Please see below for a list of cities, towns and communities in Ocean County:

Life Skills programs can help you prepare to get a job, manage money, get connected with other resources in your community, make plans for your future housing and education, and many other things that can help you live more independently. See below for contact info for the Life Skills program in your area:

Preferred Children’s Services – “Project Independence”

P.O. Box 2036 Lakewood, NJ 08701

Phone: 732-367-1352

Fax: 732-367-7422

Aftercare programs provide support services to young people between the ages of 18 and 22. They can help you find employment, housing and educational opportunities, and much more. See below for contact info for the Aftercare program in your area:

Preferred Children’s Services – “Project Independence”

P.O. Box 2036 Lakewood, NJ 08701

Phone: 732-367-1352

Fax: 732-367-7422

Housing Program Descriptions

There are 3 basic types of housing programs for young people in New Jersey that are homeless or DCF-involved:

1. Supervised Transitional Living Program (STLP):
   provides supervised housing and other supports to 16 to 21 year old youth. Young people can stay at these programs for 18 to 24 months. In addition to housing, these programs also help with daily living skills, employment, education, and finding long term stable housing.
2. Transitional Living Program (TLP):
   provides semi-supervised housing and other supports to 18 to 21 year old youth. The length of time a young person can stay at one of these programs varies. These programs also help with daily living skills, employment, education, and finding long term stable housing.
3. Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH):
   provides housing with voluntary services to 18-21 year old youth. There are no limits on how long young people can stay in one of these programs. Youth in these programs have a lease or sublet, and pay some portion of their income toward rent (less than 30%).

Below is a list of housing programs in Ocean County. In order to find out if a program has openings and to see if you qualify, you must contact the Adolescent Housing Hub at 1-877-652-7624.

Click here for more information on the Adolescent Housing Hub

Agency	Program Name	Age	Gender	Program Type
Ocean Harbor House	Shore House	16 to 21	M/F	STLP

Contact one of the Lifeskills or Aftercare Programs above for information on how to apply for Wraparound Fund. For more info on how Wraparound Funding works - click here

Ocean County College

www.ocean.edu

Georgian Court University

www.georgian.edu/index.htm

NJ One-Stop Centers

Are you looking for a job or occupational training? The New Jersey One-Stop Career Centers are the place to start, and can help you develop the skills needed to succeed in a 21st century work environment.

Amongst others, resources provided include the following:

• Career exploration: help in identifying jobs that are interesting to you
• Resume writing
• Interview preparation
• Occupational Training for jobs that are highly in demand by employers
• Job Search Assistance
• Connections to employers searching for workers
• Educational Assistance
• On-site resource rooms (computers, telephones, fax, etc.)

Click Here for more info on the Ocean Count- Hooper Avenue “One Stop”

Click Here for more info on the Ocean Count- Route 9 “One Stop”

New Jersey Youth Corps

New Jersey Youth Corps is one of the largest youth service and conservation corps in the United States. Youth Corps is a year-round, voluntary program which engages young adults (ages 16-25) in full-time community service, training, and educational activities.

Guided by staff who serve as mentors and role models, teams of youth called "crews" carry out a wide range of service projects. In return for their efforts to restore and strengthen communities, Corps members receive:

1. education development in basic skills and preparation to obtain a GED or locally issued Adult High School Diploma;
2. life skills and employability skills instruction;
3. personal and career counseling to build self-esteem, clarify values, and develop leadership skills while they are developing their career portfolio;
4. transition services and continuing support services as they transition to college, training, employment or other national and domestic service opportunities;
5. community service opportunities which develop positive employability skills while addressing unmet community needs. Corps members receive a stipend while enrolled in Youth Corps.

Click HERE to see a list of NJ Youth Corps in your area

Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC)

New Jersey’s Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) offer a wide range of health care services for the entire family. You don’t need health insurance to get care at a center. Centers serve the uninsured and underinsured, as well as patients with Medicaid, Medicare and private insurance. If you’re uninsured, your bill will be based on your ability to pay. No one is ever turned away for lack of funds. For more information on the FQHC's click here.

Click here for a list of all FQHC's in Ocean County

Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthhod is a health care provider specializing in reproductive and sexual healthcare. Through pregnancy prevention, STD prevention, and sex education, Planned Parenthood empowers teens to make informed choices and lead healthy lives. With 28 offices in New Jersey, there is probably one close to where you live.

Click Here to Learn More and Find a Planned Parenthood Office in Ocean County.

Click Here to See Special Information for Teenagers.

Mental Healthcare

NJ Children's System of Care has connections with many different types of supports if you or someone you know needs help. You can see all they have to offer by visiting here.

There are also some great hotlines out there if want to talk to someone now:

2NDFLOOR: is a confidential and anonymous statewide helpline for New Jersey's youth and young adults. You can call at (888) 222-2228 and find information on the website at www.2ndfloor.org.

NJ211: provides information and assistance to all NJ residents in the areas of health, human services, community resources and government assistance programs. You do not have to be in crisis to seek help from NJ211. To access NJ211 dial 211 or visit the website at www.nj211.org.. The alternative telephone number is 1-800-HELP555 (1-800-435-7555).

Treatment Groups

The NJ Division of Addiction Services Treatment Directory lists all kinds of drug and alcohol treatment programs that are open to teenagers and young adults.

Click HERE to access the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services homepage where you will find a link to a directory to access what programs are available in your county

You can also look at programs that are just open to teenagers and young adults by selecting “Detail Search” on the directory webpage and selecting the check-box that says Adolescents

Support Groups

Support groups recovery programs are based on the idea that the best way to stay free of alcohol and drugs is surround yourself with other people who are also not users but who know the challenges of staying clean. Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA) are two of the most well-known of these types of support groups. In some areas there are special meetings just for teens and young adults trying to stay drug-free. Meetings often take place church meeting halls and other community centers, but AA and NA are not affiliated with any religion.

Click here to search for Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings in your area
Click here to search for Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings in your area

Counseling and Referral of Ocean

226 Main St., Tom’s River, NJ

Central Regional Coordinator

Nishi Sheth

School of Social Work

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

123 Church Street, New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901

Work: 848-932-8272

Cell: 848-209-5441

nsheth@ssw.rutgers.edu

Big Brothers, Big Sisters

Sue Sedivec, CEO

85 Williams Street, Lakewood, NJ 08701

Phone: 732-905-5349

Fax: 732-905-5374

bbbsoc@optonline.net

www.bbbsoc.org

Jersey Shore Q-Spot

Jersey Shore Community

Center Project, PO Box 855, Belmar, NJ 07719

For more information E-mail: info@jsqspot.org

Click here for more information

Offers specific programs and services to the GLBTI Community in Monmouth and Ocean Counties, which include 4 initiatives focused on Health, Seniors, Family, and Youth. Meetings held on Monday nights in Asbury Park and a once-a-month Quesday program with speakers and other events.

PFLAG-Jersey Shore (Ocean County)

1681 Ridgeway Rd. (Route 571) Toms River, NJ 08757

908-814-2155

For more information E-mail: jspflag@gmail.com

The group meets at 7pm the 2nd Wednesday of each month at the United Church of Christ of Toms River. Not affiliated with any religion.

Click here for more information

The "Teen Resources Intended to Aid & Nurture Gays, Lesbians & Everyone" (TRIANGLE) guide has lots of great information on programs and services for the LGBTQI community in New Jersey and throughout the country. Click HERE to check out the guide!

The Department of Children and Families' Family and Community Partnership (FCP) network provides many services and programs for children, young adults and families throughout NJ. These include:

Family Success Centers

Offer programs aimed at making families stronger through a variety of locally-based services, and building supportive connections in your community.

School Based Youth Services Programs (SBYSP)

Provide mental health and family services; health services; substance abuse counseling; employment services; pregnancy prevention programs; learning support services; referrals to community based services; and recreation. Open to all young people ages 10 -19 enrolled in any school that hosts a SBYSP.

Home Visitation Programs

Provide early support to families with infants and young children across the state. Home visitors provide pregnant women and new parents with health information, parenting education, and links to other resources that support child and family well-being.

The FCP's also provide juvenile delinquency and child abuse prevention programs, domestic violence services, and much more.

Click here for a directory of programs and services to find out what is available in Ocean County!

Would you like to see your program listed here? Click here to make a request