What is 'stigma-free' and why are towns embracing it?

The fear of stigma too often keeps people who are struggling with mental illness from seeking the help they need.

But towns across New Jersey are standing up to the shame associated with mental illness by declaring themselves "stigma-free."

Nearly all municipalities in Bergen County — 69 of 70 — have adopted resolutions designating themselves stigma-free. Englewood Cliffs is the only holdout, because its mayor, Mario Kranjac, believes that such a resolution is unnecessary.

"To label towns as stigma-free or not is odd, in that all towns are stigma-free by virtue of being subject to state and federal laws. We don't need resolutions, think tanks and charities telling people how to behave when they already know how to behave," he said.

Meanwhile, the stigma-free concept is spreading across the state and throughout North America.

Cynthia Chazen, editor of Stigma Free Zone News of New Jersey, a monthly email newsletter with more than 2,000 subscribers, said she's awed by the dramatic surge of the movement. "It's growing so fast. All these people are paying attention to the message."

Chazen said it's not only towns that are going stigma-free. "There are universities, churches, schools, Rotaries, law firms, companies and hospitals. Any group that wants to declare themselves a stigma-free zone can do it. All they have to do is promise to do something about it. ... it's all educational."

The designation is more than a symbolic gesture.

Many towns have formed committees to help make people who live with mental illness feel less isolated, and some have created courses or panels to educate employees and residents on the thorny issues surrounding mental illness.

Matt Kudish, executive director of NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, of New York City, called the movement vital. "Stigma around mental illness is a significant barrier to people reaching out for the support they need. Once they do, though, they're often faced with prejudice, which further stands in the way of their ability to access meaningful care and treatment. If we truly want to help people impacted by mental illness to live better lives, we must address both."

Mayor Bob White of Saddle Brook was instrumental in the adoption of the Stigma Free initiative in 2017, and then helped create an Access for All Committee that urges those with mental illness to become more involved in the community.

White said the town has lost too many young people to suicide in recent years, and he hopes efforts by the Stigma Free campaign will help.

Recently, Saddle Brook held an eight-hour course — run by Bergen County Mental Health Services — aimed at educating borough employees and residents. A presentation was also held for students and parents about depression and suicide.

"A lot of the towns go stigma-free, which means that they don't believe in the stigma. But we made a group to actually push those values," White said. "We are trying to do everything we can to get the message out to kids that if they need to talk to someone, there's services out there. There are people to call if you are feeling depressed or have anxiety or are thinking about suicide. There's a lot of people out there that want to help."

Fort Lee recently declared June a stigma-free month, and will host a stigma-free event on June 10 featuring a panel addressing mental health, elder abuse, suicide and hoarding.

"We're covering a broad base of issues because there's a lot of people who have felt stigmatized in life. Humans can be rather harsh to each other," said Jillian Raimondo, the director of human services for Fort Lee, who is organizing the event. "We want to be inclusive of everyone."

In Maywood, stigma-free signs have been erected on front lawns. A "Stigma Free Walk" will be held on May 30, and schools will have a "No Name Calling Week."

In Ramsey, a community rally drew more than 400 people from Ramsey and the surrounding area.

"Like all towns, we've been impacted by suicide," said Matthew Murphy, superintendent of Ramsey schools, who makes it a point to give his staff copies of "What Made Maddie Run," about Madison Holleran, a track star from Allendale who took her own life in 2014.

"Mental health is our No. 1 issue. Nobody is immune," he said.

Although Hoboken initiated the stigma-free concept in 2011, Paramus is credited as the birthplace of the stigma-free movement, because it was there that organizers came up with the idea of developing it into something larger.

Mary Ann Uzzi, founder of Paramus Stigma Free, said she became inspired the moment she saw Hoboken's stigma-free sign. "I saw this [increase in suicides] as a crisis that was spreading and wanted to address it on a local level."

"Mental illness touches everyone," she said, adding that her own grandmother died by suicide and other members of her family suffer from mental illnesses.

The Paramus Borough Council passed a resolution declaring the town stigma-free in 2013. Since then the idea has taken off in towns in Bergen, Passaic and beyond.

She credited County Executive Jim Tedesco for being a strong proponent of the effort, providing funding and urging more towns to get involved in the initiative.

"Now there are at least eight other counties in New Jersey that are doing it, as well as hospitals, schools and companies."

Ryan Roy of Saddle Brook has been observing all the progress with amazement and joy. Roy, a husband, father and autism advocate who is on Saddle Brook's Access for All Committee, has suffered from mental illness and often felt stigmatized for his disease. In recent months, he has lobbied several towns to adopt the stigma-free ordinance and has been successful. "The stigma-free designation means a lot to victims of mental illness," he said.

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