RELEASE: Sept 14, 2004

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Commissioner Ask Educators to be ‘Eyes and Ears’
Seeks Help in Child Welfare Reform Plan

TRENTON - As children head back to school, Human Services Commissioner James M. Davy is stepping up the Department’s outreach to the education community to combat child abuse and neglect.

“Teachers, administrators and staff are the people on the front lines. They see these children every day,” Commissioner Davy said. “We are looking to the education community to be our eyes and ears for the safety of our children.”

“There are about 1.3 million children educated in New Jersey’s public schools. These educators are the largest community of child advocates, and we want to embrace them and make them an integral part of our new sweeping child welfare reform plan,” the Commissioner said. “We need their help. We need to know if there are ways we can help them help us.”

Department staff met last week with schools superintendents from each of the 21 counties in the state and will be meeting with principals and supervisors. The Commissioner outlined the reform plan in a blueprint for educators’ participation in this month’s edition of NJEA review, which is mailed to every teacher in the state.

“We depend on the education community to inform and support our caseworkers as they provide the services and support families need to keep children safe, healthy and ready to learn,” the Commissioner said.

Commissioner Davy recently met with the leaders of the New Jersey Education
Association, the New Jersey chapter of the American Federation of Teachers and will be discussing partnerships between educators and caseworkers with Education Commissioner Librera and PTA leaders, counselors and nurses.

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“We need teachers, nurses, administrators, coaches, guidance counselors, school psychologists, child study teams and other adults in the education community to help
identify families and children in need and to work with us concerning children in our care,” the Commissioner said.

The Department also is looking for educators to participate as community leaders in the creation of child welfare planning councils and community collaboratives - local groups that will develop networks of prevention services so children never have to enter the DYFS system. Prevention services include substance abuse treatment, domestic violence and mental health counseling, medical care and employment and housing assistance.

“We are also hoping the education community can help us identify people interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents,” Commissioner Davy said.

“We sincerely believe that we and the education community share the same noble goal – to provide our children with the services they need to be safe, healthy and ready to learn,” the Commissioner said.

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