Mental Health and Wellness

Rutgers Faculty and Staff Assistance Program (FSAP)

FSAP provides comprehensive counseling and referral services to Legacy Rutgers postdocs. Through its collaboration with other university and community agencies, the Faculty and Staff Assistance Program promotes a supportive and harmonious workplace and recognizes the individual challenges and needs of Rutgers employees.

For appointments, Legacy Rutgers Postdocs can call (866) 327-8242 (Offices in Newark/Piscataway/Voorhees), or email Marianne Kunze for more information. 24-hour service is available for crisis and emergency contact by calling (848) 932-3956.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

An Employee Assistance Program (EAP) is a confidential counseling service that helps employees deal effectively with problems that may be affecting their well-being, their personal lives, and/or their job performance. RBHS postdocs can take advantage of this short-term counseling service. To learn more, visit this webpage or call 1-800-327-3678.

Joyable -- A Digital Wellness Resource for Employees

As part of our ongoing efforts to provide health and wellness resources to employees, we would like to share a digital wellness tool called Joyable, available at no cost to employees enrolled in state health benefits. Joyable is a mobile app designed to help manage stress, anxiety, and/or depression anytime, anywhere, from your mobile device or computer.

Rutgers: Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA)

The Office for Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance is committed to creating a community free from violence. VPVA provides services designed to raise awareness of and respond to the impact of interpersonal violence and other crimes through a combination of direct service, education, training, policy development, and consulting to the University and the broader community.

Sexual Harassment Prevention and Culture Change 

This 45-person committee meets over several months on six subcommittees to consider and propose recommendations in areas including consensual relationships, bringing greater transparency to reporting and findings of harassment, training for faculty and staff, and assessment of the effectiveness of our approaches. 

Postdoctoral Fellows with health insurance through UnitedHealth can take advantage of BetterHelp. BetterHelp is the world's largest e-counseling platform, and aims to make professional counseling accessible, affordable, convenient - so anyone who struggles with life’s challenges can get help, anytime, anywhere.

Local Resources: 

• Atlantic Health System - Crisis Intervention Services: In the event of a psychiatric emergency, Atlantic Behavioral Health offers crisis intervention services, including a 24-hour hotline, risk assessments and screenings, and community trauma assistance.
• Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center: A comprehensive community mental health center dedicated to the prevention, early detection, and treatment of mental illness and serious emotional and behavioral problems. A wide range of services are provided on a sliding fee scale for county residents.
• PerformCare NJ: When a child is facing challenges to their functioning and well-being, finding the right services and support can be overwhelming. PerformCare is committed to helping you access the right services for your child.
• NJ Mental Health Cares: The MHANJ is a statewide non-profit organization whose mission is to strive for children and adults to achieve victory over mental illness and substance use disorders through advocacy, education, training and services. 

Federal Resources:

• Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA): HRSA works to improve access to health care. The HRSA website has information on finding affordable healthcare, including health centers that offer care on a sliding fee scale.
• Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): CMS has information on its website about benefits and eligibility for mental health programs and how to enroll.
• The National Library of Medicine (NLM) MedlinePlus: NLM’s website has directories and lists of organizations that can help in identifying a health practitioner.
• Mental Health and Addiction Insurance Help: This website from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services offers resources to help answer questions about insurance coverage for mental health care.

Other Resources:

• NIH Becoming a Resilient Scientist Series (Fall 2022): A series of webinars and small group discussions to help you develop the confidence and resilience you need to navigate challenging situations in school, work, and life. 

• NPA Webinars:

  • myPDO Monthly: Supporting the Mental Health and Well-being of Postdocs

  • myPostdoc Monthly: Managing Impostor Syndrome

  • myPostdoc Monthly: Being Resilient While Job Searching

  • myPostdoc Monthly: Fostering Resilience During Times of Chronic Stress

  • myPostdoc Monthly: Identifying and Managing Career Anxiety

  • myPostdoc Monthly: Did They Really Just Say That?! Responding to Bias at Work

• Self-help resources such as apps, meditation, or guided exercises can be a great way to manage day-to-day stress or to use periodically when you feel overwhelmed. Please click here to visit CAPS' self-help page which is full of resources such as these. Please note that these resources are not a substitute for professional mental health services. 
• CAPS is offering a series, CAPS CARES, facilitated by Dr. Jones-Damis. The purpose of this is to offer tips, ideas, and insights, and answer questions about concerns or situations with your students. CAPS CARES runs from February-May, 2023.

Apps:

• What's Up?: ​Uses Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT) methods to help you cope with Depression, Anxiety, Stress, and more. 
• Moodfit: Shapes up your mood with proven tools & insight using CBT, mood journaling, gratitude, mindfulness & more.
• Calm: Helps users sleep better, boost confidence and reduce stress and anxiety, all with the help of guided meditations, soothing music, and bedtime stories
• Breathe2Relax: Teaches a skill called “diaphragmatic breathing” via guided practice sessions to help users feel more relaxed.
• Happify: Improves overall well-being and happiness, with influences from positive psychology, cognitive behavioral therapy, and mindfulness. Each activity intends to strengthen one of the five happiness skills: savor, thankful, aspire, give, or empathize.

Mental Health Guides:

• Work and your Mental Health: A Guide for Employees
• Creating a StigmaFree Workplace: A Guide for Supervisors