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Community Education & Advocacy

Bergen County Higher Education Addiction Prevention Consortium (BC HEAP)

Working together to improve mental wellness and reduce substance misuse among college students

BCHEAP on Campus
  • BC HEAP members standing around Felician University's newly installed Buster Box. Felician's therapy dog sits atop the box.
  • Two individuals stand indoors in a large room with rows of chairs and a ceiling-mounted projector visible above. Each person holds a black case labeled “BC HEAP Bergen County Higher Education Addiction Prevention Consortium,” along with boxes of Narcan.
  • BCHEAP team members behind a table covered with resources, information, and tabling giveaways
  • BCHEAP members around Narcan distribution box
  • BCHEAP members at a table covered with resources
  • Two BCHEAP staff at a table
  • Two students at Eastwick college posing with Narcan kits given away at a tabling event
  • BCHEAP members at a table covered with resources ppsing with some tabling giveaways
  • BCHEAP members at a table covered with resources posing with stickers commemorating Red Ribbon Week
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Bergen County Higher Education Addiction Prevention Consortium (BC HEAP)

The Bergen County Higher Education Addiction Prevention Consortium (BC HEAP) is a collaborative, countywide initiative led by The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources, a division of Children’s Aid & Family Services.

Established in 2024, BC HEAP brings together Bergen County’s institutions of higher education to strengthen substance-use prevention, mental wellness promotion, and student support efforts across campuses. Through shared planning, data-informed strategies, and cross-campus collaboration, the consortium works to reduce risk factors, enhance protective factors, and connect students to resources that support their overall well-being.

 

What BC HEAP Does

BC HEAP supports college communities through:

· Campus-based prevention and wellness programming

· Student, faculty, and staff engagement and leadership opportunities

· Cross-institutional collaboration and resource sharing

· Data-informed strategies addressing emerging substance-use and mental health trends

· Linkages to community-based prevention and support services

By working collectively, BC HEAP helps institutions move beyond siloed efforts and toward a coordinated, countywide approach to student wellness.

 

 

Register Today for BC HEAP's 2nd Annual Roots of Resiliency Summit!

Starting a journey into higher education can be exciting, but it can also be overwhelming. Between classes, work, relationships, and other responsibilities, stress is a normal part of the experience. But when does stress become something more? Mental health and substance use challenges can sometimes be connected to habits and behaviors that may seem harmless at first but gradually begin to impact well-being, relationships, finances, and academic success.
No matter your role on campus or in the community, BC HEAP's 2nd Annual Roots of Resiliency Summit offers an opportunity to better understand the challenges facing today's higher education students. Join us for an engaging morning focused on emerging substance use trends and prevention efforts across higher education campuses throughout Bergen County.
 
Through an engaging presentation by Paul Lavella Jr., this year's keynote will explore behavioral addictions affecting today's higher education students, including sports betting and gambling, excessive gaming, compulsive sexual behaviors, and binge eating. Attendees will gain insight into the factors that drive these behaviors, their impact on academic success and overall well-being, and practical strategies for recognizing warning signs, building resilience, and maintaining healthy habits.
Attendees will also hear from a panel of BC HEAP student, faculty, and staff representatives as they share their experiences in the consortium, successful prevention initiatives taking place on their campuses, and opportunities to further support student well-being.
 
Don't miss out! See the attached flyer above more information about the summit and register today by scanning the QR code or clicking the link below.
 
Registration Link: https://cafs.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2luWMIKxSVD8JN4
We look forward to welcoming you on September 28th!

 

 

Participating Institutions

BC HEAP includes partnerships with the following Bergen County colleges and universities:

· Bergen Community College

· Eastwick College

· Fairleigh Dickinson University

· Felician University

· Ramapo College of New Jersey

 

Get Involved

BC HEAP encourages students, faculty, staff, and campus partners to engage in consortium-supported initiatives and collaborative efforts. Whether through programming, task forces, data collection, or campus outreach, there are multiple opportunities to get involved.

 

For more information, please contact:

Monica Galas, MPA 

Program Director, BC HEAP (201) 740-7097

mgalas@cafsnj.org

Partner Institutions

Partner Institutions

Follow us on our socials to keep in touch!

     

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