and her Master’s degree in School Counseling from Gwynedd Mercy University.

Matthew Jacobs is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has worked in the area of mental health since 2005.  Matt was hired with the VA in 2016 and he has previously worked for other local agencies, including Acenda Health and AtlantiCare.  Matt began his VA career helping veterans as a case manager and later as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator of Southern NJ – including Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties. Matt has experience providing direct clinical care with veterans.  He currently serves as the Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator (CEPC) as a part of the VISN 4 Team.  He will talk to us about his efforts and the ways you may be able to assist in helping veterans locally. Thank you.

Ally started serving as the NJ Suicide Prevention Coordinator in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services at the Department of Human Services in April of 2019. Among various initiatives, she serves as the Project Coordinator on the NJ 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline team and co-leads the NJ Governor’s Challenge to Reduce Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Families. Ally received her Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in 2015.

Dr. Mike Anestis is the Executive Director of the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center and an Associate Professor of Urban-Global Public Health at Rutgers University.  His work focuses on suicide prevention among both servicemembers and civilians, with a particular focus on the role of firearms.  He is the author of approximately 170 peer reviewed scientific publications, as well as a book entitled Guns and Suicide: An American Epidemic.  In 2018, Dr. Anestis was awarded the Edwin Shneidman Award for early career achievement in suicide research by the American Association of Suicidology.

Robert Eilers, M.D., M.P.H.

Medical Director, Department of Human Services

Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Dr. Robert Eilers is the Medical Director at the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. He is a Board-certified in adult psychiatry with subspecialty certification in administrative psychiatry and forensic psychiatry.  Dr. Eilers is also an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University School of Medicine where he teaches a course on scientific writing and the interpretation of the medical literature. He had received his M.D. from Thomas Jefferson College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, and his M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. 

Susan Tellone is a Certified School Nurse and health educator with a Masters degree in nursing and a Bachelor’s degree in mental health and rehabilitation. She has been working as a psychiatric nurse for the past 38 years with an emphasis on suicide prevention. She worked in the Emergency rooms of Monmouth Medical as one of the first PESS (psychiatric emergency suicide screeners), and went on from there to teach for many years at the University of Medicine and Dentistry on various topics on mental health, but specifically the psychiatric screening law of New Jersey. In 2008 Susan took a position at Manasquan High School as a school nurse and educator and soon after that, her school experienced one of the larger teenage suicide contagions on record. During her tenure at Manasquan, as a response to the suicide contagion, Susan took on the roles of Crisis Coordinator, Anti-bullying specialist and Master Lifelines Suicide Prevention Trainer. She co-authored a Project Serv Grant (Schools against violence) and was able to get funding into her school to develop a Crisis plan based on the Lifelines Curriculum that became a national model. She presented this plan at the National Conference on Suicidality in Florida in 2009. She was also the keynote speaker at the Annual Conference for Safe and Drug Free Schools in Boston in 2010, and presenter at the REMS conference in Washington DC 2011, International Conference of Suicide Prevention in New York City 2012, NJEA teachers conference 2014, and most recently at the Mental Health America Conference in 2019. Susan continues to present both locally and Nationally on this topic. Susan and her crisis team focused on the rebuilding of Manasquan School District with a renewed emphasis on strength and resiliency of the students, faculty and community. Since retiring from education, Susan worked for three years as the Vice President of the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County. During her Vice Presidency at MHA Susan through County and grant funding was able to bring the Lifelines Suicide Prevention program to over 160 schools in Monmouth County. Presently she holds the position of the Clinical Director at Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide where she continues her passion for preventing suicide among our youth through education in schools and communities.

Kalisha is a New Jersey licensed clinical social worker and licensed minister committed to helping people be empowered to live in their place of spiritual, physical, and emotional purpose. 

Kalisha is the owner of Wise Counsel Services which offers individual, family, and group therapy services for adolescents and adults with a faith-based emphasis for those that welcome spirituality into their journey. Through Wise Counsel Services, Kalisha provides trainings on an array of topics including Suicide Prevention, Parenting Skills and Support, and the Intersection of Faith and Mental Health Services. Kalisha is married to her Howard University sweetheart, Rev. Jerrold W. Smith Jr, pastor of HOPE Church in Bound Brook, NJ. Together they parent 5 awesome daughters; Kayla, Kennedi, Kamryn, Kyndall, and KaiLee.

"Shame does not move people to a healthy place, but love, hope, and accountability transform lives."

Ashley Costello, LSW, serves as Administrator in the Office of Integrated Health & Wellness in the Division of Children’s System of Care within the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF).  She has had various roles within DCF since 2008 including child protection direct practice casework, data analyst, and program specialist.  Ashley provides administrative oversight and supervision of staff in the development and management of programs contracted with DCF that deliver services to children and families of New Jersey.  Included in her responsibilities is the Division’s youth suicide prevention programming.

Dr. Lucille Esralew received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University in 1999. She is a licensed Psychologist in New Jersey (2002) and in California (2019). She is a Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (NCCDP) and Certified Clinician from the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD). She serves on the Board of the National Task Group for Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices and spearheaded the development of the NTG-EDSD; she is Chair of the Scientific/Research Consultative Panel and Co-Chairs the NTG Advisory Body. She co-authored with Donna Icovino, the Family Crisis Handbook (2009) and the Updated Family Crisis Handbook (2019); the newest edition, the Enhanced Family Crisis Handbook: A Behavioral Health Wellness Toolkit is expected to be distributed as of the Fall. Dr. Esralew serves on the NADD’s Clinical Certification Subcommittee.

Dr. Esralew serves as Senior Supervising Psychologist for California’s Department of Developmental Services, within  the Clinical Services Brank of the Department’s Office of Statewide Clinical Services. Dr. Esralew spent 20 years at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, where she served as Clinical Administrator for two statewide specialty mental health and outreach programs- CARES and S-COPE. She was instrumental in the formation of the Integrated Service Delivery Team which helped individuals successfully integrate into community living, she assisted in the development of the only specialized unit in New Jersey that serves adults with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders.  Dr. Esralew has been Contributing Faculty within the School of Psychology for Walden University since 2014. Dr. Esralew also maintains a part-time private teletherapy practice focusing on the challenges of older adults.

Dr. Aubrey Daniels is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Rutgers University. Dr. Daniels is a licensed professional counselor in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is a Clinically Certified Trauma Practitioner. She has developed multiple trauma-informed courses for counselors in training at Penn State University and Rider University. She has extensive training in trauma-informed care and family systems approaches to counseling. She is a co-author for a chapter focused on racial trauma and counseling in ACA's first text focused on anti-racist counseling practices. Furthermore, her research is focused on complex trauma, racial trauma, mental health symptoms and diagnoses as a trauma response.

Neal Stephens is an experienced disaster response crisis counselor, having worked with victims directly since the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and as a trainer since 2005. Neal has been on the front lines as a first responder to various types of disasters, including terrorism, war, hurricanes and floods, he has also participated in all types of terrorism and other disaster-related preparedness drills. Neal was deployed twice in 2018 to the US Virgin Islands with the NJ EMS Task Force for Disaster Crisis Counseling relief work after hurricanes Irma and Maria.  Neal has been a Certified Social Worker since 1994,  and is currently the Senior Emergency Response Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Disaster Terrorism Branch.

Lisa Asare is the Deputy Commissioner of Health Services, overseeing the Division of Medical Assistance and Health Services that administers NJ FamilyCare and the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and leading the Department’s work on First Lady Murphy’s Nurture NJ maternal health initiative. Asare also supports the Catastrophic Illness in Children’s Relief Fund. 

Asare previously worked as the Assistant Commissioner of the Division of Family Health Services at the New Jersey Department of Health, where she worked for more than 20 years. At Health, Asare oversaw units that provided extensive public health programs and services, including Maternal and Child Health, Special Child Health, Early Intervention Services, WIC Nutrition Services and the SNAP-ED Program. She retooled the Division’s approach to addressing black infant mortality and maternal mortality, contributed to the NurtureNJ strategic plan, addressed the social determinants of health by collaborating with sister state agencies and non-traditional partners, and leveraged additional state, federal, and philanthropic funding to address emerging issues and the COVID-19 pandemic. Her accomplishments included establishing the Colette Lamothe-Galette Community Health Worker Institute, the Doula Learning Collaborative, and transitioning to eWIC.  

Asare also serves as the President-Elect on the Board of Directors of the Association of Maternal and Child Health Programs (AMCHP), where she also serves as Chair of the Health Equity Committee. 

She received a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Toronto and a master’s degree in Public Health from the Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, formerly the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. She received the Distinguished Alumni Award from the Rutgers School of Public Health and the President’s Award from the NJ Public Health Association.

COL (Ret) Walter R. Nall

Walter R. Nall serves as the acting Deputy Commissioner of Veterans Affairs, New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

In January 2018, he was appointed Director of Veterans Services following his assignment as superintendent of the Veterans Haven South Transitional Housing Program for homeless Veterans located in Winslow Township.

Nall began his military career in 1983 when he enlisted as a private in the Alabama Army National Guard. Upon completing Officer Candidate School, he was commissioned as a Field Artillery Second Lieutenant in June 1986. Nall served in Operation Iraqi Freedom III with the 42nd Division Support Command (DISCOM) in 2005 and in Afghanistan with Special Operations Command in 2011. He retired as a Colonel from the New Jersey Army National Guard after more than 35 years of service.

Nall holds a Bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Troy State University and a Masters’ of Science degree in management from Liberty University.

Nall is very active with community and fraternal organizations. He is a lifetime member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated and served as the Basileus (President) of the Delta Upsilon Chapter in Trenton. In addition, Nall is a member of other organizations to include: Veterans of Foreign Wars (Life Member), American Legion, Prince Hall Affiliated 32nd Degree Masons, and the Omega Delta Upsilon Foundation.

Deborah Hartel, MSW, ACSW

Deputy Commissioner, Integrated Health Services New Jersey Department of Health

Deborah L. Hartel is the Deputy Commissioner of the Integrated Health Branch of the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH). The branch is comprised of the state psychiatric hospitals under the Division of Behavioral Health Services, the Division of Community Health Services and the Office of Long- Term Care Resiliency.

Before coming to DOH, Ms. Hartel served as the Administrative Director of Behavioral Health Services at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center in Paterson, New Jersey for 22 years and previously was the Vice President of Mental Health Services at St. Mary’s Hospital in Passaic, New Jersey.

With 44 years of experience in the mental health field, she has provided leadership and overseen a broad range of inpatient and ambulatory services as a hospital-based provider. She has been a leading advocate on behalf of people with mental illness and substance use disorders throughout her career.

Ms. Hartel is a Past President of the Board of Directors of the New Jersey Association of Mental Health & Addiction Agencies (NJAMHAA), for which she served for 15 years, chairing the hospital-based provider committee for 11 years. She was elected as NJAMHAA treasurer in 2013 and elected as Board President in 2014-2016.

Ms. Hartel was an active participant and past president on both the Children’s Interagency Coordinating Council and the Professional Advisory Committee to the Mental Health Board in Passaic County. She was a founding member of the Circle of Care for Families and Children of Passaic County, Inc., a care management organization, and was on the board for 13 years as its treasurer. Her contributions to the field have been recognized with awards from NJAMHAA, the Mental Health Association in Passaic County and the Circle of Care.

Ms. Hartel graduated from Upsala College in East Orange, New Jersey with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and Social Work and received a Master’s Degree in Social Work from the Fordham University School of Social Services at Lincoln Center, New York.

Christine Norbut Beyer, MSW has been Commissioner of the NJ Department of Children and Families since 2018. She is redefining the agency as a prevention-focused, child and family serving department, with a vision to help keep all New Jerseyans safe, healthy and connected. Some of her initiatives include: preventing maltreatment and promoting strong families; increasing kinship and familiar placements; supporting evidence-based, data-driven contracting; reducing staff safety incidents; evolving the integrated, inclusive system of care for children with behavioral and developmental diagnoses; promoting ACEs prevention, and transforming child welfare.

Years prior to being named Commissioner, Ms. Norbut Beyer was with the NJ Department of Human Services when the child welfare division was elevated to become the first Cabinet-level child-serving state agency. She helped to transition staff and build the new agency’s identity. During that time, she served as Director of the (former) Division of Youth and Family Services, and then as Assistant Commissioner.

During her time away from the Department, Ms. Norbut Beyer served as Senior Director and Strategic Consultant at Casey Family Programs, a national child welfare foundation, during which time she partnered with and supported the efforts of Public Child Welfare Agencies, State Legislatures, the Judiciary and Governors in creating better outcomes for at-risk children. During her tenure at Casey Family Programs, she had the opportunity to delve deeply into the areas of Brain Science, Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), and Trauma-Informed Care and their intersection with child welfare. These are policy areas she continues to pursue at NJ DCF.

Commissioner Norbut Beyer earned her Bachelor of Science degree in social work from the Richard Stockton College of New Jersey, and her Master of Social Work Administration, Policy and Planning from Rutgers University School of Social Work. She also holds a post-graduate Adoption certificate from Rutgers University Institute for Families, received the 2013 Employee Achievement Award from Casey Family Programs, the 2010 Child Welfare Leadership Award from Rutgers University School of Social Work, and the 2009 Professional Achievement Award from Richard Stockton College, School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. Most recently, in 2021, she was selected as an Aspen Institute Ascend Leadership Fellow.

Kathleen Ehling, Esq., is the Assistant Commissioner for the Division of Educational Services.  Ms. Ehling has been with the Department of Education for over 18 years.  In her role as Assistant Commissioner she oversees the Offices of Special Education, Supplemental Educational Programs, Fiscal and Data Services, Student Support Services, Performance Management and the Marie H. Katzenbach School for the Deaf.  Kathleen is also the State Director for the Federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Programs.  As the Assistant Commissioner, Kathleen is responsible for overseeing implementation of the Every Student Succeeds Act, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the New Jersey Tiered Systems of Support and the development and release of the annual School Performance Reports.

Kathleen began her career in education as a fifth grade teacher in the West Windsor-Plainsboro School District.  She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from The College of New Jersey and a law degree from Rutgers, Camden. 

Valerie Mielke is the Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the Department of Human Services and serves as the Single State Agency (SSA) for Substance Abuse and the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) as designated by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Division is responsible for the coordination, administration, management and supervision of the community public mental health system, and is also responsible for regulating, monitoring, planning and funding substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery support services. Ms. Mielke holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairfield University and a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University.

Valerie currently serves (as Past President) on the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) Board of Directors and served as President from 2019-2021.  NASMHPD’s goal is to advance national, state and local mental health policy. Additionally, Valerie serves as a board member of the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) Public Policy Committee. NASADAD’s goal is to advance national, state and local addiction policy.

Valerie was recently appointed to the National Justice Counts Steering Committee which is being led by The Council of State Governments Justice Center. This is a new national consensus-building initiative designed to improve the availability and utility of criminal justice metrics/ data that can drive budget and policy decisions. Valerie also serves on the US DHHS, SAMHSA National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness.

Kevin Hines, Brain Health Advocate & Storyteller

Kevin Hines is an award-winning brain/mental health and suicide prevention activist, entrepreneur, multiple award-winning filmmaker, best-selling author, international educator and speaker who reaches audiences with his story of an unlikely survival and his strong will to live. Two years after he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder (19 years of age), he attempted to take his life by jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge. He is one of only thirty-four to survive the fall, and the only one to regain full physical mobility. The fall would break his body, but not his spirit. Today, Kevin dedicates his life to saving lives and encouraging others to seek help and spread empathy by spreading the message of hope and sharing his story. He is one of the most respected and admired voices of lived experience. Kevin’s story is a remarkable testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder for us to love the life we have.

Steve Crimando, MA, CTM, DRCC

Steve Crimando is the Director of Training for the Disaster & Terrorism Branch of the New Jersey Department of Human Services-Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services. He is 30+ year veteran emergency behavioral health clinician and educator.

Steve is a Certified Threat Manager (CTM) with the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals, and a Certified Master Trainer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security - National Threat Evaluation and Reporting program. He is also a Certified Disaster Response Crisis Counselor (DRCC). Steve was deployed to the 9/11 and 1993 World Trade Center attacks, the Northeast anthrax screening center, and many other disasters and acts of terrorism in New Jersey and across the United States. He is a published author who is frequently called upon as an expert by the courts and the media regarding behavioral threat assessment and management.

Mary Jean Weston is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) who has many years of experience as both a social work administrator and a therapist. She currently serves as the NJ 988 State Lead. In this capacity, she has guided the state’s preparation for and transition to 988, the new 3-digit dialing code for suicidal, mental health and substance use crisis.  

Mary Jean has worked for the Division of Mental Health and Additions Services (DMHAS) since 2019 as a Regional Coordinator in the Office of Community Services. In this role, she oversees Division contracts with Mental Health agencies in Middlesex and Monmouth counties. She also has oversight of the mental health call/contact centers including the five 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline centers and the NJ Suicide Prevention Hopeline.

Mary Jean earned her Bachelor’s degree from Duke University and her Masters of Social Work degree from Smith College School for Social Work. Prior to her work with DMHAS, served as the Executive Director of Jewish Family Service, Houston and as the Associate Executive Director of the National Association of Social Workers - New Jersey Chapter.

Melissa Horn has been with the NJ Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services since 2021. Melissa is a Disaster Response Crisis Counselor and an Emergency Response Coordinator with the Division’s Disaster and Terrorism Branch. Melissa also acts as a member of the NJ 988 team helping with the planning and transition to 988 in New Jersey. Melissa earned her Bachelor’s degree from The Pennsylvania State University and her Master’s degree in School Counseling from Gwynedd Mercy University.

Matthew Jacobs is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and has worked in the area of mental health since 2005.  Matt was hired with the VA in 2016 and he has previously worked for other local agencies, including Acenda Health and AtlantiCare.  Matt began his VA career helping veterans as a case manager and later as the Suicide Prevention Coordinator of Southern NJ – including Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland, and Salem Counties. Matt has experience providing direct clinical care with veterans.  He currently serves as the Community Engagement and Partnerships Coordinator (CEPC) as a part of the VISN 4 Team.  He will talk to us about his efforts and the ways you may be able to assist in helping veterans locally. Thank you.

Ally started serving as the NJ Suicide Prevention Coordinator in the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services at the Department of Human Services in April of 2019. Among various initiatives, she serves as the Project Coordinator on the NJ 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline team and co-leads the NJ Governor’s Challenge to Reduce Suicide Among Service Members, Veterans, and Families. Ally received her Bachelor of Arts from Rutgers University in 2015.

Shelby Bandel is a fourth year Clinical Psychology PhD student at Rutgers. She works as a research assistant under the mentorship of Dr. Mike Anestis at the New Jersey Gun Violence Research Center. Her primary research interests include firearm suicide prevention, safe firearm storage, and messaging surrounding firearms. Many of her projects focus on global factors (e.g., news media, firearms retailers, ad campaigns) that impact firearm safety behaviors.

Robert Eilers, M.D., M.P.H.

Medical Director, Department of Human Services

Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services

Dr. Robert Eilers is the Medical Director at the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services. He is a Board-certified in adult psychiatry with subspecialty certification in administrative psychiatry and forensic psychiatry.  Dr. Eilers is also an Adjunct Professor at Drexel University School of Medicine where he teaches a course on scientific writing and the interpretation of the medical literature. He had received his M.D. from Thomas Jefferson College of Medicine, Philadelphia, PA, and his M.P.H. from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD. 

Susan Tellone is a Certified School Nurse and health educator with a Masters degree in nursing and a Bachelor’s degree in mental health and rehabilitation. She has been working as a psychiatric nurse for the past 38 years with an emphasis on suicide prevention. She worked in the Emergency rooms of Monmouth Medical as one of the first PESS (psychiatric emergency suicide screeners), and went on from there to teach for many years at the University of Medicine and Dentistry on various topics on mental health, but specifically the psychiatric screening law of New Jersey. In 2008 Susan took a position at Manasquan High School as a school nurse and educator and soon after that, her school experienced one of the larger teenage suicide contagions on record. During her tenure at Manasquan, as a response to the suicide contagion, Susan took on the roles of Crisis Coordinator, Anti-bullying specialist and Master Lifelines Suicide Prevention Trainer. She co-authored a Project Serv Grant (Schools against violence) and was able to get funding into her school to develop a Crisis plan based on the Lifelines Curriculum that became a national model. She presented this plan at the National Conference on Suicidality in Florida in 2009. She was also the keynote speaker at the Annual Conference for Safe and Drug Free Schools in Boston in 2010, and presenter at the REMS conference in Washington DC 2011, International Conference of Suicide Prevention in New York City 2012, NJEA teachers conference 2014, and most recently at the Mental Health America Conference in 2019. Susan continues to present both locally and Nationally on this topic. Susan and her crisis team focused on the rebuilding of Manasquan School District with a renewed emphasis on strength and resiliency of the students, faculty and community. Since retiring from education, Susan worked for three years as the Vice President of the Mental Health Association of Monmouth County. During her Vice Presidency at MHA Susan through County and grant funding was able to bring the Lifelines Suicide Prevention program to over 160 schools in Monmouth County. Presently she holds the position of the Clinical Director at Society for the Prevention of Teen Suicide where she continues her passion for preventing suicide among our youth through education in schools and communities.

Kalisha is a New Jersey licensed clinical social worker and licensed minister committed to helping people be empowered to live in their place of spiritual, physical, and emotional purpose. 

Kalisha is the owner of Wise Counsel Services which offers individual, family, and group therapy services for adolescents and adults with a faith-based emphasis for those that welcome spirituality into their journey. Through Wise Counsel Services, Kalisha provides trainings on an array of topics including Suicide Prevention, Parenting Skills and Support, and the Intersection of Faith and Mental Health Services. Kalisha is married to her Howard University sweetheart, Rev. Jerrold W. Smith Jr, pastor of HOPE Church in Bound Brook, NJ. Together they parent 5 awesome daughters; Kayla, Kennedi, Kamryn, Kyndall, and KaiLee.

"Shame does not move people to a healthy place, but love, hope, and accountability transform lives."

Stacy Reh, has dedicated nearly 30 years to helping improve the lives of children with behavioral health, intellectual/developmental disabilities and/or substance use challenges, throughout New Jersey. She started her career as a direct care staff member in an out of home treatment program for adolescents before fulfilling multiple roles at one of New Jersey’s first Care Management Organizations. Ms. Reh then spent 10 years as an Associate Director at a nonprofit recruiting, training and supporting resource/foster care parents. She joined the Children’s System of Care in 2016 and has been the Project Director on two SAMHSA System of Care Expansion grants focused on organizational transformation, Promising Path to Success and Promising Path to Success 2.0. Stacy became the Assistant Division Director at the CSOC in 2022 and oversees the new Office of Engagement and Service Excellence. She also serves as guest faculty for the University of Maryland’s TA Network/Center for Innovation and Implementation, as a consultant with Building Bridges and is a Certified Advanced Trainer in the Nurtured Heart Approach®.

Dr. Lucille Esralew received her Ph.D. in Psychology from the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, Columbia University in 1999. She is a licensed Psychologist in New Jersey (2002) and in California (2019). She is a Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist, a Certified Dementia Practitioner (NCCDP) and Certified Clinician from the National Association for the Dually Diagnosed (NADD). She serves on the Board of the National Task Group for Intellectual Disabilities and Dementia Practices and spearheaded the development of the NTG-EDSD; she is Chair of the Scientific/Research Consultative Panel and Co-Chairs the NTG Advisory Body. She co-authored with Donna Icovino, the Family Crisis Handbook (2009) and the Updated Family Crisis Handbook (2019); the newest edition, the Enhanced Family Crisis Handbook: A Behavioral Health Wellness Toolkit is expected to be distributed as of the Fall. Dr. Esralew serves on the NADD’s Clinical Certification Subcommittee.

Dr. Esralew serves as Senior Supervising Psychologist for California’s Department of Developmental Services, within  the Clinical Services Brank of the Department’s Office of Statewide Clinical Services. Dr. Esralew spent 20 years at Trinitas Regional Medical Center in New Jersey, where she served as Clinical Administrator for two statewide specialty mental health and outreach programs- CARES and S-COPE. She was instrumental in the formation of the Integrated Service Delivery Team which helped individuals successfully integrate into community living, she assisted in the development of the only specialized unit in New Jersey that serves adults with developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders.  Dr. Esralew has been Contributing Faculty within the School of Psychology for Walden University since 2014. Dr. Esralew also maintains a part-time private teletherapy practice focusing on the challenges of older adults.

Dr. Kirchner, Administrator of Psychological Services, is the Chief Clinical Psychologist for the State of New Jersey, Department of Health, Division of Behavioral Health Services (DBHS). Until her transfer to the Office of Medical Director, in 2012, she had served inpatients at Hagedorn Psychiatric Hospital, New Jersey, specializing in geriatric psychology.
She has been the co-chair of the NJ DHS/DOH Adult Suicide Prevention Committee that functions as a resource to state and private agencies serving the mental health and addiction needs of all New Jersey residents, as well as the community at large. 
She has also chaired the NJ DOH/DBHS Centralized Trauma-Informed Care Committee for the last 3 years and devoted her time and energy into transforming the psychiatric hospital system to a trauma-informed care environment.
The areas of Suicide Prevention and Trauma have been Maria’s interest and passion for a long time with a firm commitment to contributing to further decrease the number of deaths and attempts by suicide and the accompanying emotional pain statewide as well as nation-wide.

Dr. Aubrey Daniels is an Assistant Professor of Counseling at Rutgers University. Dr. Daniels is a licensed professional counselor in the states of New Jersey and Pennsylvania and is a Clinically Certified Trauma Practitioner. She has developed multiple trauma-informed courses for counselors in training at Penn State University and Rider University. She has extensive training in trauma-informed care and family systems approaches to counseling. She is a co-author for a chapter focused on racial trauma and counseling in ACA's first text focused on anti-racist counseling practices. Furthermore, her research is focused on complex trauma, racial trauma, mental health symptoms and diagnoses as a trauma response.

Neal Stephens is an experienced disaster response crisis counselor, having worked with victims directly since the 9/11 attacks in 2001 and as a trainer since 2005. Neal has been on the front lines as a first responder to various types of disasters, including terrorism, war, hurricanes and floods, he has also participated in all types of terrorism and other disaster-related preparedness drills. Neal was deployed twice in 2018 to the US Virgin Islands with the NJ EMS Task Force for Disaster Crisis Counseling relief work after hurricanes Irma and Maria.  Neal has been a Certified Social Worker since 1994,  and is currently the Senior Emergency Response Coordinator for the New Jersey Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services Disaster Terrorism Branch.

Valerie Mielke is the Assistant Commissioner for the New Jersey Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) in the Department of Human Services and serves as the Single State Agency (SSA) for Substance Abuse and the State Mental Health Authority (SMHA) as designated by the US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Division is responsible for the coordination, administration, management and supervision of the community public mental health system, and is also responsible for regulating, monitoring, planning and funding substance abuse prevention, treatment and recovery support services. Ms. Mielke holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fairfield University and a Master of Social Work degree from Rutgers University.

Valerie currently serves (as Past President) on the National Association of State Mental Health Program Directors (NASMHPD) Board of Directors and served as President from 2019-2021.  NASMHPD’s goal is to advance national, state and local mental health policy. Additionally, Valerie serves as a board member of the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) Public Policy Committee. NASADAD’s goal is to advance national, state and local addiction policy.

Valerie was recently appointed to the National Justice Counts Steering Committee which is being led by The Council of State Governments Justice Center. This is a new national consensus-building initiative designed to improve the availability and utility of criminal justice metrics/ data that can drive budget and policy decisions. Valerie also serves on the US DHHS, SAMHSA National Judicial Task Force to Examine State Courts’ Response to Mental Illness.