NJ Self-Help Group Clearinghouse Newsletter

The days are getting warmer, the birds are chirping, and my eyes are starting to feel itchy... Spring is here! The NJ Self-Help Clearinghouse team wishes you and your loved ones a joyful and refreshing season.🌸And if you also get pretty bad allergies during this time of year, I'm right there with you!

March is also a time filled with many important awareness efforts, from autoimmune conditions to brain injury to self-injury and beyond. Each of these observances plays a crucial role in promoting visibility, education, and action. While we may not be able to give each one the focus it rightfully deserves in this newsletter, we recognize the value they all bring in strengthening our communities. The way we will show up for these awareness efforts is by sharing relevant support group information towards the bottom of this newsletter, so make sure to see this newsletter through until the end!

For this edition, we want to highlight Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, a period dedicated to amplifying the unique experiences, contributions, and needs of individuals with developmental disabilities. It also serves as an important reminder of the value of inclusion, accessibility, and ensuring that individuals and their families have direct access to support within their communities.

What's Inside?

SHCH Update and Preview of What's to Come
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month: Background, Barriers, and Resources
Community Flyers

Before we get into the main event, we have a bit more to share than usual from the SHCH! We’re actively exploring different newsletter formats to see what works best, and we thought that providing more detail about what we’ve been up to would give you a better sense of what our program is all about!

As usual, it’s been a busy quarter connecting individuals and families to support groups, hosting trainings and webinars, and building partnerships with other amazing programs and organizations throughout the state whose missions align with ours own.

So, what exactly have we been up to lately? Here’s a snapshot of our recent work:

Support Group Requests:

140+ people reached out looking for connection this quarter! Common requests typically include those for grief, mental health, caregivers, substance use, and chronic conditions—this quarter was no different, taking up the majority of requests we received.
6 students reached out looking to observe a support group as part of an assignment.
Unique requests included those for natural/man-made disasters, grandparents raising children, immigrants, women diagnosed with autism, and childless not my choice—just to name a few!
The NJ county with the most requests by far was Bergen 🏆
6 individuals reached out interested in starting support groups of their own. Ideas focused on providing groups for loneliness, survivors of assault, caregivers of loved ones with dementia, community re-entry after exiting the criminal justice system, and mental health for youth!

Trainings & Workshops:

We delivered 2 SHCH overviews: 1 virtually and 1 in-person

We were reached out to by a member of United Advocacy Group – Forest Lakes Family Success Center down in Cumberland County, who has known about our program for years and was happy to learn that we’re still going strong! SHCH team members Kelly U. and Megan M. journeyed southwest to deliver a SHCH overview and were greeted by around 25 members of the UAG team eager to learn about our services, as well as a lovely invitation to eat lunch with them! Special shout out to United Advocacy Group for allowing us the opportunity to spread the word about our mission!

Kelly U. delivered a SHCH overview as part of Consumer Connections’ Wednesday Webinars!

Kelly U. delivered a PADs training (Psychiatric Advance Directive) as requested by the members of Catholic Charities, Diocese of Metuchen, for their SPIRIT Program!

SHCH team members Kelly U. and Megan M. led a 4-day virtual WRAP® (Wellness Recovery Action Plan) Seminar 1 in January!

Community Outreach:

This past winter season was EXTRA cold, which meant in-person outreach wasn’t exactly at the top of the to-do list. That being said, SHCH team member Megan M. (that’s me!) braced the winter elements and trudged through deep snow to tell people about our services… Okay, perhaps not quite battling freezing temps… but still! 🥶

Megan M. went out into the community to post SHCH flyers and brochures on local community boards around her hometown. This idea came after noticing how many great resources are shared in spaces like local coffee shops—so naturally, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to add SHCH into the mix. (And, admittedly, a pretty great excuse to keep visiting some of my favorite spots.) (shown below)

Megan M. represented the SHCH as a vendor at the Harrison/Mantua/Clearview SEPAG Special Education Community Fair in Gloucester County! It was a wonderful opportunity to meet with families of students with disabilities and to talk about the available support group resources for both parents and children. She also had a GREAT view of the therapy pets. Thanks to the coordinators of this event for the opportunity! (shown below)

What's Next for the SHCH?

Looking ahead, there's a lot in the works!

Here's a preview:

The next WRAP® workshop will be towards the end of April! For those of you interested in joining a FUTURE WRAP® and for any other questions, please contact us by using the following email address: wrap@mhanj.org
Registration for our next workshop in June opens on Monday, April 6th at 12:00PM. Click here to register.
As a reminder, WRAP® workshops are provided under a contract from NJ DMHAS. Therefore, participants of these workshops MUST reside in New Jersey, and either identify as a peer OR be a support group leader.

Towards the end of May, we’ll be hosting a 2-part, 8-hour training, Group Facilitation for Self-Help Support Group Leaders.
Topics covered may include:

-Foundations of peer-led self-help support groups

-The role of the facilitator vs. the role of group members

-Creating safe and inclusive group environments

-Managing group dynamics and difficult situations

-Encouraging balanced participation and respectful dialogue

-Handling conflict, dominant participants, and silence

-Boundaries, ethics, and facilitator self-care

-Preventing facilitator burnout and sustaining leadership

For more information and to register, use the link on our website homepage (www.njgroups.org) or email us directly!

More opportunities to attend trainings and workshops are in the works! Towards the 2^nd half of 2026, we’re planning to have bi-monthly webinars under the SHCH. Keep your eyes peeled!

Megan M. will be attending the 2^nd annual Transitions Resource Fair—hosted by Bombers Beyond. Bombers Beyond is an 18-21 (years old) transitional program through the Sayreville Public School District that offers job training and life skills at their public café and apartment. They aim to connect families and educators with valuable resources and support services that empower students to thrive. Check out the flyer for more information! Thanks to the members of Bombers Beyond for the chance to vendor! (flyer shown above)

Now that we’ve shared an extensive SHCH update, let’s turn our attention back to this month’s focus. In recognition of Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, we’d like to highlight the importance of this month as well as several support group information and related resources.

Observed each March, Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month is a time to recognize the rights, experiences, and the meaningful participation of individuals with developmental disabilities in all aspects of society. It is also a chance to raise awareness about the importance of breaking down barriers that continue to stand in the way of their basic rights for direct access to what they need to live full, meaningful lives within their communities.

This has its roots as far back as 1987, the year that President Ronald Reagan issued Proclamation 5613, officially designating March 1987 as National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. Over time, advocacy efforts led primarily by individuals with lived experience—with the help of families, friends, and community organizations—have helped shift the landscape toward greater visibility and inclusion.

This observance is led by organizations such as the National Association of Councils of Developmental Disabilities (NACCD), a national organization that works to promote policies, practices, and partnerships that improve the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities. The NACCD plays an important role in expanding visibility, providing leadership and education on national issues and policies, and amplifying the voices of individuals with lived experience.

This year’s campaign theme is “We’re Here: Then, Now, Always.” Through the power of personal stories, this campaign serves as a reminder that people with developmental disabilities have always been participants in our communities—working, learning, playing, caregiving, etc.—and ALWAYS will be. To learn more about this campaign, head to their website: https://nacdd.org/2026-dd-awareness-month-were-here-then-now-always/

While progress has been made, individuals with developmental disabilities may still encounter barriers when it comes to accessing services, navigating systems of care, and fully participating in the community.

Because of this, access to community resources is essential. Whether it’s information about local services, opportunities for skill-building and employment, or support for caregivers and loved ones, these resources play a critical role in helping individuals live with self-determination.

Peer support and self-help groups can be especially meaningful for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. These spaces provide opportunities to share experiences, learn from others navigating similar challenges, and build a sense of community!

National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities (NACDD): https://nacdd.org/ - Offers national advocacy, educational materials, and tools that support awareness and inclusion efforts across communities.

The Arc of New Jersey: https://www.arcnj.org/ - NJ's largest non-profit advocacy and service organization dedicated to serving children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families - Offers multiple programs as well as opportunities to join support groups both in-person and virtually through local county Chapters

Association for Autism and Neurodiversity (AANE): https://aane.org/ - Offers a wide variety of support groups specific to the identity of community members. Groups are led by facilitators who have both the professional and lived experience to bring the greatest level of understanding and empathy to the groups - Some groups are free, most single groups cost around $10, and multi-session groups can cost $100-180 depending on the group.

Hearing Loss Association of America: https://www.hearingloss.org/findachapter_state/new-jersey/ - nationwide community offers education, connection and support to the growing number of people with, and at risk of, hearing loss. They offer in-person and virtual meetings throughout the state.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing: https://deafandhoh.com/ - features hearing loss news, a discussion forum, resources for financial aid and other services, search directories for audiologists, hearing care facilities, speech-language pathologists, and more. They offer an open chat night (text-based) where they encourage free and open communication between members with similar experiences.

Center for Independent Living (CILS): https://acl.gov/ - nonprofit organizations that serve as local hubs for disability resources and community support. CILS provide opportunities to join support groups!

Family Resource Network: https://www.familyresourcenetwork.org/ - a family-focused umbrella of organizations designed to address the growing need for community-based programs and services meant to serve individuals and families with a variety of disabilities and chronic conditions. Offers educations, training, assistance for employment, recreational activities and events, etc.

As we move further into the season of growth, it feels quite natural to think about what it means to be connected and part of the community.

While we chose to focus on Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month, March also brings attention to many other important observances that deserve a little shout out! This includes:

Brain Injury Awareness Month
Self-Injury Awareness Month
Women’s History Month
Cerebral Palsy Awareness Month
Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month
Social Work Month
And many others!

Each of these efforts helps bring visibility to experiences that are often overlooked, and they remind us how crucial having access to resources is.

At the SHCH, that’s what we aim to achieve! We want to help people feel a little less alone in whatever they may be going through and further give them the opportunity to participate in the community.

We hope you take some time to enjoy the warmer days ahead! And if you happen to pass a community board along the way… you never know, you might just spot one of our flyers :) - Megan M.

Here are a few flyers that have come our way! We love being able to share what others are doing and help connect more people to the resources they deserve.

HUGE thanks to everyone who's sent in a flyer! If we missed yours—no worries! Outside of newsletters and support group requests, we're doing our best to get your support groups known using social media :)