Morris County Seeks Nominee for Terri Belski Mental Health Advocate of the Year

Published on April 01, 2017

Terri Belske: A Lifelong Advocate for People with Mental Illness and their Families

Terri Belske was one of the first mental health consumers in New Jersey ever to sit on high-level state and county public policy committees. The Boonton resident, who died last year at age 54, was a staunch defender and supporter of people who did not have a voice to advocate for themselves in the public arena.

The annual Terri Belske Mental Health Advocate of the Year, created last year in her honor, will be awarded annually at the "Morris County Public Forum: Many Faces of Recovery.''

Nominees for this prestigious award are now being sought for the 2017 award.

As a Terri Belske Mental Health Advocate, the awardee is a role model in New Jersey and represents the Morris County community in advocating for the rights of all people with mental illness and/or addictions.

The award recognizes a person or family member with lived experience of mental illness and/or sub(, 0B)stance use who has:

Demonstrated leadership as an advocate for adequate community resources to support individuals in their journey to recovery
Shown courage in representing the interests of individuals who have experienced mental illness and addictions
Demonstrated kindness and compassion for others in need
Acted as the voice for those who are not in a position to speak out for themselves.

To nominate someone, please submit a maximum 500-word summary about the candidate and the reasons why they merit the award. Send it to Morris County Mental Health Administrator Laurie Becker at lbecker@co.morris.nj.us by Friday, May 6. The 2017 Forum planning committee will review the nominations.

The award will be announced at the 2017 Public Forum, Many Faces of Recovery on June 12, 2017, 5:30€”8 p.m., at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum in Morris Township. For more information, call 973-285-6852.