What’s New?

Home Visiting: A Lifeline for Families During the Pandemic and Beyond

Posted on February 22, 2021

A Snapshot of How New Jersey's Home Visiting Programs Rose to the Occasion During the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Diane Dellanno, Policy Analyst

Home visitors have always played an important role in ensuring families have a safe, healthy pregnancy and stimulating start for their baby. During this unprecedented time, these home visitors have been even more critically important, serving as a lifeline for families navigating the additional stresses, economic uncertainties and social isolation resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This ongoing public health crisis has demonstrated just how essential home visitors are in supporting pregnant women, young children and their parents.

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DHS Extends COVID-19 Child Care Assistance Programs Through the End of the School Year

Posted on February 18, 2021

On February 17th, the New Jersey Department of Human Services (DHS) announced state plans to use additional federal dollars to extend several important COVID-19-related child care assistance programs through the end of June. This is good news for child care programs and families who have been hit hard by the pandemic.

The program extensions include:

  • State Child Care Subsidy During School Day for children 5-to-13 years old, and not just for before- and afterschool care. Under this initiative, currently enrolled and newly enrolled school-age children are eligible for state subsidy funding for child care services throughout the school day at licensed child care centers or registered family child care providers.
  • Child Care Tuition Assistance for Children in Families Earning up to $150,000 and in Remote Learning. Tuition assistance was made available to families with incomes up to $150,000. These families were not eligible for the state Child Care Subsidy Program but needed assistance for either full- or part-time child care because the child’s school was on some form of a remote schedule. Human Services Payments will continue to pay child care providers for approved families of children between the ages of 5 and 13 years during remote learning.

Supporting Child Care Centers

►Child care providers will continue to receive a supplemental payment of $300 for every subsidy-eligible child, regardless of the child’s age.

►Child care providers will continue to receive subsidy payments based on the number of enrolled children who receive state assistance in their program, rather than attendance.

►Effective January 3rd, a DHS investment of $12.6 million will help providers pay for increased salary costs due to the minimum wage increase on January 1st to $12 per hour.

For more information on the state’s child care program please visit childcarenj.gov.

ACNJ Welcomes New Board Members

Posted on February 16, 2021

Advocates for Children of New Jersey would like to welcome its new board members! ACNJ is governed by a volunteer board of trustees who are diverse in professional, educational and cultural backgrounds. They are united by a deep concern for the well-being of New Jersey's children.

New Board Members Biography
Monique Baptiste Monique Baptiste, Vice President of Global Philanthropy, JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Monique supports JPMC’s $350 million global investment in education and workforce training systems to promote economic opportunity and reduce inequities in labor market outcomes from groups that have historically faced significant barriers to accessing opportunity.  This includes leading efforts to promote second chance hiring opportunities for individuals with criminal backgrounds in key cities across the country. With a background in urban policy and economics, Monique has worked in the field of workforce development for over a decade.
Bianka Douglas Bianka Douglas, Vice President, Lead Human Resources Business Partner, Prudential
Bianka is a strategic HR partner who understands the organization and the evolution of the business. She is a solutions-oriented change leader who brings strong influencing capability with a focus on developing and aligning the people strategy with the business. She has an innovative mindset and encourages others to develop new ways of working to optimize outcomes and performance. Bianka has extensive experience in employee engagement, talent and succession management, organizational effectiveness and executive coaching at the C Suite level.
Justin Kiczek Justin Kiczek, Executive Vice President, F. M. Kirby Foundation
Justin oversees the family foundation’s grantmaking to programs in the arts and humanities, human services, environment, health, education, and public policy. Justin worked previously at the Turrell Fund in Montclair, N.J. , first as a Program Consultant for 15 years and subsequently as Vice President of Programs, where he helped support the foundation’s efforts to improve early childhood outcomes in New Jersey and Vermont. He also has experience as an English teacher and lecturer in secondary and higher education institutions, including seven years at the all-scholarship Regis High School. He holds a B.A. from the College of the Holy Cross and an M.A. from Hunter College. As a lifelong participant in non-profit work, Justin also volunteers regularly with the Interfaith Food Pantry, Student / Partner Alliance, and his local PTA. He lives in Morristown, NJ with his wife and their three daughters.
Monica Lallo Monica Lallo, Ed.D., MPA, MPM, Senior Vice President, Acenda Integrated Health
Dr. Lallo is an educator, team strategist and advocate for improving government and nonprofit services to underserved youth and families. Throughout her professional career, she has been committed to bridging the socioeconomic divide that exists in disadvantaged communities. She has been actively involved in government-funded youth improvement initiatives and her work has heightened capacity building efforts for nonprofit organizations, both domestically and internationally. Dr. Lallo received her Doctorate in Education from Immaculata University, her Master’s degree in Public Administration from New York University, and Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Criminal Justice from Rutgers University.

Urgent: Students Wishing to Participate in Bridge Year Need to Notify Schools by 2/15

Posted on February 2, 2021

On June 26, 2020, Governor Murphy signed the Bridge Year Pilot Program into law, which took effect immediately. Students in the graduating classes of 2021 and 2022 can defer graduation for one year after their senior year (a Bridge Year) to make up for a disruption to education and extracurricular activities due to COVID-19.

In order to be eligible for the Bridge Year Program, students must:

  • Be in the graduating classes of 2021 or 2022,
  • Meet all high school graduation requirements by the end of the student’s senior year,
  • Be 19 years old or younger for the entire Bridge Year if enrolled in general education, or if they have an IEP, turn 20 years old during the Bridge Year,
  • Maintain a 2.0 GPA during the Bridge Year, and
  • Remain enrolled in the high school they attended as a junior.

How to Request a Bridge Year
The high school should have appointed a Bridge Year Liaison to be the main contact person for students. Students or parents should contact the Bridge Year Liaison on or before February 15th to notify them that the student intends to participate in the Bridge Year Program.

Students who choose a Bridge Year may participate in graduation ceremonies with their class but will not receive a diploma until the end of the Bridge Year.

In order to participate in the Bridge Year Program, students:

  • May participate in extracurricular programs, including spring sports season.
  • Must enroll in 9-12 credits for the fall semester at the high school, county community college or a combination of both.
  • Must enroll in 9-12 credits for the spring semester at a county community college where the high school is located.
  • May also take up to three credits during either semester at any high school in the state or any other four-year institution to meet the Bridge Year credit requirements.

 Schools must provide students with a written Individual Learning Plan by May 15th, but no later than June 1st of the student’s senior year. This Individual Learn Plan describes the goals of the Bridge Year and the activities, classes and supports required to accomplish the goals.

Students and/or parents should obtain more detailed information from the high school’s Bridge Year Liaison. The New Jersey Department of Education’s guidance is available by clicking here.

For advocacy assistance, you may contact Nina Peckman, Staff Attorney at npeckman@acnj.org or 973-643-3876, ext. 226

Skadden Fellow Ruby Kish Joins ACNJ to Address Education Needs of Justice-Involved Youth in Essex County

Posted on February 1, 2021

Skadden Fellow Ruby Kish with her son at her virtual swearing in.Advocates for Children of New Jersey (ACNJ) is pleased to welcome Ruby Kish, a two-year Skadden Fellow, who will be providing direct advocacy services to youth who are involved in the criminal justice system and require assistance with their educational needs. Ms. Kish will be working under the supervision of Nina Peckman, staff attorney, and Mary Coogan, vice president. Direct advocacy services include advocating for appropriate placement, evaluations and necessary accommodations and supports for justice-involved students with disabilities. She will also be collaborating with public defenders, prosecutors as well as agencies and organization representatives that assist youth including Partners for Children of Essex (the Essex County Case Management Organization), Court-Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) and Division of Child Protection Permanency (DCPP).

As part of the Skadden Fellowship, Ms. Kish will also be collecting data regarding the education needs and outcomes of this student population based upon information obtained through advocacy efforts. ACNJ looks forward to the positive impact this fellowship will have on individual youth as well as on current policies, education resources and long-term education outcomes for justice-involved youth in New Jersey. 

Youth with disabilities are disproportionately represented in New Jersey’s justice system, yet there are few resources available to assist these students in ensuring that they receive the free and appropriate public education they are entitled to. As the state embraces the goals of Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative (JDAI), with the focus on keeping students out of detention, there must also be a focus on ensuring school success. Providing advocacy services to students is one means of guarding against school failure and preventing recidivism and continued justice-involvement. 

For information regarding the education rights of justice-involved youth and for advocacy assistance, contact Ruby Kish at rkish@acnj.org.