Englewood Cliffs Senior Brings Student Perspective to NJ4S Bergen Advisory Board

Emilie Fishkin will Help Deliver Mental Health Services for Bergen County’s Public School Students and Families
Paramus, N.J. (December 5, 2023) – NJ4S Bergen, a comprehensive mental wellness program for students and families, led by Children’s Aid and Family Services (CAFS), is pleased to announce that Emilie Fishkin, a 12th-grade student from Englewood Cliffs, has joined NJ4S Bergen County’s Advisory Board as a student advisor.

As a student advisor, Emilie provides invaluable and unique insight into the perspective of Bergen County students and how to most effectively reach and support them with prevention and clinical consultation services that promote social, emotional, and mental well-being; this is no small task in Bergen County which comprises 79 school districts and over 133,000 students.

Emilie’s decision to join the NJ4S Advisory Board was spurred by her belief in the importance of promoting mental wellness in Bergen County. “As a high schooler, I've witnessed firsthand the challenges people my age face in managing their mental health, and feedback from the youth targeted by these programs is critical,” said Fiskin. “Being part of NJ4S allows me to contribute to a proactive effort that supports students, parents, and educators in addressing mental health concerns, creating a healthier environment for everyone.”

The NJ4S Bergen Advisory Board consists of students, parents, community leaders, educators, faith-based leaders and others who ensure the initiative is based on an in-depth understanding of the many communities NJ4S Bergen serves. The Advisory Board identifies preventative services that will be universally available through every school in Bergen County, as well as libraries, places of worship and other community spaces where people are most comfortable. NJ4S Bergen also prioritizes delivering more focused, evidence-based preventative programs, small group interventions, and individualized assessments and interventions for youth in crisis where the need is greatest.

To learn more about NJ4S Bergen, visit https://www.nj4sbergenhub.org or follow NJ4S Bergen on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. For more information on the NJ Statewide Student Support Services Network (NJ4S), visit https://nj4s.nj.gov/.