Human Services Advisory Council

Organization

Mission: To review, monitor and improve county-level human service activities, services, and programs for homeless and modest income children, families and victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment.

Purpose: The Human Services Advisory Council (HSAC) is established to review county-level human service activities and to serve as the primary vehicle for local public input into New Jersey Department of Human Services decision-making.

Meetings

Meetings will be held via Webex Meeting beginning at 5:15 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday of the month, unless otherwise notified.

The September 26, 2023 meeting will be held in person only at the Human Services Building in conference room 82 at 5:15 pm.

Agendas & Minutes

Members

Committee Structure: The Human Services Advisory Council will be appointed by the Morris County Board of County Commissioners and will render all appropriate recommendations to the Department of Human Services. Members will be appointed for one (1) calendar year, with term limitations of six (6) consecutive years.  Committee leadership will be chosen by the membership at the beginning of each calendar year.

Members are appointed annually by the County Commissioners without pay.

• Amy Archer (Staff Liaison)
• Joann Bjornson – Provider, Women’s Committee Representative
• Teresa Connolly – Provider, Nourish NJ
• Kasey Errico (Human Services Director)
• David Johnson – Citizen Representative
• Christine Myers (Commissioner Representative)
• Kenneth Oexle – Citizen Representative
• Laura O’Reilly-Stanzilis – Consumer Advocate, North Jersey Health Collaborative
• Joseph Pawelczyk – Citizen Representative, Vice-Chair
• Michelle Roers – Consumer Advocate, United Way Partnership
• Rebecca Sherrod – Provider, Child & Family Resources, Chair

Forms

• Advisory Biographical Profile

Publications

• 2023 Orientation(PDF, 1014KB)
• 2022 Orientation(PDF, 944KB)
• “It Shouldn’t Hurt to Be a Child: Identifying and Reporting Child Abuse and Neglect”
  
  It’s reported that each year over 700,000 children are found to be victims of child abuse and neglect in the United States. For every 1,000 children in Morris County, under the age of 18, there are 31 child abuse/neglect investigations. Child abuse is a problem that cannot be ignored yet few people know what to do when faced with children being abused.
  
  The Deirdre O’Brien Child Advocacy Center offers this presentation free of charge.
  • Chapter 1: Introduction
    • Generalized overview of child abuse and neglect.
  • Chapter 2: Identifying Child Abuse
    • Child abuse as defined by New Jersey law. Common signs and types of abuse and/or neglect.
  • Chapter 3: Children with Disabilities
    • A special look at child abuse and/or neglect within this population.
  • Chapter 4: Offenders
    • Understanding who is likely to commit child abuse.  How to use offender behavior to recognize child abuse.
  • Chapter 5A, Chapter 5B: Responding to Child Abuse
    • Reporting responsibilities.