Listen to some of the most powerful calls about mental health problems in NJ

During last night's Ask the Governor, Governor Chris Christie fielded a wide range of calls from NJ residents. One call in particular stuck out to me and that was from a woman named Margaret who was trying to get help for her sister who suffers from sever mental health issues.

How can we somehow not prioritize to ensuring the right way to have something in place that helps the people who need it the most. Who needs more help in this state than people who are destitute and are dealing with mental illness?

Listen to the desperation in Margaret's voice as she had to go all the way to the governor to try and get her sister help.  Margaret tells Governor Christie "There are people who need more help then a residential home but they don't necessarily need a hospital and there's no place for these people.  My sister is a vulnerable person who is going to end up either on the streets  or in jail because she's mentally ill and she's put in an environment where she can't function." Listen to Margaret's full call with Gov. Christie below.

Today after playing part of Margaret's call on the air, I received a call from a listener named Mike Toms River. Mike, who suffers with mental illness says NJ is a very difficult state to get any type of help.

We also received a call from Bill in Matawan, who is a doctoral student and works in mental health care programs says part of the problem with mental health care in NJ is funding and keeping costs low to taxpayers.