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The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) will award the 2019 Betsy Arnovits Gutsy Advocate for Youth Award to Kathy Wright, executive director of the New Jersey Parents’ Caucus (NJPC), on July 23, at NJJN’s annual forum. The prestigious award honors … Continued
The National Juvenile Justice Network (NJJN) has selected Kathy Wright, Executive Director of the New Jersey Parent’s Caucus, as its winner of the 2019 Betsy Arnovits Gutsy Advocate For Youth Award. Read the full press release HERE
The PayPal Giving Fund helps people support their favorite charities online. This Giving Tuesday, PayPal is offering a 100% match on donations received through its holiday campaign (up to $500,000 in total matching funds), followed by a 1% donation match … Continued
The NJ Department of Children & Families released most recent yearly report outlining its work for children, young adults, and families is now available HERE The report examines the quality of service provision at points throughout the department’s service delivery … Continued
Hatch, Wyden Push to Extend CHIP Funding, Provide Additional Protections Senate Finance Committee Chairman and Ranking Member Propose Five-Year Funding Extension WASHINGTON -Senate Finance Committee Chairman Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) and Ranking Member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) today announced an agreement to ensure … Continued
Congress has already begun the process of repealing of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and it now is on the fast track to include major cuts to the Medicaid programs as part of the replacement plan. The result would be … Continued
Featuring NJ Youth Caucus
Senators Lesniak and Cunningham, and NJ Youth Caucus Read the article HERE
As an African American kid growing up in a high crime area like Newark, New Jersey, your chances of a positive life are slim to none each day you live there. I know, because I lived there. It was much … Continued
S.677 – Requires racial and ethnic impact statement for certain bills and regulations affecting sentencing, will be considered in the Senate Law and Public Safety Committee on June 20, 2016! We need your help to raise awareness on this important … Continued
A state coalition has developed to promote policy solutions for the racial disparity that underlies the state’s juvenile and criminal justice systems. The initiative has coalesced around authorizing racial impact statements as a policy goal. Racial impact statements are a tool for lawmakers to … Continued
Reduces mandatory minimums for non-violent drug crimes. Increases judicial discretion to sentence below mandatory minimum guidelines. Provides additional diversion options such as drug, mental health, and veteran courts to avoid prison sentences. Boosts opportunities for people in prison to earn … Continued
This legislation was introduced by a bipartisan group of senators led by Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin. Among other provisions, it would: end juvenile life without parole in the federal justice system by … Continued
As an NJPC education advocate, I went into two prisons with intentions to focus on education and accommodations that need to made to assist those with special education needs. Upon exiting I had a list of other issues that needed … Continued
Contributed by: Patricia Sarmiento Although, as WebMD.com notes, one out of 10 children in the U.S. have been diagnosed with ADHD, it’s a condition that is still widely misunderstood by parents, teachers, and even some medical professionals. Commonly, symptoms and behaviors … Continued
By raising the minimum waiver age, narrowing the offenses that a young person can be charged for as an adult, creating a reverse waiver procedure, establishing the presumption that a waived and convicted youth will serve his sentence in a … Continued
Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY) wrote an opinion letter on the topic of mental health reform for The Hill website earlier this week. Members of Congress, just like the American public they represent, have widely divergent views on how to approach … Continued
Dear Families, We want to bring to your attention a proposed plan that will fundamentally shift the way services are provided to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New Jersey. The State is recommending a series of changes … Continued
TASH has led the fight against the use of aversive behavioral interventions for many years. Last year, the Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights data collection reported that restraint and seclusion use is climbing in public schools. Use is … Continued
A bill strictly limiting the use of solitary confinement in New Jersey’s prisons is headed to Gov. Chris Christie’s desk after bein passed by the state Assembly. The bill requires prisons and jails to use solitary confinement only as a … Continued
The New Jersey Legislature and United States Congress offers parents and family members an excellent opportunity to advocate for meaningful reform that will have wide-ranging effects for parents and children in the Mental Health and Juvenile Justice system. Both legislatures … Continued
From the desk of Jose Rosario— Our position on the topic of juvenile justice would be that the Crime Bill has been a net loss. The Crime Bill was an overreaction to the high crime rates of the 80s and … Continued
A bill introduced this week by Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.) would automatically seal or expunge the records of certain juveniles and limit the use of solitary confinement in juvenile facilities. The REDEEM Act – short for … Continued
Reps. Wolf and Fattah, Chairman and Ranking Member, respectively, of the House CJS Appropriations Subcommittee and creators of the Chuck Colson Criminal Justice Task Force, are introducing the House companion legislation. To learn more, read the full article HERE. Prohibiting Detention … Continued
Chris Christie signed the fiscal year 2014 budget into law on June 28, 2013. Below are some provisions that will impact people with disabilities. Special education is funded at $926.035,000.00. The Division of Developmental Disabilities receives $6,115,00.00 in state funding … Continued
Governor Christie recently signed a bill requiring the State Board of Education to promulgate regulations requiring school districts to take into account matters of continuity and consistency in determining special education placements during the IEP process. Primarily addressing the needs … Continued
A special education task force bill, establishing a task force to study and make recommendations about special education services in New Jersey, passed both the New Jersey State Assembly and the Senate and is awaiting the governor’s signature. The task … Continued
Bill A1134 would provide ” authorized family members”, defined as ” a parent who is a guardian of a person with a developmental disability, or a relative of a person with a developmental disability who is authorized by the person’s … Continued
The bill S1253 would require the State Health Benefits Plan and the School Employees Health Benefits Plan to cover alcohol and substance abuse services under the same terms and conditions as other illnesses. If the plan does not cover alcohol … Continued
The Department of Education, Office of Civil Rights released guidance clarifying the legal responsibilities of school districts to ensure students with disabilities have an equal opportunity to participate in afterschool athletics and clubs. Reasonable accommodations must be made to allow … Continued
Despite increased public attention, Congressional focus on the prevention, early identification, and treatment of childhood mental illness has stalled. During AACAP’s Annual Meeting (October 22-26), join your colleagues in urging Congress not to lose sight of the needs of children … Continued
October 8, 2013 – Today, the Bazelon Center and other concerned organizations sent a letter to CBS’ 60 Minutes in response to “Untreated Mental Illness an Imminent Danger?” We ask all of our supporters and allies to tell 60 Minutes … Continued