Annual Report2016

Top: Our new reception wall at 620 Cranbury Road in East BrunswickLeft: One of our many events featuring older adults

Middle: Senator Raymond J. Lesniak at our 2016 Tree of Hope eventRight: Carteret High School students helping with an event

A N N U A L R E P O R T 2 0 1 6

Message from our Board President

Jeff JannaroneBoard President

I am delighted to report on a successful year for Wellspring Center for Prevention.

This annual report sets out the numerous achievements of our staff and highlights just some of the many improvements we have made in our services over the last 12 months.

Some of these changes are very visible with the opening of our new offices in East Brunswick.

Other improvements have been made by our staff but are equally important in improving the experience that our constituencies have throughout the County, and beyond.

We are especially proud of the staff for their hard work on multiple grant applications, resulting in several of them being awarded during the year.

The Board of Trustees is looking forward to working with the agency’s staff to assure continued success.

Message from our Executive Director

Ezra HelfandExecutive Director/CEO

2016 marked my first full year as Executive Director/CEO of Wellspring Center for Prevention.

I knew that I could not just step in and fill the position previously occupied by Steve Liga. So I began to chart my own path.

So one year in, I am thrilled with our accomplishments and look forward to continuing my tenure in this position.

The staff, both in East Brunswick and Carteret has worked very hard to deliver programs and presentations to a variety of audiences. They’ve done so with

professionalism and mindfulness.We worked hard to apply for new grants to replace monies lost when older grants ended.

We continued to innovate by bringing in new programs designed to meet the needs of the schools and communities we serve.

We joined with like-minded professionals to advocate for a Recovery High School and a Recovery Center in Middlesex County.

As we continue to grow, I look forward to whatever challenges

come our way. Why? Because I know that I work with a dedicated Board of Trustees and a committed and enthusiastic staff.

Accomplishments and Highlights

Left: Carteret High School students receiving assistance in filling-out a college application. Right: Celebrating Recovery Month 2016.

The Wellspring Center for Prevention (formerly NCADD of Middlesex County, Inc.) is a non-profit, community-based health organization providing prevention, education, information, and referral services to county residents, businesses, schools, faith-based organizations, municipal alliances, and social service agencies since 1980

Since 1980 Wellspring has been a leader in the ever more scientific field of prevention science. Done correctly, every $1 invested in prevention returns up to $18 in savings to society. Investing in Wellspring’s innovative prevention services is an excellent investment in your community’s future.

Wellspring is committed to implementing evidenced-based programs, providing effective education, helping to support comprehensive environmental strategies, and promoting the health and wellness of individuals and communities. We believe that effective alcohol

and other drug abuse prevention is everyone’s responsibility – communities, schools, parents and youth. This is why our programs are designed for a variety of audiences and are delivered daily to organizations and groups throughout New Jersey and Middlesex County, and as of January, 2017, in Monmouth County.

Effective approaches to school-based alcohol and other drug prevention include teaching students how to resist peer influences, improving life skills, involving families, and providing opportunities to become involved in positive experiences with others in the school and community.

Our Coalition for Healthy Communities, an initiative of Wellspring, brings together professionals from multiple disciplines who have a passion for the prevention and treatment of alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse problems..

Our MissionThe mission of the Wellspring Center for Prevention is to promote the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities through the prevention of addiction-related problems across the lifespan.

2016 marked a year of change for our agency. Literally.

We moved our offices from Tices Lane in East Brunswick where we spent over 10 years, to a new location at 620 Cranbury Road, also in East Brunswick.

We expanded our Board of Trustees and our staff. We started offering new programs like Botvin’s Life Skills, Unique You and Class Action.

And we picked up a few new grants such as a Sustainable Jersey grant, enabling our SBYS program, Pathways, at Carteret High School to offer healthy food snacks to students. The STOP grant enables us to implement community-level programs designed to prevent and curb underage drinking..

New Jersey’s OFBI (Office of Faith-Based Initiatives, which, as part of its civic and community partnership program, awarded a grant that enables Pathways to implement fatherhood events. We were also awarded a Middlesex County Freeholder Supplemental Grant to implement suicide prevention programs at Carteret High School.

Then there is the contract from the County of Monmouth, Department of Human Services enables us to deliver prevention programming in the city of Long Branch. Wellspring was also warded the Middlesex County Pathways Expansion services grant targeting Delinquency Prevention efforts at the Carteret

Middle School.

The agency continued to be very active in the community through various events. They included an Underage Drinking Town Hall meeting, held in collaboration with the Dunellen Municipal Alliance, and with funding from SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration).

As well as the Coalition’s 6th Annual “Be Smart About Medicine” awards dinner and the 14th Annual Prevention Education Summit. 115 folks showed up to hear details from professionals about the prescription drug to heroin connection. Reviews were exceedingly positive.

The Coalition also participated in the Annual Drug Facts Week by running the “Tip of the Day” program which provided insights about specific substances and their effects on youth.

The agency also implemented a Tobacco Merchant Awareness campaign whereby the Coalition worked targeting merchants and insuring that they are complying better with the prohibition on tobacco sales to minors.

As a result of these efforts, the agency was recognized by the State Division on Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS) for our efforts targeting local merchants, Increasing their retailer compliance rates.

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One of the most important services we provide is a confidential information and referral helpline from 8am to 9pm, seven days a week at 732-254-3344. We also provide an online self-administered screening tool at www.helptool.org.This tool can provide referrals to start their search for available treatment.

And then there is Pathways, our school-based youth services program, which is based at Carteret High School. It creates a safe, structured environment within the school to address the myriad of social and health needs of the students.

We do indeed promote healthy living through education, training and advocacy.

05ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Our finances

Grants & contracts $1,081,046Program fees 218,344Contributions & events 7,631Donated services 0Interest & other income 1,080Total Support & revenue $1,308,101

Program Services $984,693Management & general 298,768Fundraising 4,851Total expenses $1,288,312

CHanges in net assets 19,789

Net assets, beginning of year 357,577

Net assets, end of year $377,366

Support & Revenues

Expenditures

Though 80% of our revenue comes from grants and contracts, this line item represents diverse funding from the Federal government, multiple State departments, and Middlesex County.

We are extremely proud to report that more than 78 cents of every dollar we spend goes to program services benefiting the Middlesex County community. The Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance Standards for Charity Accountability recommends that charities spend at least 65% of their total expenses on program activities and spend no more than 35% of related contributions on fund raising

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Pathways exceeded all 2016 grant requirements and provided 234 unduplicated youth individual and/or family counseling over the year and another 250 unduplicated youth were served through group services. Over 7,000 students participated in Pathways events throughout the year. Groups and events included fatherhood bowling event, day of silence, Prescription drug use/ vaping assembly, positive post it campaign, dating violence awareness activities, FAFSA workshops, monthly volunteering with those with disabilities, numerous community service activities, annual older adult thanksgiving luncheon, distracted driving lessons led by student leaders, career and vocational training workshops, and attendance at several teen focused educational conferences. Pathways also had another very successful summer program. 45 high school age youth were enrolled and attended daily for five weeks. Additional funding for summer program was provided by Central Jersey Arts Council and Empower Somerset, who provided a small fitness grant.

The agency’s media efforts are extensive and far-reaching. Our media efforts in 2016 generated over 79 articles published in area newspapers and on various web-based properties. Agency staff also made several appearances on NJ’s premier radio station NJ101.5. Our monthly Column in the Home News Tribune continued to generate interest among the newspaper’s readers. In all, our media efforts reached over 11 million individuals throughout New Jersey, and these efforts equate to media exposure valued at over $249,000.

Middlesex County residents (and others)

who are seeking help with substance use issues, were able to access our online referral tool with access to a complete database of service providers. In 2016 alone, the agency referred over 1,950 individuals to substance use services.

In support of Recovery Month in September, the Coalition for Healthy Communities participated in the Middlesex County Recovery Walk. Staff and students from the Perth Amboy Youth Alliance walked in this event and received recognition for creating recovery-themed banners.

During 2016, the agency participated in over 75 events attended by over 12,000 individuals.Through these events, Wellspring distributed over 6,500 pieces of literature.

The agency’s web-based efforts registered over 105,000 visitors to our websites. We engaged over 25,000 individuals through our many blogs, and reached over 22,500 folks through our social media efforts.

The agency also continued to maintain its position as a leader in training for substance use and prevention professionals. In 2016, we sold over 1,270 online courses and provided trainings to hundreds of individuals who sought substance use renewal credits or those seeking certifications as Certified Prevention Specialists.

7ANNUAL REPORT 2016

Wellspring Center for Prevention620 Cranbury RoadSuite 105East Brunwisk, NJ 08816

Tel: (732) 254-3344Web: https://wellspringprevention.org/

Board of Trustees

Executive Director

Ezra Helfand

President

Jeff Jannarone

Vice President

Agim Coma

Treasurer

Aurea Pereria

Secretary

Elliot White

Members

Kevin Codey

Rakesh Ganta

Steve Polinsky

Priya Venkataraman

Our StaffEzra Helfand, BA, APSExecutive Director/CEO

Lizette Fallon, BSDirector of Finance

Lauren Balkan, MSW, LCSWDeputy Director – Pathways

Helen Varvi, M. Ed., CPSDeputy Director

Anna Pepe, MSW, LCSWClinical Supervisor - Pathways

Lissette Mejia-BachardeProgram Assistant & Executive Assistant

Johanna PaganOffice Manager - East Brunswick

Karen BoatengOffice Manager - Pathways

Mara Carlin, BS, CPSCoalition Coordinator & Preventionist II

Linda Surks, BS, CPSPreventionist II

Cathy Cardew, MSW, LSWPreventionist I - Part Time

Heather Ward, MSW, LSW, CPSPreventionist II

Nicki Francis, BA Preventionist I

Christina Rak, BA, CPSPreventionist II

Jeanne Neuwirth, MSW, LSWClinician I - Pathways

Jelysa Hernandez, LSW, MSWClinician I - Pathways