Morris County Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano Honored For Fostering A "Stigma-Free" Approach With Individuals Struggling with Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders
Published on April 26, 2019
Morris County Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano, the coordinator of the innovative Hope One mobile recovery and resource program, was honored by the Morris County Board of Freeholders for her commitment to creating a Stigma-Free environment for people struggling with substance use and mental health disorders.
Morris County Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano, coordinator of the Hope One mobile substance use recovery and resource outreach vehicle, was honored April 24, 2019, by the Morris County Freeholders for contributing to their "Stigma-Free" campaign that promotes sensitivity and support to people struggling with substance use and mental health disorders. Corporal Valvano is pictured here with Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon.
Corporal Valvano was recognized April 24 by the freeholders as they celebrated the third anniversary of their Stigma-Free campaign to reduce public bias and increase support for people who have mental health or substance use disorders.
Corporal Valvano was lauded as a driving force behind Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon's Hope One mobile outreach program that has brought critical services related to drug addiction, mental health and other social service needs into Morris County communities since its launch on April 3, 2017.
The campaign is more than a slogan, translating to increased empathy and services, and the adoption by 35 out of 39 municipalities in Morris County of resolutions to be Stigma-Free, said Freeholder Kathy DeFillippo, board liaison to the Department of Human Services.
Morris County Sheriff James M. Gannon and Sheriff's Office Corporal Erica Valvano, coordinator of the Hope One program.
Sheriff Gannon, who has dubbed Corporal Valvano the mother of Hope One, credited the Corporal for making the program a success on a day-by-day basis. Hope One's community partners include Family Promise of Morris County, CARES-NJ, Daytop-NJ, and the Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris.
Hope One is her family. She treats it like her family, the Sheriff said.
Hope One made its most recent stop outside the Community Soup Kitchen in Morristown on April 25. Since April 2017, the Hope One staff has made 6,577 contacts, trained 1,712 people how to administer the overdose-reversal antidote Narcan, referred 97 people to mental health services, and arranged for 104 people to receive rehabilitation or recovery services.
The freeholder resolution declares:
Morris County Sheriff's Corporal Erica Valvano is passionate about breaking down the stigma surrounding substance abuse and mental illness so that people feel cared for as they seek treatment and support.
She has been a driving force behind Sheriff Gannon's Hope One mobile substance use recovery and resource initiative, working closely with persons impacted by the heroin and opioid epidemic, and sharing lessons learned to inspire hope for recovery in a Stigma-Free environment.
Her Stigma-Free philosophy at Hope One is to guide residents and families to substance use and mental health treatment programs, to raise awareness of these difficult issues, and to change how people think and talk about substance use and mental illnesses.
Erica has helped create a Stigma-Free environment in Morris County, where affected individuals are supported in their efforts to achieve wellness and recovery, and where understanding and assistance “ not judgment and labeling “ are the norms.
For her efforts to inspire public interest and open dialogue about stigma, and foster treatment and recovery, we issue this resolution of thanks to Erica Valvano.