Addressing the Needs of Homeless Youth & Families in Somerset County

By Somerset County

omerset County Freeholder Brian D. Levine invites parents, guardians and professionals who work with children and families to an Office of Youth Services Community Connections workshop titled, “The Community’s Response to Homelessness: Youth and Families.”

The workshop will take place on Friday, Sept. 25, from 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Somerville Elks Lodge, located at 375 Union Ave. Morning registration will start at 8 a.m. A full breakfast will be available.

The keynote speaker will be Jessica Trombetta, LCSW and adolescent services expert. A panel of experts will review the impact of homelessness from a mental health perspective and the unique challenges faced by homeless youth and young people who are aging out of the system. Panelists also will discuss how to access services and how to meet the educational needs of children who are homeless.

The panel will include representatives from the Somerset County Board of Social Services, Richard Hall Community Mental Health Center, McKinney-Vento Education of Homeless Children and Youth Program and Street Smart street outreach. Personal testimony also will be presented.

To register, contact Andrea Clegg at clegg@co.somerset.nj.us or (908) 704-6333. The program fee is $30. Cash or checks will be accepted. Checks should be made payable to Friends of Somerset County Youth. Professional development credits will be made available.

This workshop is being offered by the Somerset County Office of Youth Services, Street Smart street outreach and the Friends of Somerset County Youth. All proceeds from the workshop will benefit Friends of Somerset County Youth, which is a non-profit organization established to help address unmet needs of youth by providing resources to existing and emerging youth service organizations.

For more information about the workshop, contact Cindy Britt at britt@co.somerset.nj.us or (908) 704-6352.