OFFICE OF CHILDREN’S SERVICES
Middlesex County Administration Building
75 Bayard Street, Fifth Floor
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Telephone: 732-246-5640 • FAX: 732-296-6916
wanda.dillon@co.middlesex.n.us
Administrator, Office of Children’s Services
The Office of Children’s Services in the Division of Behavioral Health and Children’s Services supports the administration of Children’s Mental Health:
- Assisting in identifying the behavioral health care needs for children up to age 21.
- Assisting young adults ages 18-21 with service histories through the Division of Youth and Family Services (DYFS), the Division of Child Behavioral Health Services (DCBHS), and the Juvenile Justice System (JJS), in moving to the adult system.
- Providing information and referral to consumers and families regarding the continuum of care for children with special emotional and behavioral issues.
The Middlesex County Office of Children's Services merges the functions of the Youth Services Commission and the County Interagency Children’s Coordinating Council to ensure the delivery of comprehensive services for Middlesex County’s children. The Council focuses on identification, planning and oversight of programs that provide children’s behavioral healthcare services; programs for juveniles charged or adjudicated as delinquent; and delinquency prevention programs.
Middlesex County established the Family Court Multi Disciplinary Team (MDT) and the Re-entry Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) in 1996.
The Family Court MDT recommends specific services for individual juveniles charged as delinquent; acts as an alternative to detention; and serves as a disposition option, upon adjudication of delinquency, for Family Court judges. The Family Court MDT Coordinator refers youth for services, including drug and alcohol evaluation and mental health evaluations, and maintains a database of clients and services. The MDT Coordinator also acts as a resource person for the Family Court judges.
In the Juvenile Justice System, Re-entry refers to the period of community-based supervision and services that follow a juvenile’s release from a secure facility, JJC residential program, or other structured dispositional placement. Committed youth and probationers returning from facilities and programs are referred to the Re-entry MDT by the JJC. The Re-Entry MDT is the mechanism for providing additional support during this transitional period to foster the successful reintegration of juveniles into their communities. The Re-entry MDT provides services to these juveniles that complements the supervision afforded by the JJC Parole and Juvenile Probation.
COMMITTEES OF THE COUNCIL FOR CHILDREN’S SERVICES
The following committees operate under the auspices of the Middlesex County Council for Children's Services:
Standing Committees
- Bylaws, Standards, & Membership: Prepares revisions of bylaws and advises the Council on compliance with relevant statutes, regulations and standards. The committee recommends individuals for membership to the Council and monitors attendance. Meetings are scheduled as needed.
- Executive: Outlines issues and develops agendas for discussion at Council meetings. Conducts emergency meetings on business requiring action between Council meetings. The committee reviews appeals emanating from the Council and appoints membership on other standing committees. Meetings are held every 3rd Thursday of the month.
- Minorities Issues: Identifies the current needs and trends concerning minority youth and families in Middlesex County. The committee provides advocacy for youth, the family and the community. The committee identifies and supports appropriate services, and sensitizes the Council and its committees, families, communities and programs to cultural, racial and ethnic differences. Meetings are held every 2nd Tuesday of the month.
- Planning: Develops needs assessments to identify service gaps. The committee also develops a plan of action that determines the types of services that should be enhanced in order to meet identified needs. The committee assists in the preparation of all required plans. Meetings are held the 1st Tuesday bi monthly.
- Program Review: Develops and implements the request for funding proposal (RFP) process in conjunction with the County Department of Purchasing. Reviews all applications for funding and submits recommendations to the Council. Monitors all funded programs and develops and implements a process to ensure contract compliance. Meetings are held the 1st Thursday of the month.
- Prevention: Facilitates education and training, and offers resource information to schools and the community. The committee supports and encourages collaboration among agencies to provide delinquency prevention services to children and families at risk. The committee identifies needs, promotes research and pursues local funding opportunities. Meetings are held the 4th Monday of the month.
- County Interagency Coordinating Council for Children (CIACC): Oversees existing programs and supports the planning of services for children with behavioral healthcare needs, juveniles involved with the court system, and delinquency prevention programs. The committee also enhances coordination with the state (Division of Child Behavioral Health Services) system partners and local community providers while encouraging consumer, family, caregiver, and youth participation.
For more information on standing committees and membership, please contact Wanda Dillon at 732- 246-5640 or e-mail wanda.dillon@co.middlesex.nj.us
Ad hoc Committees
- Family Court Core Team: Assists in planning and programming for court involved youth. Meetings are scheduled as needed.
The Office of Children's Services administers the following grant funds from the New Jersey Juvenile Justice Commission for programs in the County, which are included in the annual Youth Services Commission Plan/Update and Application:
- Juvenile Accountability Block Grant (JABG)
- State Community Partnership & Family Court Appropriations
- State Incentive Program (SIP)
Commission on Child Abuse and Missing Children (CCAMC)
The Middlesex County Commission on Child Abuse and Missing Children (CCAMC) develops and conducts activities and events that educate the public and increase awareness about child abuse and missing children. The CCAMC arranges for education programs, including workshops and classes for parents and children, and disseminates information on services available in Middlesex County for abused children and their parents, and the parents of missing children. The commission also participates in municipal events, such as street fairs, to distribute print information and respond to questions. Meetings are held the 2nd Tuesday of the month.
For more information on committees or membership, please contact Shelly Joseph-Thoms at 732-745-3655 or e-mail shelly.thoms@co.middlesex.nj.us
Middlesex County FireWatch Program
The FireWatch program’s mission is to reduce the fire setting activities of youth in Middlesex County through identification, education, and referral.
Parents or guardians, teachers, police, courts, child protection workers and anyone who is concerned about a child’s fire setting may make a referral to the program. Fire service personnel affiliated with the FireWatch Program will explain the program and then schedule an interview with parents/guardians and the child.
The FireWatch Advisory Committee - local fire service personnel, mental health providers, and other individuals from child serving agencies - provides quality assurance for the program. The committee meets monthly and seeks new members from the groups noted.
For more information on the FireWatch Program, call Joanne Morris at 732-745-4049.
