Volunteers of America - Northern New Jersey
The Northern New Jersey division of Volunteers of America - Greater New York, Inc. provides services and support to the following populations:
Youth and Families
In order to learn and develop, children need to feel safe and supported. Volunteers of America, Northern New Jersey’s programs provide counseling, residential services, and skill development in such an environment for those in need. Our programs offer guidance to youth who may be experiencing emotional, behavioral and/or psychological difficulties. For some youth, our homes provide stability and security they never felt before.
Short-term emergency shelter care for youth in need of immediate placement is available in Jersey City. For youth in need of behavioral healthcare, we have two group homes located in Jersey City and Plainfield, as well as three treatment homes in Clifton, Wayne and West Paterson. For young men and women about to age out of foster care, we provide the support they need to successfully transition from dependence to adulthood through supervised independent living programs in Jersey City, Union, and Elmwood Park.
For youth who have learned to live independently, we offer supportive housing which will lead to permanent housing. In addition, our Parenting Skills Partnership Program, Parenting Empowerment and Childrearing Education (PEACE) program, and Intensive In-home Counseling program provide counseling and education to families in their homes, in order to keep families unified. Our youth and family programs have been accredited by the Council on Accreditation (COA).
Adults Living with Mental Illness
People living with persistent mental illness need individually-tailored supports to recover from their mental illness and live successfully in their communities. They are at-risk for homelessness, frequent hospitalizations, serious physical conditions and abuse. Our staff of mental health professionals delivers psychiatric rehabilitation services in a multitude of settings, supporting each individual’s wellness and recovery goals. Services include symptom and illness management, social skills training, vocational skills development, employment support, education support, crisis management, and health and wellness education and support. Staff identifies service strategies that incorporate each individual’s strengths, abilities, needs and preference, into the service design.
Supervised community residences and supportive housing are available in Passaic, Union and Middlesex counties. Our mental health programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
Offenders Preparing to Return to the Community
Volunteers of America co-founder Maud Booth was a leader in prison reform. Today, more than one-hundred years later, our two community corrections work-release programs in Elizabeth and East Orange, prepare men leaving prison for the difficult transition back to the community, equipping them with the skills and experience necessary to leave the corrections system permanently.
These facilities help residents to secure and maintain gainful employment, strengthen family relationships, and establish positive support networks. Residents are required to work, attend school or do a combination of both. If employed, they are expected to fulfill financial obligations, such as contributing to child support. Our community work release programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
