New Jersey Adoption Resource Clearing House

2018 Theme — Creating the Healthiest Nation: Health Equity Now

Creating health equity is a guiding priority and core value of APHA. By health equity, we mean everyone has the opportunity to attain their highest level of health. Health equity is a health, economic, human rights and social justice issue that calls for fairness. Health equity addresses inclusion along multiple dimensions, including race, ethnicity, class, sexual orientation and disability.

How do we achieve health equity? We value all people equally. We optimize the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, learn and age. We work with other sectors to address the factors that influence health, including employment, housing, education, health care, public safety and food access.

To become the healthiest nation, we must eliminate health disparities and dismantle the systems and structures that prevent individuals and communities from reaching their full potential.

Join Us for a Free International Adoption Information Night! We will review the process of International adoptions, specific countries of interest and answer any questions you may have.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Free Webinar!

Choose from two times to participate:  Register for

12 pm ET https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_IcBMEFDeQEeYDsojutEwWg

or 3 pm ET https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_kWLcrAjUTca1bTFPFBnTsA

In this interactive webinar, participants will learn strategies for how to leverage teen-written stories to help students develop the social and emotional learning (SEL) skills necessary for secondary school completion, college enrollment, and success in the workplace.

This session includes a brief introduction to Youth Communication’s unique story-based approach. Our true stories by teens provide a bridge to meaningful discussion around the challenges that youth face and how they can make positive changes in their lives.

Webinar participants will practice activities centered upon teen-written stories and identify the SEL and career readiness skills (such as communication, goal-setting, and problem-solving) demonstrated by the author.

We’ll interview Xavier Alvarez, the teen author of “Even When I Was Homeless, I Stayed in School.” He will talk about how adults provided the support he needed to excel and graduate from high school.

We will also share resources to help participants support youth in college and career readiness.

This webinar is ideal for high school educators, college and career counselors, and other professionals who work with teens in settings such as vocational and technical schools

For all adoption constellation members contemplating, or in reunion, this group focuses on coping with this unique and emotionally complex time. This is the second Search & Reunion Group developed in response to passage of original birth certificate (OBC) laws in NJ and PA. This group meets the fourth Friday of every month from 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.

APC’s annual conference serves to promote a better awareness and understanding of adoption and provide members with accurate information concerning adoption and parenting issues.

Conference participants will have the opportunity to attend numerous workshops, seminars, lectures and panel discussions. Led by professionals and experts in the adoption field including attorneys, social workers, physicians, adoptive parents, agency representatives, adoptees and educators, the workshops provide up-to-date information as well as a forum for discussions.

Our conference is for those who are considering adoption as a way to build their family, those who have already adopted and for those professionals and advocates who are involved in the adoption and foster care fields.

Come and learn with us, share ideas and join together in promoting the joys of adoption.

As the utilization of Peer Recovery Specialists expands; a common theme has emerged. The large number of individuals presenting with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders has presented unique challenges. This three (3) day training will provide Peer Recovery Specialists with knowledge and skills in basic mental health principles.

Topics Presented:

Overview of Mental Health Issues and Recovery

The Role of Psychotropic Medication in Recovery

The Impact of Co-Occurring Disorders on Recovery

This event will include a combination of classroom instruction and panel discussion to meet learning objectives.

**Tickets for this event are $90 for all three days of training and panel presentations.

As the utilization of Peer Recovery Specialists expands; a common theme has emerged. The large number of individuals presenting with co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders has presented unique challenges. This three (3) day training will provide Peer Recovery Specialists with knowledge and skills in basic mental health principles.

Topics Presented:

Overview of Mental Health Issues and Recovery

The Role of Psychotropic Medication in Recovery

The Impact of Co-Occurring Disorders on Recovery

This event will include a combination of classroom instruction and panel discussion to meet learning objectives.

**Tickets for this event are $90 for all three days of training and panel presentations.

$95 per person until 10/31 (check website for pricing details and discounts)

*Continental breakfast and lunch are included

Building a Culture of Health in New Jersey is about improving health, equity, and well-being for ALL residents. Because communities are too often limited by location, finances, and/or discrimination, this year’s conference, “Thriving Communities Transform Lives” will focus on:

• Taking targeted action and developing scalable solutions
• Addressing community specific barriers
• Shifting cultural values toward health
• Creating strong social connections in schools, early care, and homes
• Identifying ACEs and trauma experiences
• Sharing diverse examples of health transformation
• Advancing policies that support collaborations and partnerships
• Strengthening community based healthcare through youth-led programs
• Ensuring that neighborhood infrastructure supports active lifestyles

To achieve health equity, we need to meet communities where they are and address unique barriers so that physical and mental health are a part of everything we do.

Living with Disability:  Accessing & Improving Culturally & Linguistically Appropriate Services

Event Sponsored By:

NJ Statewide Network for Cultural Competence (NJSNCC), NJ Health, Department of Children and Families, Project LAUNCH, CJFHC, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, The BOGGS CENTER On Developmental Disabilities, SPAN Parent Advocacy Network.

Join Us for a free Domestic Adoption Information Night! We will review the process of domestic adoption, types of domestic adoption available and answer your questions.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training for Professional Who Work With Parents And Professional Caregivers

Circles of Safety is designed to support and strengthen youth-serving organizations’ ability to create safer environments for their agency, their staff and the children and families they serve.  Upon completion of Circles of Safety, professionals who work with parents, foster parents, in-home parent supports and other professional caregivers are more confident and better prepared to thing and act preventatively to protect children and youth from sexual harm.

Circles of Safety: Train the Trainer for Youth-Serving Organizations is one day training for organization staff responsible for training and development of both staff and professional caregivers.  Circles of Safety: Awareness to Action for Professionals Working with Parents and Professional Caregivers is a pre-requisite.

Circles of Safety is an educational, participatory training curriculum where participants and organizations: 

• Learn about child sexual abuse
• Learn about risks and warning signs
• Learn how to speak up and apply prevention tools
• Learn what’s needed to create safe environments for children
• Increase confidence and comfort to address sexual abuse prevention

Learn more about the adoption process in general and working with A Loving Choice Adoption Associates in particular at one of our complimentary information meetings.

Join Us for a Free International Adoption Information Night!
We will review the process of international adoption, specific countries of interest and answer your questions.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Topics Group is for adult adoption constellation members who would like to discuss adoption related news, movies, books, poems, articles and issues. Group facilitated by IAC Center Counselors who are licensed and have advanced training and experience specific to adoption, search and reunion. We understand the complexity of the emotions involved and are skilled in unique challenges for birth parents, adoptive parents, adoptees, interracial and LGBT adoptive families. All IAC groups offer an unbiased, warm and empathetic space for all members of the adoption constellation to speak freely, share ideas, learn from one another, and develop a sense of community. Meets the Second Friday of each month, 7:00 to 8:30 PM. Fee $60

IAC Taking Circle was developed for adoption constellation members contemplating, or in reunion, cope with this unique and emotionally complex time. All IAC groups offer an unbiased, warm and empathetic space for all members of the adoption constellation to speak freely, share ideas, learn from one another, and develop a sense of community.
This Group was developed in response to passage of original birth certificate (OBC) laws in NJ and PA.

The 21st National Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect (NCCAN) offers an exceptional opportunity for those committed to achieving better outcomes for children and families to connect and learn.  Unique in its scope and diversity, the 21st NCCAN will bring together practitioners, researchers, policy makers, parents, and volunteers from a wide variety of disciplines who come to gain new knowledge and understanding build new skills, and re-energize for the always challenging work ahead.