CUMBERLAND COUNTY

About Us

Youth Services Advisory Council

The Youth Services Commission continues to be the comprehensive planning entity for local youth, as part of New Jersey’s Juvenile Reform Bills signed into law in December of 1995.  Youth Services Commissions were established by law to plan and implement strategies, and to advocate to reduce juvenile delinquency and improve the juvenile justice system.  County youth services commissions are also designated to administer the State / Community Partnership Grant Program.  In Cumberland County, this Commission is known as Youth Services Advisory Council (YSAC).

Cumberland County Youth Services Commission 2021 Open Public Meeting Dates

 

Date:

Time:

Location:

Wednesday, January 20th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, February 17th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, March 17th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, April 21st

3:00pm

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Wednesday, May 19th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, June 23rd

3:00pm

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Wednesday, July 21st

3:00pm

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Wednesday, August 18th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, September 15th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, October 20th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, November 17th

3:00pm

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Wednesday, December 15th

3:00pm

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Contact Us



Frank Carozza

Youth Services Commission Administrator

Children’s Inter-Agency Council Coordinator

Cumberland County
Department of Human Services
70 West Broad Street, Bridgeton NJ 08302

Phone: 856.459.3083

Fax: 856.455.5756

Email: [email protected]

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Youth Services Advisory Council Comprehensive Plan Archive

Youth Services Advisory Council Virtual Meeting Recordings Archive

“In compliance with the Open Public Meetings Act, Chapter 231, Public Law 1975, this meeting of the Youth Services Advisory Council transmitted notice of this meeting to the South Jersey Times, the Daily Journal, SNJ Today, The Guide, The Reminder and The Press of Atlantic City. A notice was also posted on the Cumberland County homepage on the internet in compliance with this Act”. (The Open Public Meetings Act)

 

Click On The Dates Below To Access Information

Cumberland County Children’s Inter-Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) CY2021 Meeting Dates

 

 

Date:

Time:

Location:

Tuesday, January 19th

11:00 AM

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Tri County-Gloucester

 

Wednesday, March 10th

10:00 AM

Large Conference Room at Budd Blvd Complex, 115 Budd Blvd, West Deptford, Gloucester County

 

 

 

Tuesday, March 16th

 

10:00 AM

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Tuesday, May 18th

 

10:00 AM

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Tri County-Cumberland 

 

Wednesday, June 9th

 

6:00 PM

CGS-Family Support Organization, 3739 N. Delsea Drive, Vineland, Cumberland County

Tuesday, July 20th

10:00 AM

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Tri County-Salem

 

Wednesday, September 8th

10:00 AM

Ranch Hope

45 Sawmill Road, Alloway, Salem County

 

Tuesday, September 21st

10:00 AM

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Tuesday, November 16th

10:00 AM

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+1 856-209-3537

Tri County-Gloucester

Wednesday, December 8th

10:00 AM

Large Conference Room at Budd Blvd Complex, 115 Budd Blvd, West Deptford, Gloucester County

Cumberland County Children's Inter-Agency Coordinating Council (CIACC) Meeting Archive

Recovery on Wheels & Cumberland C.A.R.E.S.

How Can We Help You With Your Recovery Today?

This is Recovery.

C.A.R.E.S. stands for Compassionate Addiction Recovery Equals Success. C.A.R.E.S. is for those seeking to begin or sustain long-term recovery from an addiction to alcohol or other drugs. The program offers support from peers who have been trained in the skills and knowledge needed to guide, mentor, and support anyone who is working toward recovery from addiction.

To speak to a C.A.R.E.S. Recovery Coach: 1-800-236-2448

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2021 Cumberland County Youth Services Funded Programs and System Partners

Prevention Programs

Delinquent acts may include crimes against persons, crimes against property, drug offenses, and crimes against public order. Delinquency prevention programs seek to redirect youth who are considered at-risk for delinquency or who have committed a delinquent offense from deeper involvement in the juvenile justice system.  The Cumberland County Youth Services Commission recognizes the value in funding school-based prevention programs as a cost-effective means of serving a larger and more captive youth audience while saving tax-payer dollars on additional costs of transportation.

Services include:  Transportation from high school locations to Wawa stores in shore communities and return, as well as job coaching services to students during their summer employment.  The funding for this program will increase the number of working days, thus allowing the youth employees to work an additional shift during the months of May, June and September where the schedules are limited to weekends only.  This expansion will keep the at-risk youth engaged in a productive activity and will reduce the potential for getting involved in delinquent activities.

                                                   Referral Sources:  Cumberland Regional, Bridgeton, Millville, and Vineland High Schools

 

Diversion and Disposition Programs

Diversion is a term used to describe intervention approaches that redirect youths away from formal processing in the juvenile justice system, while still holding them accountable for their actions. Preadjudication diversion programs seek to divert youth who would otherwise have been formally processed in juvenile court.

Non-Incarceration Options for Juveniles

Juvenile court judges often have broad discretion to fashion a sentence or rehabilitation program that fits the needs of the minor. A disposition order may include options other than confinement, including:

  • Verbal warning. The sentence for the juvenile can be as simple as a verbal reprimand.
  • Fine. The minor may be required to pay a fine to the government or pay compensation to the victim.
  • Counseling. Often, judges require juveniles to attend counseling as part of a disposition order.
  • Community service. Juveniles may be ordered to work a certain number of hours in service to the local community.
  • Electronic monitoring. Juveniles may be required to wear a wrist or ankle bracelet that verifies their location at all times.
  • Probation. Judges often order juveniles to enter probation after a delinquency finding. (To learn more about probation, see the “Probation” section, just below.)

In creating a disposition order, juvenile court judges can order any of the above options alone or in combination. For example, a delinquent minor might need to pay a fine, attend counseling, and perform community service as a penalty for one offense.

Individual Mentoring Program for Cumberland County youth who are involved with, or at-risk of involvement with, the Family Court system.  Services are provided through a consistent one-on-one relationship between a supportive trained Advocate and referred youth. Advocates assist with compliance of Court Orders and/or Probation requirements, if applicable.  Services include: Develop and implement and Individual Service Plan to address youth’s immediate needs and specific goals and objectives; facilitate both male and female responsive services and appropriate gender specific linkages available in the community; and cultural and educational activities.  Cultural sensitivity, language barriers and special interests of clients are considered when matching advocates with youth.

Referral Sources for Disposition:  Family Court, Juvenile Probation

Referral Sources for Diversion:  Family Crisis Intervention Unit (FCIU)/Mobile Response and Stabilization Systems (MRSS), Juvenile Conference Committee (JCC), Intake Service Conference (ISC), Law Enforcement and Schools

 

In-Home Counseling services provided to Cumberland County youth who are involved with, or are a risk of involvement with, the Family Court System.

Goals include helping families improve family functioning through individual and family counseling; crisis intervention; education advocacy with the school system; linkages with extended family neighbors, and other community resources; and aftercare planning with family and appropriate agencies in order to prevent service gaps.  Services include assisting families to negotiate the education system and secure an appropriate education program suited to the individual youth when requested by a referral source. Program provides juvenile anger management training on how to cope with violence; and recognize, understand, and control anger.

Referral Sources for Disposition:  Family Court, Juvenile Probation

Referral Sources for Diversion:  Family Crisis Intervention Unit (FCIU)/Mobile Response and Stabilization Systems (MRSS), Juvenile Conference Committee (JCC), Intake Service Conference (ISC), Law Enforcement and Schools

 

Services include:

  • Alcohol and Drug Evaluations
  • On-site/Expedited evaluation, as needed, for the Family Court or Juvenile Detention Center
  • Urine Drug Screens
  • Synthetic Drug Testing
  • Level I Outpatient Treatment Services
  • Education and Support Services
  • Substance Abuse Specific Family Counseling
  • Transportation

Adolescent transportation needs and locations for services are addressed to help ensure participation.

Referral Source for Disposition:  Family Court, Juvenile Probation

Referral Sources for Diversion:  Family Crisis Intervention Unit (FCIU)/Mobile Response and Stabilization Systems (MRSS), Juvenile Conference Committee (JCC), Intake Service Conference (ISC), Law Enforcement and Schools.

 

First Step Clinic Contact Information

Office:
70 W. Broad Street
Bridgeton, NJ 08302

Phone: (856) 451-3727
Fax: (856) 455-9706

Office Hours: 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM, Monday ~ Friday All Other Hours By Appointment Only

Melissa Niles MS, LPC, LCADC, SAP,  Alcohol and Drug Abuse Services Director
Phone: (856) 391-1638

 

 

Cognitive Skills training in order to teach a small group (10-15) new life skills in an effort to provide them with alternative methods and options to deal with their anger, frustration, and perceived lack of choices.  Program services address negative peer influence, anger management, conflict resolution, disruptive school behavior, truancy, personality type assessment, healthy boundaries, substance abuse, gang involvement, communication skills and cognitive processes.

Program elements include meals for participants when and if the program is conducted during lunch or dinner time; team building exercises; and Juvenile Probation involvement/participation in program services.  Incentives and a recognition ceremony for youth who successfully complete the program are included in the project.

Referral Source:  Family Court, Juvenile Probation

 

Sex Offender specific services to court involved youth who have been adjudicated delinquent of a sexual offense by the Juvenile Justice System.  Services to include:

  • Forensic Sex Offender Evaluations – Evaluate and diagnose referred clients to establish perpetrator’s sexual abuse/assault history.  Evaluation reports include recommendations for service planning. Evaluations are completed by, minimally, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with experience evaluating juvenile sex offenders.  Clinical supervision and review of sex offender evaluations for juvenile sex offenders are provided by, minimally, a Licensed Psychologist with experience working with juvenile sex offenders.
  • Individual Sex Offender Therapy – Therapy will include an Individual Service Plan to address the specific emotional, physical and social needs of the youth sex offender in order to reduce the likelihood of recidivism, delinquency and other criminal behaviors.  Service includes monthly reporting to referring agency (usually Juvenile Probation), and a Discharge Summary / After-Care and Safety Plan. Therapy is provided by, minimally, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LSCW) experienced with juvenile sex offenders.
  • Referral Sources:  Family Court, Juvenile Probation
 

The diversion Youth Mentoring Program has been strategically designed to serve 20 youth ages 12-19 who are at risk of becoming involved in the Cumberland County  Family Court or Juvenile Justice System.  By providing a consistent one-on-one relationship with a trained, credible community worker with lived experience, youth can receive relevant assistance and support to remain compliant with court orders and/or probation requirements.  Additionally, the program will be advertised to local middle and high school guidance counselors in order to engage at-risk students who exhibit consistent negative behaviors, i.e. repeated suspensions, fighting in school, truancy, blatant gang involvement, UAG, and/or have been involved in domestic violence. 

Referral sources include Cumberland County youth, male and female, ages 12-19 who reside in Cumberland County and are involved in the Diversion stage of the Juvenile Justice System and are at risk of further involvement in the Family Court System. Referral sources include: the FCIU/MRSS, Juvenile Conference Committee, Court Intake, Law Enforcement, Schools and School-Based Youth Services for Diversion category services and Juvenile Probation and Family Court for Disposition category services. Youth may be self-referred or referred by family and will not be denied mentoring services upon approval of the YSAC administrator.

Detention Alternative & Re-Entry Programs

Juvenile reentry or aftercare- has been defined as the reintegrative services that prepare youths in out-of-home placements for their eventual return home by establishing the necessary collaboration with the community and its resources to ensure the delivery of needed services and
supervision.

“Detention” is defined as the temporary care of juveniles in physically restricting facilities pending court disposition.  An objective of detention is to provide secure custody for those juveniles who are deemed a threat to the physical safety of the community and/or whose confinement is necessary to ensure their presence at their next court hearing.

Detention Alternative Programs provide supervision to juveniles who would otherwise be placed in a secure detention facility while awaiting his/her adjudicatory hearing, expanding the array of pre-adjudication and pre-disposition placement options available to the judiciary.

The court will have the option to provide an alternative to incarceration on pre-adjudicated/pre-disposition matters for juveniles who are charged with a delinquent offense.

Services to minimally include:  frequent, random face-to-face contact with juveniles and their families, and monitoring of school and/or work attendance.  Although supervision may include phone contact via a landline telephone, a landline should not supersede admission to the program.  Reliance on a landline should not create a barrier to admission to the program

Service provider should respond to requests from the Court for program intake on a twenty-four (24) hour basis, thus allowing for juvenile’s release to family/parent/guardian.  A formal program intake process should be completed within 24 hours of release to family.

Non-compliance with a home detention alternative program may result in the youth being placed in the Juvenile Detention Center.  A weekly progress report to Family Court is requested and program infractions should be reported as soon as possible.

Referral Source:  Family Court

 

Juvenile Detention Alternative Initiative 2020 Programs

The goal of this program is to reduce barriers which often interfere with juveniles’ compliance with their terms of probation, resulting in Failure to Appear (FTA) and Violation of Probation (VOP).  FTAs and VOPs lead to bench warrants, which usually lands a juvenile in the Juvenile Detention Center. SODAT, in partnership with Cumberland Juvenile Probation, provides opportunities for probationers and their families to ensure their understanding and ability to comply with the terms of their probations.

SODAT will partner with Cumberland Juvenile Probation to provide a Probation Orientation every other month, which will give the juvenile and family the information needed to help them successfully complete their probation term.  Dinner will be provided for probationers, their families and probation staff at each orientation.

In addition to the Probation Orientation, SODAT will coordinate one educational/cultural Enrichment Trip per month.  Juvenile Probation Officers and SODAT staff accompany juveniles on the trips. These trips are offered to probationers at certain benchmarks during their probationary term.  Meals are provided for juveniles, probation staff and SODAT staff. An Enrichment trip, including meal times, promotes positive relationships between the Probation Officers and Juveniles.

Life Skills Lessons are offered each month.  Dinner will be provided at each Life Skills session.  Youth and their families will be encouraged to attend.  Various topics, such as Daily Living Skills, Self-Care/Hygiene Skills, Relationships/Communication Skills, Housing/Money Management Skills, Career/Education Planning, will be offered to juveniles and their families.  Speakers may be invited to present for a topic and/or trips to shop for items pertaining to the lesson may be provided.

Because transportation continues to be a huge barrier in Cumberland County, assistance is provided for youth and their families who have charges pending in the Family Court, and probationers and their families for court appearances, hearings or appointments, court ordered evaluations, service or treatment appointments, appointments with the Public Defender, Probation reporting, probation orientation sessions, and other appointments relative to the juvenile’s charges or conditions of probation supervision.  Bus passes may be issued to the probationers; however, other modes of transportation may be arranged if public transportation is not available. Transportation will also be provided for youth participating in community-based healthy/educational incentives as described.

In addition to providing bus passes and/or taxi fare, SODAT will utilize an agency-owned van to make transportation easier for youth and their families who are not on a public transportation route (i.e., Commercial Township, Lawrence Township, Fairfield Township, etc.).

Referral Source:  Juvenile Probation

 

Resources You Can Actually Use

GLSEN of Southern New Jersey

LGBTQI+ Resources

Download youth resource guide (pdf)

CGS Family Partnership-ResourceNet

At GLSEN, we want every student, in every school, to be valued and treated with respect, regardless of their sexual orientation, gender identity or gender expression. We believe that all students deserve a safe and inclusive school environment where they can learn and grow. Please click the link above to visit the GLSEN Southern New Jersey page for more information. 

By clicking the link above, families can find specific recreational activities, health providers, support groups, and events searchable in your area. If you are a resident of Cumberland, Gloucester, and Salem Counties, please visit the CGS Family Partnership website for support services in your area.  

 

Aunt Bertha is a social services search tool that allows health care providers, social workers and residents to more easily find the services available right in their own communities. The highly specific search tool allows people to search based on eligibility criteria such as age and income. The tool also lists up-to-date hours, contact information and other resources on a website that’s easy to navigate. Read More Here

To work together with non-profits, churches, businesses and other community organizations to combat community deterioration and transform lives of individuals and families in South Jersey by meeting their housing, physical, and spiritual needs, and strengthening their family units, all within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”).

Free legal assistance to low-income people for their civil legal problems.  Their legal information website, www.lsnjlaw.org, provides self-help resources on a number of legal topics.
 
Phone: 1-888-LSNJ-LAW (1-888-576-5529)

Promoting Positive Youth Development Throughout Cumberland County.

Unidos para la Familia’s mission is to strengthen immigrant, working-class families by providing training and support to parents to promote child well-being and stronger family units through financial stability, improved resident status, and the development of community leaders.

Prosecutor Jennifer Webb-McRae

Click Me To Learn More

Click above to visit the new and improved Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office website. We are proud to launch our redesigned website that is intended to keep visitors informed, educated and safe. Take a moment to explore the various sections of the site. It is designed to educate you about our mission and the function of the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office. Come back often and soon to see new information about the important work we do to prosecute those who commit crimes within the County and to help our citizens make positive, healthy choices. 

Community Engagement
Community Policing
Community Justice