COMPASS is a local program serving Ocean and Monmouth Counties under the umbrella of New Jersey Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S). NJ4S is a new statewide initiative from the New Jersey Department of Children and Families (DCF), and was designed to enhance access for students to prevention and mental health screening services. Programs support public and charter school students and caregivers in Monmouth and Ocean Counties at no cost. NJ4S does not duplicate or replace existing programs and services already being operated in schools or by other organizations. Tiered levels of services are available, but a referral from school personnel is required to access Tier 2 and 3 services. Additional information on the NJ4S program tiers can be found on the NJ4S Ocean County Programs page.

NJ4S is staffed by prevention consultants and licensed clinicians. Staff will go to schools and community sites, including local libraries, religious institutions, and youth centers, to deliver an array of services virtually or in person. Service selection and delivery utilizes prevention science and evidence-based programming selected by an Advisory Group consisting of community providers, school officials, parents, and youth. NJ4S staff will also serve as connectors and referral sources to other community programs and services for students and their caregivers.

NJ4S COMPASS maintains a collaborative consultation with the nationally recognized prevention science experts Partnership To End Addiction to design and fully implement prevention programs to local Ocean-Monmouth youth, families, and schools that will be based on evidence-based practices and research informed information, while maintaining a person-centered approach to service delivery. 

The NJ4S prevention focus includes these core service areas: 

• Bullying and Violence Prevention
• Mental Health and Suicide Prevention
• Substance Use Prevention 
• Sexual Health and Teen Pregnancy Prevention 

Eligibility	Varies based on service request. Tier 1 services are open to Ocean County students, Pre-K through grade 12, caregivers, and school faculty. Tier 2 and 3 services are open to Ocean County public and charter school students, grades 6-12, caregivers, and school faculty.
Age Groups	Children Adolescents Adults
Community Services	Community Community Education Education Charter School Professional Education / Training Public School Special Education Employment / Training Life Skills Training Preparing for Adulthood Family & Support Services Family Support LGBTQ Parenting & Caregiving Pregnancy / Teen Pregnancy Referral Services Youth Groups
Health Services	Behavioral / Mental Health Anxiety Behavioral Depression Family Conflict & Distress Grief / Loss Mental Health Substance Use Teen Issues Womens / Mens Crisis / Safety Bullying Suicide / Suicidal Ideation Intellectual and Developmental Needs Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Learning Disabilities Special Needs Medical Health / Wellness / Nutrition Meditation / Relaxation Techniques
Treatment Services	Outpatient Services Assessment / Evaluation Counseling Counseling / Therapy, Family Counseling / Therapy, Group Counseling / Therapy, Individual Nurtured Heart Approach
Payment Options	Free
Areas Served	Monmouth County Ocean County

Last Updated: 04/05/24