(Paramus, NJ) October 1, 2009 – Bergen County-based non-profit agencies, Children's Aid and Family Services and The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources announced today that their two organizations have merged.
Children's Aid and Family Services is one of the leading nonprofit human services organizations serving northern New Jersey with services ranging from adoption and foster care to early childhood education, eldercare, and education and support programs for families. Headquartered in Paramus, NJ, the agency has facilities in Paramus, Park Ridge, Ridgewood, Bogota, Clifton, South Orange and West Orange. The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources provides community and school-based education programs about alcohol and drug abuse and advocates for responsive prevention and treatment services. The Center's offices are located in Hackensack and its services are available throughout Bergen County.
Bob Jones, Ph.D., president & CEO of Children's Aid and Family Services said: "I am delighted that The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources has joined our agency family. During the past 30 years it has become the premier substance abuse prevention and education agency in Bergen County and has established a reputation for being at the forefront of developing services to respond to the community's needs for substance abuse awareness and prevention. Our two organizations have worked closely together for many years and the Center's staff has provided many prevention trainings to our staff and the clients we serve. The Center's mission is perfectly aligned with the mission commitments of Children's Aid and Family Services. Its services are a wonderful complement to our existing social skills and other parenting and family education programs. Further, the consolidation of our two agencies in this way will strengthen all aspects of our shared mission commitments. Children's Aid and Family Services provides infrastructure support that can enable the Center to take its services to the next level; at the same time, our employees and clients will benefit hugely from the addition of the Center's staff and their experience and expertise in substance abuse issues".
Operationally, The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources' mission commitments and programs will remain unchanged. Its offices and staff will continue to be based in their current location at 241 Main St, Ste. 600 in Hackensack (Tel: (201) 488-8680, Fax: (201) 488-8724), and will continue to be run by current executive director, Ellen Elias Rocca, who will assume the dual role of Vice President of Prevention & Addiction Services at Children's Aid and Family Services and Director of The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources. Information about the Center is available at both www.tcadr.org and at www.cafsnj.org.
Ellen Elias Rocca, Vice President of Prevention and Addiction Services and Director of The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources at Children's Aid and Family Services, said: "This is a very exciting change for us. Over the years the Center has developed a very close working relationship with staff at Children's Aid and Family Services to support their work with vulnerable children and families. In our 30-year history, we have developed a strong track record for implementing substance abuse education and prevention programs in Bergen County. One of the Center's real strengths has been its willingness and ability to bring together diverse groups such as schools, county officials and community providers to share information and resources and collaborate on prevention and education initiatives. In so doing, we have been instrumental in increasing the scope and scale of programs beyond what could be offered by any one organization alone. The merger with Children's Aid and Family Services is a natural extension of this collaborative approach and one that that will allow us to build on the complementary services of our two agencies and grow our capacity to serve Bergen County's families and communities still further. Being part of a larger organization will help us to expand our network of relationships and support and increase awareness of the need for far more expansive education and prevention programs in the County. I am very pleased that Children's Aid and Family Services shares our commitment and vision for prevention education and is willing to support our efforts in such a substantial and meaningful way."
Founded in 1899, the mission of Children's Aid and Family Services is to preserve, protect and, when needed, provide families. Motivated by compassion for vulnerable children, young adults, frail elderly and their families, it provides high-quality and innovative services that meet their social, educational and emotional needs. For more information on the agency, call 201.261.2800 or visit www.cafsnj.org.
The mission of The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources which was founded in 1979 is to educate the community about alcohol and drug abuse and advocate for responsive prevention and treatment services. The Center provides comprehensive prevention, education, information and referral services to all Bergen County residents. Additionally, it plays a leadership role in developing and supporting dialogue and collaborative partnerships with other prevention providers, schools and other community agencies to share expertise and best practice and to maximize the benefits of substance abuse education and prevention initiatives in Bergen County. For more information on The Center, call (201) 488-8680 or visit www.cafsnj.org or www.tcadr.org.
|
