Pascrell Helps Shepherd $65K for West Orange-based Mental Health Facility

In an effort to shepherd Main St. Counseling Center's request for a $65,000 federal appropriation, U.S. Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. (D-8) visited the mental health facility Thursday on Marcella Avenue in West Orange.

"If this isn't important and if this isn't necessary for our communities, I don't know what is," said Pascrell.

Though the funding is not yet guaranteed, it was approved by the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services and Education in early summer.

Jackie Gebhardt-Burns, a counselor at the center, said if the center obtains the money, it will become part of a program.

"We're working towards getting this funding to service adolescents," she said. "Those who are self destructing, who have obesity and things of that nature."

West Orange councilman Elnardo Webster Sr., who was present at the event, said the counseling center and the cash are great benefits for the township.

"We have quite a few students, adults and families who are being serviced through this center," he said. "So, it will be wonderful to expand the services locally where it's needed because mental health is an area people really don't want to talk about, but it's important."