TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Feb. 28, 2023 – PRLog — In addition to providing care management services, Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) has expanded to provide needed resources for youth and families in Ocean County. The agency recently received three important grants, two from the Ocean County Department of Human Services, Office for Individuals with Disabilities, and one from McKinney Vento funding through the Monmouth Ocean Educational Services Commission.

With an estimated combined total of $180,000 in grant funding, Mary Jo Buchanan, LCSW, MPA, Executive Director of OPC, said the organization is elated to have the opportunity to provide additional and continued support. “We are looking forward to working with individuals, families, the schools, and all of our provider agencies as we serve the youth of Ocean County in the best way possible and link them to the services needed,” Buchanan said.

This first program successfully funded through Ocean County helps families apply for Developmental Disabilities (DD) services through the Children’s System of Care and for Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) services in the adult system of care. Without the assistance of OPC’s Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities Specialist, Corie Hometchko, MA, many families would struggle to complete the complicated applications, causing delays or resulting in not receiving critical services.

“It is our goal to make sure that the families feel supported and get what they need,” stated Ms. Hometchko. “I take the time to guide them through this very complicated application process and am committed to see them through until their applications are approved.”

The second grant, funded by Ocean County, supports OPC’s Connections Program, an on-going, one-of-a-kind program that helps youth with intellectual or developmental disabilities such as autism, selective mutism, or physical challenges. The Connections Program works to reduce social isolation and stigmatization for those diagnosed with intellectual and developmental disabilities through activities, mindfulness, focus on health, and of course, connecting them to each other.

From one of the Connections youth throwing out the first pitch at a Blue Claws game to participants creating art and holding an exhibition with the help of the Toms River Artist Community, Connections members blossom from start to finish. Liz Menges, LPC, Assistant Director of Clinical Operations, shared several success stories. “We had one youth, who when he initially started was all over the room and needed 1:1 attention. After 8 sessions, he was able to sit and engage with peers and facilitators with his full participation and focus, no longer requiring a 1:1,” Menges said. “One of our youth graduated from the program and is now one of our volunteer facilitators!”

The third grant OPC received directly supports the School Homeless Services Navigator Program. This new program is funded by McKinney Vento Funds through the American Rescue Plan. The School Homeless Services Navigator Program helps any youth facing housing issues or homelessness in Ocean County. Within each school in the County, there is a School Homeless Liaison that works with the Service Navigator to identify and refer students in need. With close to 20 referrals in 2023 so far, Alyssa Brantley, OPC’s Navigator, has already started to work with the schools. “The need for this program is evidenced by the numbers of youth and families coming to me with housing struggles,” Brantley said.

With the funding received, OPC continues to develop innovative services and programs needed in Ocean County. “We are grateful to all of the funders for their incredible support,” Buchanan said.

About Ocean Partnership for Children Inc.
Founded in 2005, Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) is Ocean County’s Care Management Organization (CMO). Its mission is to enhance the well-being of youth and their families through natural and community supports. OPC provides care coordination services for Ocean County youth up the age of 21 years who have mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges. OPC strives to keep children and adolescents at home, in school, and in the community by connecting them to resources that meet their unique needs and help them achieve their goals.
Ocean Partnership for Children is a non-profit organization available at no cost to all youth and families in Ocean County who meet the eligibility criteria of the New Jersey Children’s System of care. To learn more, visit https://www.oceanpartnership.org or
https://www.oceanresourcenet.org.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Nov. 23, 2022 – PRLog — Ocean Partnership for Children’s (OPC) Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Committee held a Multicultural Potluck Feast on November 14 to celebrate the nonprofit’s rich diversity during the holiday season.

“We are so thankful for the opportunity to celebrate the variety of cultures, backgrounds and ethnicities of our staff, as well as the foods that correlate with those respective backgrounds,” said Mary Jo Buchanan, Executive Director of OPC.  “Thank you to the DEI committee and everyone who participated in this exciting event.”

OPC staff presented various dishes at the event and shared the meaning behind the dish with the team. “Our team members shared about their family, culture and beliefs – whatever was meaningful to them,” Buchanan added.

One staffer’s Ukrainian heritage helped to shape who he was today. “It was especially meaningful because some of his family was impacted by the current war in Ukraine,” said Buchanan.

Another staffer shared a photo of her family going to a local farm to cut down a fresh Christmas tree and afterwards spending the day decorating it together.

The Feast of the Seven Fishes is also a mainstay for many OPC team members.

Instead of turkey on Thanksgiving, one staffer eats pernil, which is pork shoulder. “The pork is marinated for days, and it takes all day to bake,” Buchanan said.

Jolloff rice is a West African tradition. “One of our staff members is Ghanaian and that’s what he brought,” Buchanan added.

Then there were the desserts – most of them heavenly.

Arroz con dulce, which translates to rice with candy, was definitely a crowd pleaser. So was the coquito, which is Puerto Rican Egg Nog.

Buchanan shared of her own heritage and Pennsylvania Dutch roots. “I brought shoofly pie and whoopie pies made by a bakery I love in Lancaster,” she added.

Kate Martinez, an OPC Care Manager Supervisor, helped organize the event. “Thank you to everyone who participated in our potluck,” she said. “It is a treasure to get to know you all and celebrate our cultures together over a feast.”

The event came after OPC’s released its official statement regarding diversity, equity and inclusion.

“They are more than just words for us,” according to OPC. “They are the definitive principles that guide how we serve youth and families and cultivate community relationships…”

Buchanan says that OPC is committed to developing an agency and community where all individuals feel safe being present as their authentic, whole selves and to challenging those systems, institutions, and practices that do not support this goal.

“We strive to educate and foster equal opportunities that promote growth for all while ensuring every individual is included and has a voice,” said Buchanan. “At OPC, we find that we listen and celebrate what is both common and different, we become wiser, more understanding, and more capable of change.”

Thanks to corporate team building events like OPC’s recent multicultural potluck feast, those voices are heard and celebrated.

About Ocean Partnership for Children Inc.

Founded in 2005, Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) is Ocean County’s Care Management Organization (CMO). Its mission is to enhance the well-being of youth and their families through natural and community supports. OPC provides care management services for Ocean County youth up to the age of 21 years who have mental health, substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges.  OPC strives to keep children and adolescents at home, in school, and in the community by connecting them to resources that meet their unique needs and help them achieve their goals.

Ocean Partnership for Children is a non-profit organization available at no cost to all youth and families in Ocean County who meet the eligibility criteria of the New Jersey Children’s System of Care. To learn more, visit www.oceanpartnership.org or https://www.oceanresourcenet.org.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Nov. 2, 2022 – PRLog — Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) is seeking proposals to develop and/or increase the availability of community-based resources to Ocean County youth experiencing emotional, behavioral, developmental, intellectual, substance use needs, and their families.

“OPC provides care management services to children and youth experiencing emotional, behavioral, developmental, intellectual, and substance use needs, and their families,” said Mary Jo Buchanan, Executive Director of OPC. “As part of our contract with the New Jersey Children’s System of Care (CSOC), OPC has access to limited community resource development (CRD) funds designated for one-time use by community organizations to develop new, additional, and/or unique programs that address unmet or under-served needs in Ocean County.”

A maximum total of $67,788.07 is available to fund one or more projects. “Funding is to be used for expansion or creation of programs that serve Ocean County youth experiencing emotional, behavioral, developmental, intellectual, substance use needs, and their families,” said Buchanan.

A Bidder’s Meeting will be held to answer questions about the Request for Proposals for any interested community provider on November 8 at 2pm (click here to join the meeting (https://teams.microsoft.com/dl/launcher/launcher.html?url…)). RFPs are due to OPC on December 2^nd by 12pm (click here for the application (https://www.oceanpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/…)). CRD funding approval will be announced on April 1, 2023 and project implementation is scheduled to begin July 1, 2023. Contact Katie Colhoun, Director of Community Resources and Advocacy, via email (kcolhoun@oceanpartnership.org) with any questions.

OPC links youth and families to all the resources and supports they need, and they currently have over 80 care managers that serve over 1,000 youth in Ocean County. “As Ocean County’s Care Management Organization, we are part of the New Jersey Children’s System of Care and are responsible for linking youth in crisis to resources to help them heal and succeed,” Buchanan added.

About Ocean Partnership for Children Inc.

Founded in 2005, Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) is Ocean County’s Care

Management Organization (CMO). Its mission is to enhance the well-being of youth and

their families through natural and community supports. OPC provides care management

services for Ocean County youth up to the age of 21 years who have mental health,

substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges.  OPC strives to keep children and adolescents at home, in school, and in the community by connecting

them to resources that meet their unique needs and help them achieve their goals.

Ocean Partnership for Children is a non-profit organization available at no cost

to all youth and families in Ocean County who meet the eligibility criteria

of the New Jersey Children’s System of Care. To learn more, visit www.oceanpartnership.org or https://www.oceanresourcenet.org.

TOMS RIVER, N.J. – Oct. 21, 2022 – PRLog — She was a student athlete, a talented artist, and a compassionate, loyal friend to everyone she met. Her natural born talent as an artist brought her so much joy. She also loved children and enjoyed spending time on the beach, on the river, or on the ocean. In 2019, 25-year-old Stephanie Parze of Freehold was killed by her abusive ex-boyfriend. It took 87 days for her family to find her. Stories like Stephanie’s are heartbreaking but not so uncommon.

According to estimates by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) and statistics from the FBI, approximately 16,441 individuals were victims of domestic violence homicides in the last 10 years. Ocean Partnership for Children, Inc. (OPC) in Toms River aims to raise awareness on domestic violence and change these devastating statistics.

In recognition of National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, the nonprofit organization hosted its 3^rd Annual Domestic Violence Vigil last week at its Toms River headquarters at 36 Washington Street.

The candlelight vigil honored the lives of victims of domestic violence and the resilience of survivors. The evening included speakers from NJ Children’s System of Care, the Ocean County Prosecutors Office, Providence House and the Stephanie Nicole Parze Foundation.

Ed Parze, of the Stephanie Nicole Parze Foundation, was the vigil’s main speaker. Parze took to the podium to share his daughter Stephanie’s powerful story. Parze created the Stephanie Nicole Parze Foundation to honor and remember Stephanie’s life. The foundation’s mission is to provide education, intervention and support to families and individuals dealing with domestic violence, sexual abuse and missing loved ones.

“Stephanie was missing for 87 days,” said Parze. “During those 87 days, we formed groups consisting of over 1,000 people at different times to search for. We later learned that Stephanie had been murdered in an act of domestic violence. Our worst nightmare was confirmed.”

Today, Stephanie’s father hopes to help as many victims as he can so that they can have a chance to live the life they deserve. “If we share what we learned with families of the missing and if just one person gets found a little faster, and hopefully safe, we will have honored Stephanie,” he said. “She deserves the legacy we are trying to create.”

Prior to the vigil, Toms River Mayor Maurice “Mo” Hill presented a proclamation to Maureen DeSantis, OPC’s Assistant Director of Clinical Operations. DeSantis spearheads the Domestic Violence Vigil each year.

“As Ocean County’s Care Management Organization, we are part of the New Jersey Children’s System of Care and are responsible for linking youth in crisis to resources to help them heal and succeed,” said Mary Jo Buchanan, Executive Director of OPC. “Although we work with the Children’s System of Care, we are our own 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, run by a volunteer Board of Trustees.”

OPC serves Ocean County youth up to age 21 who is struggling with a mental health, substance us or developmental challenge. “Many of our youth are depressed, anxious, have suicidal thoughts and problems at home and in school,” said Buchanan.

The goal of OPC is to keep kids at home, in school and safely in the community. “We are successful – 96 percent of our youth show improvement or stability because of our care coordination,” Buchanan added. OPC currently coordinates care for over 1,000 Ocean County youth.

“Many of our youth and families are impacted by domestic violence, whether the youth have experienced violence themselves or have witnessed it in their homes,” said Buchanan. “We estimate that approximately 20 percent of our youth are experience domestic violence, so it is a very important issue for us. That’s why we hold the Domestic Violence Vigil each year to call attention to the issue, recognize the impact it has on our youth and families and to remember those who have been impacted by violence.”

*According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV).

About Ocean Partnership for Children Inc.

Founded in 2005, Ocean Partnership for Children (OPC) is Ocean County’s Care

Management Organization (CMO). Its mission is to enhance the well-being of youth and

their families through natural and community supports. OPC provides care management

services for Ocean County youth up to the age of 21 years who have mental health,

substance use, intellectual and developmental challenges.  OPC strives to keep children and adolescents at home, in school, and in the community by connecting

them to resources that meet their unique needs and help them achieve their goals.

Ocean Partnership for Children is a non-profit organization available at no cost

to all youth and families in Ocean County who meet the eligibility criteria

of the New Jersey Children’s System of Care. To learn more, visit https://www.oceanpartnership.org or https://www.oceanresourcenet.org.