NMH employees give to Katrina relief effort

NEWTON - Employees, physicians and Mental Health Center of Newton Memorial Hospital have all answered the call and contributed to Hurricane Katrina relief. At a recent medical staff meeting, hospital physicians contributed $5,000, the Salvation Army and the Red Cross each to receive $2500. The employees of Newton Memorial, including personal donations from the physicians in addition to the medical staff’s contribution, have donated $5,251 to date, with collections still not completed. “To demonstrate that all employees desire to make a contribution to this effort, the hospital will also give to the Salvation Army, $10,000 on behalf of all employees of Newton Memorial Hospital and its affiliates, in lieu of purchasing gifts exchanged by employees at their annual holiday party,” declared Dennis Collette, hospital president and CEO. The Mental Health Center has begun critical incident stress debriefings with returning Sussex County Red Cross volunteers and will continue to do so in the months ahead. Research shows that structured debriefings help individuals cope with their own natural responses when exposed to such trauma, and prevent the development of stress-related depressive and anxiety disorders. For information, call 973-383-2121 or visit the hospital website at nmhnj.org.