FSB is a licensed outpatient mental health and substance abuse treatment center, welcoming the use of medication assisted treatment and psychiatric intervention. It has offices in Newark and Kearny. For more information about its offerings, visit fsbofnewark.org or call the Newark office at 973-412-2056 or the Kearny office at 201-246-8077.

“Vito Andrisani brings his mental health and counseling expertise to Family Service Bureau,” said 91ż´ĆŹ Chief Operating Officer Fred Hunter. “As the new Executive Director, we look forward to him building on an incredible program already providing vital services in our community.”

Andrisani has been a counselor since 1999 and has worked with a variety of clients, ranging in age from 5 to 81. He worked with children in group homes and was a teacher’s assistant in special education where he worked with behaviorally challenged students. He worked with schizophrenic adults and behaviorally challenged adults, as well as those dealing with substance abuse.

“I’ve been director of a methadone clinic, I’ve been director of outpatient, I’ve been director of detox,” Andrisani said. “I’ve worked in every level of care from detox to residential and then residential mental health as well as residential substance abuse.”

That variety of experience is beneficial in his current role with FSB, which provides outpatient services in behavioral health, including mental health and substance abuse. Andrisani is responsible for designing the programs at FSB.

“We need to have a mental health and a substance abuse program based on evidence-based practices, which means you’re doing the same thing every day that has already been proven to work,” he explained.

Andrisani believes that it’s important to treat the whole person since oftentimes mental health issues and substance abuse are co-occurring. He is also a champion of 91ż´ĆŹâ€™s mission statement to help residents of inner cities improve the quality of their lives to reflect individual God-given dignity and personal achievement.

“I have a strong belief that if we don’t take care of the human being first, what we’re trained to do is not going to be successful. It’s not going to last,” he said.

In addition to designing the programs for FSB, Andrisani hires and schedules staff, coordinates ongoing training, ensures regulations and grant rules are followed and networks with referral sources.

Prior to his career in counseling, Andrisani was attending medical school and became a freelance photographer in Italy. He has photographed Jermaine Jackson and even had a chance encounter where he was able to photograph Pope John Paul II at an airport. He gave up freelance photography because the lifestyle wasn’t conducive to starting a family, which he wanted.

Andrisani grew up in Paterson and lives in Passaic County with his wife, son and daughter. While he gave up freelance photography, he still enjoys taking photos and has passed along some of his knowledge to his son, who received his first camera at age 2. Now that he’s 10, he takes photos with his own equipment and uses his sister as a model.

Throughout his experiences, Andrisani has always enjoyed talking with and learning about people and their lives, which he brings to his work as a counselor and supervisor.

“People are very challenging,” he said. “They present differently for different reasons.”

Respite services are available to people in crisis for short-term stays at Better Life, located at 101 Fourteenth Ave., Newark. There they learn skills to cope with their issues and have a place to relax and reset to get back on their feet.

Respite guests stay at Better Life for 10 days. They sleep in their own private room on the first floor of the facility, which has a bed, a chest of drawers and a closet. Guests have access to the Respite Living Room, which has a television and computers, and Kitchen, which is fully equipped with an oven, a dishwasher and a coffee machine. The Kitchen also has a TV and phone line for guests to use. They participate in one-on-one sessions with staff members for one hour per day during their stay and also do a variety of other activities like art therapy which can be done in groups. They do other group activities as well, including movie night on Fridays and family meal night on Sundays, where staff members and guests cook dinner as a group.

91ż´ĆŹ owns and manages Better Life and CSPNJ runs the respite program, as well as the Engagement Center, which is also on the first floor of the facility and is open to homeless individuals Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

NCC CEO Richard Rohrman sees the respite program as another way to improve the lives of community members.

“The respite program at Better Life is a critical piece in intervening in someone’s life at a time of crisis. It can be the net that catches someone in a free fall. We are very excited at NCC to have this ability added to our comprehensive health and housing related initiatives,” he said. “Health and housing have to work hand in hand for better outcomes for those in need. Better Life is a prime example of how partnerships work to create better outcomes for clients.”

Former Respite guest Donald Williams was having issues with anxiety. At the time he was living in a shelter that had closed and he came to Better Life after someone told him about it, not knowing respite services were available.

“Before I got here, I wouldn’t even get on the bus because it gets too crowded. Then when I was here, I started getting on the bus a little more,” Williams said. “They taught me about breathing techniques and taught me how to kind of block out a lot of things. They gave me all kinds of tools. And if one way doesn’t work, they’ll start another. And they go on like that until they find something that works.”

Williams didn’t want to leave the facility when his 10 days were up, but he opted for follow-up services, which lasts an additional 30 days. The first seven days of that period, Respite staff members call the former guest every day and for the remaining three weeks, they call twice a week. The calls are meant to see how the individual is doing and ensure that they’re continuing to work on their wellness.

Even though his stay and follow-up services have ended, Williams still keeps in touch with respite staff and continues to come to the Better Life Engagement Center. He also keeps in touch with some of the other respite guests he met during his stay.

Essex County Wellness Respite Services Program Manager Kenisha Bakayoko said the main goal is to stabilize the crisis of the guests, offer an alternative to hospitalization and provide them with skills to help them cope with future issues.

While hospitals stabilize patients in crisis with medications, Bakayoko said respite services stabilize through skills.

“If you’re not a danger to yourself or others and you’re just having a hard time, you have a lot going on and you need a place to just reset and relax and get those skills that we sometimes lose when we’re in crisis, this is the place to come to,” she said.

The program accepts individuals who self identify as being in crisis and guests must have mental health or substance abuse issues to be approved. Five respite guests can be accommodated at one time. Essex County Wellness Respite Services opened in September. In its first five months, it served 69 guests.

Bakayoko said the majority of people who call are accepted into the program. Those who aren’t are usually experiencing homelessness but don’t have a mental health or substance abuse issue. In those cases, callers are referred to the Better Life Engagement Center resource specialist who can refer them to local shelters. Callers who are actively using substances are encouraged to go to detox before entering the respite program.

Essex County Wellness Respite Services has a team of seven: the program manager, a senior coach and five wellness associates. A staff member is on site 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The wellness associates are peers, meaning they have experience in the areas that guests are struggling with.

“The skills that we teach here we actually use ourselves,” Bakayoko said. “We’re not telling you to do a mindfulness practice and then say, ‘OK no, I’m not going to use that.’”

Guests meet with staff members for one hour per day during their stay. Times for sessions are flexible, which means guests are able to continue working or going to school for the 10 days.

“We have sessions as early as 9 a.m. and we do them as late as 8 p.m. We have people that are working full-time jobs and still coming to our services. Some people that are in school,” Bakayoko said. “You can still do what you need to do.”

Some guests are homeless, but respite staff members explain to them before they enter the program that they are not permitted to stay past the 10 days. That means if they don’t find stable housing or a place to go, it will result in them going back on the streets.

“We just try to connect them as much as possible,” Bakayoko said, explaining that staff members provide support, motivation and help filling out applications. “The majority of them get connected.”

Individuals who complete the 10-day respite program are allowed to return after a 60-day holding period if they find themselves in crisis again.

“We want to be very therapeutic but we don’t want them to feel super attached to us like, ‘Oh I can’t live without respite.’ Because that’s not the goal,” Bakayoko said. “The goal of respite is to give you the skills you need to stabilize you and get you back moving forward.”

If you or someone you know identifies as being in crisis and suffers from mental health issues or substance abuse, call Essex County Wellness Respite Services at 862-229-1401 to complete the 40-minute intake process.

91ż´ĆŹ and hosted an open house at Better Life Nov. 15 to showcase the various programs and services offered to the community.

Better Life, which is located at 101 Fourteenth Ave., Newark, has three distinct programs at the location. The first floor houses the Better Life Engagement Center, which connects the homeless to services and offers a place for homeless individuals to come for help getting documents, help with a search for permanent housing and jobs, referrals to detox if requested and meals. Also on the first floor is Essex County Wellness Respite Services, which is a hospital diversion program that offers 10-day stays to individuals in crisis who are dealing with mental health or substance abuse issues. CSPNJ runs both programs on the first floor. On the second floor of Better Life, there are 20 apartments for formerly chronically homeless individuals. provides the services for those residents, though they also work with CSPNJ and are welcome at the downstairs Engagement Center. 91ż´ĆŹ owns and manages Better Life, providing property management, security and maintenance.

NCC CEO Richard Rohrman explained that Better Life took 10 years to complete, but it represents great partnerships, both in the construction phase and the services provided.

“Monsignor’s vision and 91ż´ĆŹâ€™s vision really centers on dignity. Dignity for everybody. All of us, at some point in our lives, someone came along and gave us a boost,” Rohrman said. “We’re just here to give folks the boost they need. And we’re just pleased to be part of it.”

Better Life Recovery Center Manager Shareatha Webster told the open house attendees that the reason for the facility is the vision of 91ż´ĆŹ Founder Monsignor William J. Linder.

“Because he took action, it allowed a partnership to be formed,” she said. “When vision meets purpose, it creates an explosion. As a result of this, we have the Engagement Center today, we have respite services and the 20-unit studio apartments.”

CSPNJ Chief Operating Officer Mark Duffy praised staff members at Better Life and explained that the majority of CSPNJ employees have experience with mental illness, which helps them connect with and better understand those they serve.

“Because of 91ż´ĆŹ we have this gorgeous building and we have these wonderful partners who come together to produce a very vital service and also a community where people are members of it,” he said.

James Shipman of Rutgers UBHC was responsible for filling up the apartments on the second floor of Better Life. While the need for supportive housing is great, it wasn’t that easy to fulfill all the requirements necessary, which included reviews by Rutgers UBHC, NCC and the .

“Today I’m happy to say we have 100 percent occupancy upstairs. It’s amazing. You had people who were on the street, the subway, wherever they were being homeless,” he said. “And it’s just a great feeling to know they have been successfully housed today.”

In addition to an apartment, Better Life residents receive support services from Rutgers UBHC. Shipman explained that staff members sit down with each client to develop an individual recovery plan and work with them on their issues. Residents are also encouraged to visit the Engagement Center and utilize the services CSPNJ provides. CSPNJ personnel also helped some residents secure documents they needed during the application process that they were missing.

Those who come to Better Life aren’t just getting an apartment, a meal or access to services. They also are able to make connections with people going through similar experiences and they often volunteer their time to help ensure the Engagement Center keeps operating smoothly.

Jarell Mann is a resident at Better Life and also a staff member. He shared his story with those at the open house, saying he was lost before entering the facility. When he saw what was happening at the Engagement Center, he decided to give back.

“It gave me purpose and inspiration. You never know what true service is until you really start giving back,” he said. “It’s truly been a better life.”

Open house attendees were able to tour the Engagement Center, respite area and an apartment on the second floor. They were also able to speak with staff members and ask any questions about operations.

Miles Callender has completed an impressive amount of education: two associate degrees, two bachelor’s degrees, two master’s degrees and a doctorate. He currently works at Bethel Counseling Services in Newark as a substance abuse and mental health specialist. But it wasn’t always obvious that he would end up on this path.

What’s not surprising is that Callender entered a career path helping others. From the time he was young, he looked up to people who were making a difference in the world. He met Martin Luther King Jr. a week before his assassination and took part in the Walk for Understanding that took place after his death. He was 6 at the time.

91ż´ĆŹ Founder Monsignor William J. Linder was Callender’s pastor at one time. His whole family attended Queen of Angels Church until its closing.

“That’s the history I come from: social justice, civil rights and to advocate for the less fortunate,” Callender said.

He spent 15 years in the military, serving in the Army, Army National Guard, Army Reserves and United States Marine Corps. He received an honorable discharge from all.

Callender lived at 91ż´ĆŹ Gardens Senior, 265 Morris Ave., Newark, for a time until he was removed from the building about 15 years ago for substance abuse. While he was a resident, he opened an account at 91ż´ĆŹ Federal Credit Union. He remained a credit union member even after his departure and still uses its services today.

“Even in my worst state, they were always very, very supportive,” Callender said of 91ż´ĆŹ personnel. “Mulu always said, ‘Miles, you’re living beneath your potential. Just stop doing the drugs.’”

Mulu Gebreyesus is the director of the 91ż´ĆŹ Federal Credit Union. She always encouraged Callender to get sober and he has. Once he was free of drugs, he was able to focus on education, which has led to multiple degrees and certifications.

Callender has an Associate of Applied Science degree, Bachelor of Social Work, Master of Social Work, a Doctor of Theology (Th.D.) and a Ph.D. in theology and ministry. He has studied at Essex County College, Eastern Bible Institute and Seton Hall University. He is a Certified Social Worker, Licensed Certified Social Worker and Licensed Substance Abuse Addiction Specialist. He is a member of the national social work honor society Alpha Delta Mu. He also has a certification in anger management and is an HIV specialist.

“The first time I met Miles as a young man, he did not take any directions or follow anyone’s rules other than his own. Today Miles has accomplished the goals he has set for himself, and that made him an exemplary within his community,” Gebreyesus said. “Miles’ achievements show that one can dream and make the dream come true with hard work and dedication.”

In addition to meeting his own goals by completing his education, his career in social work is very fulfilling to him.

“It’s in giving that we receive. And that’s why social work is so gratifying,” Callender said.

He uses his own past experiences to help with his work as a substance abuse counselor, though he said disclosure of his past is only necessary when it helps the client.

Callender is happy to be drug free and helping others but hasn’t forgotten all his experiences.

“I’m not ashamed of my past,” he said. “Those that don’t acknowledge their past are doomed to repeat it.”