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Commission on the Status
of Women
Junior Commission
Gina Meyers, Commission Administrator
Phone:201-336-7455
E-mail: gmeyers@co.bergen.nj.us
Brenda Jones, Junior Commission
Administrator
Phone: 201-646-2756
E-mail: brejon@bergen.org
HISTORY OF THE BERGEN COUNTY
COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN
In September 1975, the Bergen County Board of
Chosen Freeholders observed International Women’s
Year by creating the Advisory Commission on the
Status of Women, to:
COMMUNITY COURT WATCH I PROJECT (1993):
Executive Summary
The purpose of the Court Watch Project was to
monitor the handling of domestic violence cases
in the Bergen County Family Court. The three primary
points of observation — whether the Prevention
of Domestic Violence Act was being strictly enforced;
whether in-house restraining orders were being
issued; and how litigations were treated —
are the pivotal points of documentation. The concept
arose out of reaction to the 1991 domestic violence
death of Kathleen Quagliani and the preceding
court response. Outrage was transformed into the
collaborative effort known as Court Watch.
Click the PDF below to view the entire
Executive Summary:
COMMUNITY COURT WATCH II PROJECT (1995):
Executive Summary
Above all things, the Community Court Watch Project
is an instrument of change. Observation, recommendation
and action have been blended together to impact
positively the way in which domestic violence
cases are addressed in court. The links among
the past, the present, and the future as reflected
in Court Watch I, Court Watch II and plans for
Court Watch III, speak to the interactive and
essential nature of this community service.
Click the PDF below to view the entire
Executive Summary:
Human Services Advisory
Council
Phone: (201) 336-7474
TTY: (201) 336-6505
E-mail: acastro@co.bergen.nj.us
The Bergen County Human Services Advisory Council
(HSAC), established in 1980, is comprised of professionals,
consumers and advocates who represent the interests
of twenty population groups in Bergen County including:
- developmentally disabled
- elderly
- HIV/AIDS affected persons
- juveniles/families in crisis
- low income individuals/families
- mentally ill
- physically disabled
- single parents
- substance abusers
- the homeless
- veterans
- victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment
The HSAC is the primary advisory group to the
County and State Departments of Human Services.
Its goals are:
- to maximize financial resources available
for human services
- to promote an efficient, effective and coordinated
human service delivery system
The HSAC's primary functions are:
- planning
- advocacy
- resource allocation
- program review
All functions of the Council are based on policies
which encourage broad community involvement, open
competition, and fair decision making. These guiding
principals provide accountability for the use
of public dollars.
Click the PDF below to view in more
detail the responsibilities of the Human Services
Advisory Council:
Bergen County Priority Populations Program
Click
to view an MS Word document of the County Priority
Populations Program
Bergen County Child Care Services Plan:
2000-2005 Executive Summary
(Note: To view the entire document, please
request a hard copy by contacting the Department
of Human Services at 201-336-7474.)
In the summer of 1997, the Bergen County Human
Services Advisory Council (HSAC) initiated the
planning process for the development of a five-year
Child Care Plan (CCP). Together with the Bergen
County Office for Children (OFC) and the Bergen
County Workforce Investment Board (WIB), the HSAC
formed a Child Care Planning Committee.
For nearly three years the committee collected
and analyzed data for Bergen County and the three
municipalities of Englewood, Garfield and Hackensack.
The committee:
- looked at current child care capacity and
enrollments for the total population and for
those eligible for government subsidy
- determined areas of the county with high
concentrations of poverty, jobs, and child care
capacity
- projected population growth and child care
needs for 2000 and 2005.
The committee sought input from the community.
- Nine focus groups were held between October
1999 and January 2000. Six gathered information
from parents, one of which was conducted in
Spanish. Two of the groups gathered information
from providers and one gathered information
from the staff of the OFC.
- In February 2000 the committee sponsored
a forum entitled Child Care in Bergen County:
Planning for the Future. The goal was to
develop strategies to improve the quality, accessibility
and affordability of child care in Bergen County.
- In March 2000 the committee presented 18 recommendations
at a forum entitled Child Care in Bergen
County: Planning for the 21st Century. Participants
fine tuned the recommendations and all were
asked to rank the recommendations in priority
order.
- Also in March 2000 the committee presented
the recommendations to the full HSAC. Again
the recommendations were fine tuned and ranked.
Highlights of the findings are:
The high cost of child care is a burden for working
poor and middle income families. In Bergen County
the average child care center fees for full day
care is over $7,000 for a preschooler and over
$9,000 for an infant. Bergen County families receiving
child care subsidies for preschool use approximately
20% of their income for child care. Families whose
income is less than $500 over the subsidy eligibility
threshold use 26%.
Human Relations Commission
Phone: 201-336-7474
E-mail: Gmeyers@co.bergen.nj.us
Gina Meyers, Administrator
MISSION
To actively promote respect for human rights and
cultural diversity in Bergen County.
HISTORY
In 1995, the Bergen County Human Relations Commission
was established as an advisory body to the County’s
Department of Human Services.
The Commission is empowered by the County Executive
and the Board of Chosen Freeholders to promote
multicultural understanding and social tolerance.
To that end, it works to reduce prejudice and
stereotypes.
Members represent their community or organizations
and have distinguished themselves in area of human
relations.
The Commission meets monthly with the exception
of July and August.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
- To re-establish a sense of community.
- To foster respect for the rights and differences
of others.
- To support community-based activities and
the expansion of existing programs which promote
tolerance and combat bigotry.
- To act as a catalyst for open discussion and
problem-solving regarding human rights issues.
- To serve as a source and clearing-house for
information.
Our Pledge:
“I pledge my allegiance to you my neighbor,
to do my part with the ideals of justice and compassion
for all humanity as my guide, to accept me for
who I am, and to help shape a community that reflect
these ideals.”
PROGRAMS
Day of Harmony
Each Thanksgiving, the Commission sponsors a Day
of Harmony, in partnership with local news media.
The project celebrates the people of Bergen County.
Worship bulletins and related materials are circulated
throughout the County. The program culminates
with a press conference to promote harmony in
daily life.
Hearings
Public hearings and training events on different
issues are available throughout the County.
SERVICES
Speakers Bureau
Commissioners are always available to community
groups, schools and other organizations. In addition,
information about other speakers is available
FUTURE PLANS
Study Circle
The commission plans a series of group dialogues
on topical issues. Replacing confrontation with
conversation, these study circles allow for cross-cultural
discussion.
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