The Mental Health Association in New Jersey (MHANJ) is pleased to honor Attitudes In Reverse as a Golden Bell Leadership Award recipient. The Attitudes In Reverse co-founders Tricia, Kurt, and Katelyn Baker will accept the award at the MHANJ’s Evening of Excellence on Wednesday, June 18, at 6 p.m., at the Shackamaxon Country Club in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. Tickets are $125.
“The founders of Attitudes In Reverse have created a positive, well-received approach toward teaching young people about mental illness, educating 14,000 students in their first three years,” says Carolyn Beauchamp, president and CEO of the Mental Health Association in New Jersey. “We admire their strength, dedication, and heartfelt courage in using the experience of losing a loved one as the impetus to help others, and their dedication to breaking down stigma and saving lives.”
Attitudes In Reverse was established by Tricia, Kurt, and Katelyn Baker of Plainsboro, in 2010, soon after their son/brother, Kenny, committed suicide following a long battle against severe depression and anxiety. AIR’s three-pronged approach includes “Coming Up for AIR,” an educational program that uses Kenny’s story and shares facts about mental illness to educate youth about good mental health and suicide prevention in middle and high schools, colleges, and universities in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Vermont
“We are very proud of our unique programs and our signature focus on adolescents and young adults, which we chose because 50 percent of mental health disorders develop by age 14 and two-thirds develop by age 24,” says Tricia Baker. “We must be proactive because we are losing too many young people. They need to know that they are not alone, that help is available, and that treatment can be very effective, especially when it is started early.”
The Bakers also will present an ice cream social for volunteers with Attitudes in Reverse on Monday, June 23, at High School North. The evening includes a review of A.I.R.’s accomplishments and progress to raise awareness about mental health issues and suicide prevention. Register by E-mail to kurt@everybodyloveskenny.org.
Evening of Excellence, Mental Health Association in New Jersey, Shackamaxon Country Club, Scotch Plains. Wednesday, June 18, 6 p.m. Register. $125. 973-571-4100. mhanj.org.
Annual Ice Cream Social, Attitudes in Reverse, West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, 90 Grovers Mill Road, Plainsboro. Monday, June 23, 6 to 9 p.m. www.attitudesinreverse.org.
#b#Singh Receives Baker Scholarship#/b#
A.I.R. has also been giving out awards of its own. On June 5 the Baker family presented the Kenny Baker Memorial Scholarship to Isha Singh, a senior at High School North. The $500 award will go toward Singh’s tuition at Williams College in Massachusetts, where she is planning to study political economy.
“I became involved in AIR because an incident in my family led me to want to understand mental illness,” says Singh. “Through AIR I have had the opportunity to talk to people about the stigma of mental illness, and I have had the chance to raise money for the organization.”
Singh says she knows how mental illness can change the course of a family’s life because a close family member of hers also took her own life after struggling with depression for many years.
“For some time my family had a hard time understanding why she would have done such a thing and how we were going to tell people, so I decided that I wanted to understand more about the effect of mental illnesses and wanted to be part of the process that eliminated its stigma.”
Singh is especially engaged with AIR’s efforts to reach out to young people with programs that educate and enlighten. “I think that it is important for kids to understand that having a mental illness is not uncommon. A lot of kids think that they might have a problem but don’t ask for help because they don’t want people to find out they have a therapist. What I have learned through my experience is that many of my friends have therapists for a varying range of issues they are facing and that they feel much better for having made the decision to see someone.”
Singh’s father, Rana, works in software development. Her mother, Namita, was a journalist and accountant and now is a stay-at-home mom. She also used to be the co-owner and editor of an online E-zine called “Views Unplugged” which featured many articles about mental illness.
The Singhs moved to Plainsboro in 1995. Isha attended Wicoff, Town Center, Millstone River, and Community Middle schools.
Singh says organizations like AIR are making a difference, but there is more work to be done.
“Seeking help has less stigma than it has had in the past; however it still exists heavily. People should never be afraid to get help and people should understand that even a little bit of help from a professional can mean the difference between life or death.”
