About Prevention Links
Our Mission
Our mission is to foster healthy, sustainable communities by empowering people with education, collaboration, and links to life-changing resources.
What We Do
By connecting people to vital health and educational resources, we combat the negative impacts of drugs, violence, and inadequate educational and health institutions in our communities.
What Sets Us Apart
We approach prevention and recovery efforts holistically, addressing each individual’s, family’s and community’s needs at every age and every stage of life with evidence-based strategies that work. A combination of genetic, environmental, and developmental factors influences the risk for substance misuse and substance use disorder. We address those factors by identifying and enhancing existing strengths within the individual, family, school, and work settings.
Our History
Established in 1971, Prevention Links is based on the model of the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), an organization started to serve a dual purpose: to attack the stigma and misunderstanding about substance use disorders, treatment, and recovery and to operate community centers staffed by professionals helping individuals and families.
For over 50 years, we have been delivering evidence-based prevention programs for individuals across the lifespan. We have expanded our life-changing services so that our organization has grown to 100+ employees and 12 locations, 20,687 residents statewide. Today we remain true to our founding principles:
- We help people find help;
- We advocate for prevention and recovery;
- We believe in the resilience of families;
- We build towards the brighter future our communities deserve.
Prevention Links is a private, nonprofit organization.
Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Annual Reports
Learn MoreOur Leadership
Chief Officers:
Morgan Thompson, MSW
(she/her)
Dominque Garrett
(she/her)
Stacey Shultz, CPA
(she/her)
Stacey Shultz is a highly accomplished financial professional and the Chief Financial Officer of Prevention Links. With a robust background in accounting and financial management, Stacey brings a wealth of expertise to her role, drawing on her extensive experience in the nonprofit sector.
Stacey earned her Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY Oneonta, where she laid the foundation for her career in finance. She further distinguished herself by obtaining certification as a Certified Public Accountant, a credential that underscores her proficiency and commitment to financial integrity.
Before joining Prevention Links, Stacey held pivotal financial leadership roles at several esteemed nonprofit organizations. She served as the Chief Financial Officer at Eva’s Village, Inc., where she played a crucial role in managing the organization’s finances and supporting its mission to provide comprehensive support services. At The Arc of Union County, Inc., Stacey demonstrated her expertise in navigating complex financial landscapes to advance the organization’s goals of supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most recently, she contributed her financial acumen to 180 Turning Lives Around, Inc., where she helped drive the organization’s efforts in providing crucial support and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Throughout her career, Stacey Shultz has been recognized for her strategic insight, meticulous attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to the missions of the organizations she has served. Her leadership in financial management continues to drive impactful results at Prevention Links, where she remains a key figure in ensuring the organization’s financial health and sustainability.
Emily Newton
(she/her)
Emily Newton is a young woman in long-term recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. As a student, she returned to campus to the Rutgers Recovery House where she led, advocated, and built relationships. She has found purpose in advocating for recovery spaces to become increasingly more inclusive and accessible, particularly for youth. Emily played a pivotal role in launching New Jersey’s first and only state-wide recovery community organization, NJ-CARS. She has since played a major role in launching the RDP pilot project in New Jersey and consulted in the launch of SoberTogether, an app to connect people in recovery to one another.
In 2023, Emily was inducted onto the DOJ Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Youth Advisory Board, where she will serve as a voice for at-risk youth and young adults on a national level. As a grant writer, advocate, and person with lived experience, she is equipped with the skills to lay a foundation for the next generation of youth seeking recovery. In her role at Prevention Links, her core responsibility is to leverage her personal experience to spearhead the organization’s strategic initiatives related to marketing, branding, fundraising, grants, and data management.
Michael Santillo
(he/him)
Michael plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organization’s programs are finely attuned to the ever-evolving needs of the community. Michael is a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor with over 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field. He served as Chief Executive Officer at John Brooks Recovery Center, one of the leading residential, outpatient and medication-assisted treatment providers of substance use disorders treatment and recovery support services in southern New Jersey. He also served as the Executive Director of Integrated Care Services at Eva’s Village, a large social service agency providing care and support to individuals struggling with hunger, homelessness, substance use, and mental health disorders.
He has designed, implemented, and supervised a wide array of treatment and recovery support services including residential and outpatient substance use/mental disorders treatment programs; medication-assisted treatment programs; mobile methadone and low-threshold buprenorphine mobile vans; supportive housing services; recovery/sober housing services; jail and prison re-entry programs; primary health care services; opioid overdose recovery programs and recovery community centers.
Mr. Santillo has worked as a consultant to the New Jersey Administrative Courts and Public Defenders office. He has served as a member of SAMHSA’s State Best Practices Opioid Misuse, Prevention and Treatment Panel and Recovery Research and Evaluation Technical Expert Panel, NJ-DMHAS Professional Advisory Committee, NJ BRSS TACS Policy Academy, Administrative Office of the Courts Drug Court Treatment Subcommittee, Coalition for Addiction Recovery Supports Advisory Committee, National Council for Behavioral Health Addiction Committee and Pew Charitable Trust, Bloomberg Opioid Initiative COVID-HARTS Advisory Board.
Morgan Thompson, MSW
(she/her)
Emily Newton
(she/her)
Emily Newton is a young woman in long-term recovery from substance use and mental health challenges. As a student, she returned to campus to the Rutgers Recovery House where she led, advocated, and built relationships. She has found purpose in advocating for recovery spaces to become increasingly more inclusive and accessible, particularly for youth. Emily played a pivotal role in launching New Jersey’s first and only state-wide recovery community organization, NJ-CARS. She has since played a major role in launching the RDP pilot project in New Jersey and consulted in the launch of SoberTogether, an app to connect people in recovery to one another.
In 2023, Emily was inducted onto the DOJ Office of Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Prevention Youth Advisory Board, where she will serve as a voice for at-risk youth and young adults on a national level. As a grant writer, advocate, and person with lived experience, she is equipped with the skills to lay a foundation for the next generation of youth seeking recovery. In her role at Prevention Links, her core responsibility is to leverage her personal experience to spearhead the organization’s strategic initiatives related to marketing, branding, fundraising, grants, and data management.
Dominque Garrett
(she/her)
Michael Santillo
(he/him)
Michael plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organization’s programs are finely attuned to the ever-evolving needs of the community. Michael is a licensed clinical alcohol and drug counselor with over 35 years of experience in the behavioral health field. He served as Chief Executive Officer at John Brooks Recovery Center, one of the leading residential, outpatient and medication-assisted treatment providers of substance use disorders treatment and recovery support services in southern New Jersey. He also served as the Executive Director of Integrated Care Services at Eva’s Village, a large social service agency providing care and support to individuals struggling with hunger, homelessness, substance use, and mental health disorders.
He has designed, implemented, and supervised a wide array of treatment and recovery support services including residential and outpatient substance use/mental disorders treatment programs; medication-assisted treatment programs; mobile methadone and low-threshold buprenorphine mobile vans; supportive housing services; recovery/sober housing services; jail and prison re-entry programs; primary health care services; opioid overdose recovery programs and recovery community centers.
Mr. Santillo has worked as a consultant to the New Jersey Administrative Courts and Public Defenders office. He has served as a member of SAMHSA’s State Best Practices Opioid Misuse, Prevention and Treatment Panel and Recovery Research and Evaluation Technical Expert Panel, NJ-DMHAS Professional Advisory Committee, NJ BRSS TACS Policy Academy, Administrative Office of the Courts Drug Court Treatment Subcommittee, Coalition for Addiction Recovery Supports Advisory Committee, National Council for Behavioral Health Addiction Committee and Pew Charitable Trust, Bloomberg Opioid Initiative COVID-HARTS Advisory Board.
Stacey Shultz, CPA
(she/her)
Stacey Shultz is a highly accomplished financial professional and the Chief Financial Officer of Prevention Links. With a robust background in accounting and financial management, Stacey brings a wealth of expertise to her role, drawing on her extensive experience in the nonprofit sector.
Stacey earned her Bachelor of Science degree from SUNY Oneonta, where she laid the foundation for her career in finance. She further distinguished herself by obtaining certification as a Certified Public Accountant, a credential that underscores her proficiency and commitment to financial integrity.
Before joining Prevention Links, Stacey held pivotal financial leadership roles at several esteemed nonprofit organizations. She served as the Chief Financial Officer at Eva’s Village, Inc., where she played a crucial role in managing the organization’s finances and supporting its mission to provide comprehensive support services. At The Arc of Union County, Inc., Stacey demonstrated her expertise in navigating complex financial landscapes to advance the organization’s goals of supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Most recently, she contributed her financial acumen to 180 Turning Lives Around, Inc., where she helped drive the organization’s efforts in providing crucial support and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Throughout her career, Stacey Shultz has been recognized for her strategic insight, meticulous attention to detail, and unwavering dedication to the missions of the organizations she has served. Her leadership in financial management continues to drive impactful results at Prevention Links, where she remains a key figure in ensuring the organization’s financial health and sustainability.
Directors:
Cindymarie Dix
(she/her)
Nafisah Downs, LSW, LCADC
(she/her)
Ana Martinez
(she/her)
Kelley Ryan
(she/her)
Cindymarie Dix
(she/her)
Kelley Ryan
(she/her)
Nafisah Downs, LSW, LCADC
(she/her)
Ana Martinez
(she/her)
Board of Directors
Mary Landriau (she/her)
Clinton Miller (he/him)
Susan Kline (she/her)
Vincent Tese (he/him)
Sheila F. Riley (she/her)
Sarah Lindell (she/her)
Stanley Neron (he/him)
Maryam Saleem (she/her)
Christopher Sorrenti (he/him)
We have many locations waiting to serve you!
Program Map
- Passaic County
- Essex County
- Hudson County
- Union County
- Middlesex County
- Somerset County