StoppingStigma_Oct_2026

6 New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma Continued on page 7 Continued from page 5 “There is criminalization of people with mental illnesses because our communities don’t understand; they don’t see people as having substance use disorder or mental illness,” explained Rev. Flores, who is also Chairman of the Board of the New Jersey Coalition of Latino Law Enforcement and National Representative of Reverend Al Sharpton. Rev. Flores also shared a religious belief that is common in the Latino community. “Many believe depression comes from the devil,” he said. At Home and in Communities Stigma is evident in many families, regardless of their religion, ethnic group and other identifying characteristics. “When my son Kenny was first diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety, I didn’t tell anyone for about a year because I was embarrassed. And he lied to his friends after he was in the hospital for weeks or months; he said he had mono,” Baker shared. “He got so sick, we got past that embarrassment and fought to keep him alive.” Three weeks before high school graduation, Kenny lost all hope and took his own life. Then, his family was faced with stigma from the school, media and general community. “The school wanted to cover Kenny’s photo in the yearbook. They would not leave an empty chair in remembrance at the graduation, and they did not allow the swim team, which Kenny excelled on, to hold a meet in his memory,” Baker recalled. She also shared that other parents and the media claimed that she and her husband must be “horrible” parents and they “deserved to have their daughter taken away.” “Many parents are not aware their kids have mental health issues. The common thought is “‘Not my child; he’s too smart.’ They don’t understand that intelligent children tend to have depression and/or anxiety disorders more than other young people. Parents must be more open-minded, become educated about what mental illnesses might look like and get support for their children. But, parents are the hardest group to get in front of to educate,” Baker said. This lack of understanding often results in distancing from individuals with mental illness, which could cause even more harm for them. “One of the most heartbreaking things for Kenny was losing his friends. He had a close friend whose mom asked when Kenny would be available for the son’s birthday party. Some time later, Kenny learned the friends had the party and didn’t invite him. He was devastated,” Baker shared. Beyond this single incident, Kenny’s friends “were planning for college, the next phase of their lives while Kenny was focused on trying to stay alive.”