CASA volunteers of Mercer County find stabilizing a child's life very rewarding

MERCER—Thinking of all the children not able to sleep in their own beds used to keep Lori Morris from falling asleep in hers, so she joined an organization meant to fill in the cracks of the foster system to prevent more children from falling into them.


She’s not alone. While they represent a variety of occupations, ages, races and backgrounds, the volunteers of Mercer County Court Appointed Special Advocates for Children (CASA) program have a singular goal in mind: to help the helpless.

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Homeless children

Craig Blankenship's photo essay on the homeless children in the Sunday NY Times last month: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2012/08/24/sunday-review/2012826HOMELESS.html?ref=sunday#1

Want to help? In Ocean County conatct me and I'll put you in contact with others who are working so hard to end homelessness. Call me naive but I think we can. Check past posts on this blog for more ideas.

Final rule on homeless definition released

On November 15, 2011 the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released the final rule on the definition of homelessness. The new definition of homelessness will take effect 30 days after being published in the Federal Register. The final rule provides detailed explanations for the new categories under which households can qualify as homeless as well as the documentation requirements for agencies providing services. Persons may qualify as homeless under one of four categories:
1. Household lacks regular, fixed, stable nighttime residence
2. Household is at imminent risk of losing housing within 14 days
3. Youth 25 and younger or family doubled up or qualifying under other federal statutes 4. Households fleeing domestic violence or other life threatening situations

Report Analyzes Fed agencies that assist homeless

One year after the release of "Opening Doors: Federal Strategic Plan to End Homelessness," the National Alliance to End Homelessness has released a report analyzing the success of the member federal agencies of the US Interagency Council on Homelessness in meeting Opening Door’s ambitious goals. The plan set the goals of ending chronic and veteran homelessness in five years; homelessness among families, children, and youth in ten years; and moving the country toward ending all homelessness.

The initial data suggest that instead of going down, homelessness in the country may have increased slightly during the first year of the Plan. While the Administration has clearly been active in implementing its Plan, results have not yet started to emerge. External factors such as the economy and the budget deficit, along with an emphasis on coordination and information strategies rather than more substantive housing, treatment, and jobs strategies, have hindered progress.

To read more and to share your opinion use this link:

http://wp.me/peqFK-1NY

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Yours,

Richard W. Brown
Chief Executive Officer
Monarch Housing Associates
29 Alden Street
Suite 1B
Cranford, NJ 07016-2156
908-272-5363 ext. 225
908-382-6309 (Fax)
mailto:rbrown@monarchhousing.org

OC Freeholderes press release: Report focuses on children & families at risk of abuse

TOMS RIVER – The Ocean County Human Services Advisory Council and the Children's Inter Agency Coordinating Council recently completed a community needs assessment concerning children and families at risk of child abuse and neglect.
Public comment on the draft report is being accepted through May 19. The report can be accessed at http://www.co.ocean.nj.us/ocdhs/ciacc/DCF%20Needs%20Assessment.pdf .
Comments can be addressed to Jamie Hart, coordinator for the Ocean County Children's Inter Agency Coordinating Council by email at jhart@co.ocean.nj.us by calling her at 732-506-5374 or in writing at CN 2191, 1027 Hooper Ave., Building 2, Toms River, N.J. 08754-2191.
"Our advisory councils have worked diligently throughout this process," said Freeholder Gerry P. Little, who serves as liaison to the Ocean County Department of Human Services. "I want to recognize all of our volunteers and staff members in addition to the various other county advisory boards that participated in this effort. We work hard at identifying the needs of our children and families and then linking them with appropriate services that can help improve their quality of life."
The New Jersey Department of Children and Families requested the 21 counties to complete a community needs assessment concerning children and families at risk of child abuse and neglect.
According to the report's Executive Summary the county will use the document as the basis for advocacy related to service development, in the effort to meet the human services needs of children and families. Community based organizations are encouraged to reference the report and use the data compiled for future grant proposals and organizational strategic planning processes.
The report looks at eight different target areas including basic needs, behavioral health care, substance abuse treatment, services for youth preparing to leave the state Division of Youth and Family Services supervision, domestic violence services, early care and education, services for special needs youth and delinquency prevention.