Family Support Organization Winter Newsletter

Aim is to improve diagnosis and treatment of mental illness and substance abuse issues among children and adolescents

On January , 23, 2019, Ocean County will participate in NJCounts 2019 conducting a state-wide Point-In-Time Count of the sheltered and unsheltered homeless. If you or someone you know is homeless or at risk of homelessness please visit one of the Project Homeless Connect Sites for help.

Team to interview for seasonal ballpark positions

A maximum total of $25,000 is available to fund one or more projects. Funding is to be used for expansion or creation of resources available to Ocean County youth experiencing emotional, behavioral, developmental, intellectual, and substance use needs, and their families.

Teaching your child how to manage his fears without parental intervention will help him build the confidence and independence he’ll need to feel more in control, and less afraid, both now and as he grows up.

Improvements in school climate can reduce suspension rates by 10 percent, MU study finds

Sesame Street introduced a new storyline for Muppet Lily, who first joined the show nearly a decade ago. According to Sherrie Westin, president of global impact and philanthropy for Sesame Workshop, Lily is their first character to face homelessness.

A district letter urges parents to watch kids' internet use after first-graders were discussing the dangerous social media phenomenon.

Amid an opioid crisis that has increased the need for foster care, states are struggling to find enough foster families to take in kids. A shortage of affordable housing in many places is making the problem even worse.

TRENTON – The Department of Children and Families (DCF) today announced the creation of an Office of Family Voice, the first of its kind among public child welfare agencies nationwide.

TRENTON — New Jersey legislators prioritized food assistance programs and initiatives last week when they passed or approved of several bills in committee meetings that would help feed people and reduce waste.

On May 12, 2017, CANTASD hosted a discussion among experts and practitioners in the field to discuss the impact of parental incarceration on children and families.

PerformCare is excited to be launching several automated mobile phone texting campaigns for youth and families in the Children’s System of Care, designed to provide better engagement and satisfaction with CSOC-involved families.

Parents who force unremorseful kids to apologize to others before they're truly sorry may do more harm than good.

The ‘housing first’ model of treating homeless people in a ‘humanistic and holistic way’ is gaining ground in the Garden State as elsewhere in the country

PORTLAND — For Portland resident Stephen Canova, thoughts of suicide came unexpectedly one December night. Then 20, a sophomore in college, unhappy and disconnected from his tightknit home community, he tried to kill himself.

NJ Human Services Announces New One-Stop, Online Application for Older New Jerseyans to Access Benefits

Santa Claus is coming to FirstEnergy Park on December 8th for the annual Breakfast With Buster Holiday Food & toy Drive.

Researchers at the Institute for Autism Research at Canisius College found an innovative school treatment yields significant improvements for elementary-school children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Youths identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual, or another nonheterosexual identity (sexual minority youths) report more violence victimization, substance use, and suicide risk than do heterosexual youths.

Society doesn’t seem to understand autism. They don’t know what it is — or what it isn’t. That needs to change.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse's newly updated Mind Matters series focuses on easy-to-understand scientific facts.

Members of Tuckerton’s Red Men Lodge, assisted by members of its women’s auxiliary, the Degree of Pocahontas, and additional volunteers, will serve its annual Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, Nov. 18, from noon until 4 p.m.

The Murphy Administration has created www.GetCovered.NJ.gov to serve as a portal for individuals seeking health coverage.

Plenty of situations make kids feel nervous and uncomfortable. But how do parents know when a child is suffering from anxiety that requires professional attention? Here’s how to tell the difference and get your child the care he needs.

Department of Children and Families (DCF) and New Jersey Courts to Finalize Over 200 Adoptions at Events Taking Place Across the State

It ought to be easier to raise pro-social children — kids who are helpful and kind and empathic — since the impulse toward pro-social behavior is something we’re born with. 

Tips on responding to difficult toddler behavior

his 2018 Children’s Mental Health Report looks at how widespread these disorders are, how they develop, and the risks of untreated anxiety.

Sixth grade can be a tough time for pretty much anybody. It doesn’t help when your parents divorce right before the beginning of your middle school career and it leaves you, your mother, and your sister homeless.

Why it's especially tempting — and risky — for kids with emotional or behavioral challenges

After years of school officials using their own best judgment, New Jersey has weighed in, siding with students and telling schools they must allow kids to change genders -- even if their parents don't know about or don't want it to happen. 

OCEAN COUNTY – During the month of October, Ocean County officials will be recognizing one of the most common cancers in women worldwide with Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

UNLV professor Erika Abad on the history of LGBTQ people in comics, television, film, and other media, and why TV's latest superhero is just what we need.

As we help our sons and daughters get ready to return to school, let’s reflect on our own readiness to promote our kids’ best emotional development during the school year. 

The new center is designed to improve research, treatment and family services

TOMS RIVER – A Toms River Girl Scout is attacking issues with mental health and addiction from a new angle: art. Alessandra Sophia Regenye is working to create a mural that will destigmatize mental health and addiction while also drawing attention to the ways art can help heal.

The Murphy Administration is committed to a stronger and fairer New Jersey. In our early months on the job, the team at the Department of Human Services has taken important steps to help realize that goal.

How to get your child up and out the door with the least amount of conflict

Routines and incentive systems to help kids succeed

In cooperation with local community organizations, JCP&L will host the events throughout Monmouth, Morris and Ocean Counties.

Techniques for helping kids regulate their emotions and avoid explosive behavior

States are starting to integrate mental health into their curriculum -- whether it's English or biology class.

Let Grow is reaching out to elementary schools across the country to assign kids the Let Grow project as homework. Participating kids decide to do something on their own that they haven't done before — whether it's walking the dog around the block, or making dinner, or walking a few aisles over in the supermarket to get some eggs. 

For young people and those invested in their happiness and success, the data around suicide rates tell an alarming story. 

Please read the following update to learn more. NJPA will continue to provide updates and a link to the final law when it is available. These amendments went into effect immediately.

The four-year project aims to help combat chronic diseases and help kids get more out of their education.

54% of U.S. teens say they spend too much time on their cellphones, and two-thirds of parents express concern over their teen's screen time. But parents face their own challenges of device-related distraction.

As part of the New Jersey Strategy for Youth Suicide Prevention Plan, NJ DCF is asking our families, system partners, stakeholders, and service providers to complete it to help New Jersey assess our progress in this work.