Making a Difference

If you’ve been around Ridgewood for any amount of time, you may know Michael Tozzoli, CEO of West Bergen Mental Healthcare (WBMH). His passion for helping people and making a difference is felt throughout the organization and beyond, as his community roots run deep.

This year, Michael celebrates his 25th anniversary at WBMH, 20 as CEO, where he helped launch the organization’s first Asperger’s syndrome and autism program—and began the trajectory of his professional career.

Today, as CEO, Tozzoli continues to build on that mission, leading one of northern New Jersey’s most respected mental healthcare organizations with a focus on innovation, compassion, and community.

What led you to a career in mental health?

My middle sister suffered from mental illness. When you see that play out as a kid, it affects you deeply. It was confusing, upsetting, yet, in a way, intriguing. It laid the foundation for the rest of my professional life.

What first drew you to West Bergen Mental Healthcare, and what inspired you to dedicate two decades of your career to the organization?

West Bergen is the right fit for me because it is small enough to get things done—and large enough to get things done! Having worked in organizations of all sizes, I really appreciate that! It’s a wonderful place with a great staff, strong board, and hard-working volunteers. Even my sister, Susan, volunteers here—it’s a great new way for us to be connected!

This year marks your 25th year of service to West Bergen Mental Healthcare. When you reflect on that journey, what are you most proud of?

Three things. Since one of our core tenets of service is to train the next generation of mental health professionals, we launched a training institute for therapists and mental health professionals of all disciplines, including graduates, undergrads, and advanced practice nurses.

Organizations like ours struggle to fill open positions, and the demand for services outweighs the number of providers available. Offering this type of training enables mental health professionals to go out in the world and work—interestingly, most of the people in this program do not end up working at WBMH, but they are exponentially changing lives everywhere.

The second initiative is our school-based services. West Bergen Mental Healthcare is a big presence in area middle schools and high schools with therapists on-site. I firmly believe that early intervention is key. 

Addressing issues when a child is in their formative years makes a world of difference because we can begin therapy earlier. This spares the resources and costs required to address issues when children are teens or young adults. We’re in almost 20 schools throughout northern New Jersey.

The third thing I’m especially proud of is one that most people don’t know about—our emergency response services for families who experience unexpected death by suicide. First responders know they can call us to help these families navigate the situation and work through the grief. This extends out to the surrounding community, as well. We have a free warmline to help, offering three sessions to anyone in need. I have literally sat at the dining room table with families in these situations, walking them through the process of telling family members and working through the unimaginable shock and pain. It’s the moral and ethical thing to do—yet no one knows about it until there is a need.

What has been the most difficult challenge you’ve encountered as CEO?

Being a therapist is very hard. You worry about your clients. I worry about how hard the work is on our staff. It’s a lot to carry. I am fortunate to have a great board of trustees and staff, but at the end of the day, all of the responsibility falls on me, and it can be lonely at times.

Mental health awareness has come a long way in recent years. What changes have you seen in public attitudes toward seeking help?

The stigma of mental health has lessened over the years, thankfully. Teletherapy, which took off during the pandemic, has expanded access for many people who may not necessarily have made an appointment to visit a therapist “live.” However, some statistics show that once an individual thinks they have a mental health issue, it can take an average of five years before they actually make the call for help! My goal is to get that number down!

Why is it so important for communities like Ridgewood and Bergen County to continue investing in mental health services?

Mental health is extremely important. It impacts everyone in one way or another. No other public health issue touches as many people, so as a community, it’s important to invest in programs to address it. The more we can do to intervene at its early stages, the better.

How would you like your legacy at West Bergen Mental Healthcare to be defined?

Growing the organization to serve more people, but holding tight to West Bergen’s warm, caring, and personalized culture.

If you could give your younger self one piece of advice as you began this journey, what would it be?

This job is going to be really difficult, but you have to do it. It’s worth it. Treatment works, and people really do get better!

For more information, visit westbergen.org.