Family Service Association, a private, not for profit, United Way agency, has been serving the needs of families and individuals in southern NewJersey since 1909. the agency's mission is to strengthen individuals and families.

Description:
Family Service Association has grown into a multi-service agency serving more than 18,500 children, adolescents and adults of all ages each year. Among the agency's many services are outpatient counseling, substance abuse services, adult psychiatric programs, services for families and children-at-risk, adolescent services, consumer credit counseling, older adult programs and community based services. The board and staff are all committed to enhancing and extending all families' connections in order to enable them to succeed.

History:
Incorporated on March 16, 1909, Family Service Association was originally known as The Organized Charities of Atlantic City, with the mission " to provide tangible relief for individuals and families in need and to serve as a clearing house for agencies that served people in need".

In 1919, the name of the agency was changed to The Atlantic County Welfare Board. The goal of the agency was: well-bodies, educated minds, cemented home ties, proper care of those who could not care for themselves, work for the idle, happiness, prosperity and justice for all.

As casework services were becoming more popular throughout the nation, and counseling was beginning to be regarded as a helpful approach for people with problems which were not necessarily tangible, the agency changed its name again in 1937 to The Social Service Bureau of Atlantic City.

In 1938, the agency became a charter member of the Community Chest, now the United Way of Atlantic County, assuring a sounder financial base.

Further emphasis on family counseling motivated the agency to change its name to Family Service Association (FSA) in 1953.

In 1975, FSA introduced the Family Life Center, a unique program to treat families where there was child abuse or neglect in the home, and an outreach program, Services to the Aged & Retired (S.T.A.R.), to provide counseling to Senior Citizens, with social workers making home visits and reaching out to people in need.

In 1976, the First Day Program was established as a partial hospitalization program for former psychiatric patients in need of help to cope with life outside the psychiatric hospital.

In 1980, a flood nearly destroyed the Family Service building, a former motel, located on the Black Horse Pike in West Atlantic City.

In 1981, the Board of Directors authorized a capital building fund campaign and located a suitable building, a bowling alley, located at 312 E. White Horse Pike, (Route 30) in Absecon Highlands. Plans were developed to construct a new facility on the base of the bowling alley; however, the building was destroyed by fire three days after the renovations started. This caused a change in plans from renovation of the facility to construction of an entire new building. FSA moved into the new quarters on October 24, 1983.


In December, 1984, Family Service Association welcomed a new President, Chief Executive Officer, Jerome J. Johnson. Under Mr. Johnson's leadership, the agency developed its first Five Year Plan, a strategic, long-range planning process for setting goals and objectives.


Other developments that year were a Volunteer Program to recruit and train volunteers to provide concrete services to agency clients.

In 1987, a new program for seniors was created, Senior Community Independent Living Services (S.C.I.L.S.), to assist elderly individuals with visual impairments.


In 1988, the School Based Youth Services program was opened to provide services for high school students in Pleasantville. Students in this program are given support to stay in school and those who have dropped out are encouraged to return to school.

Under our Adolescent Services Unit, we developed SafeHarbor, Atlantic County's first partial care program for adolescents who have emotional problems. This program serves adolescents who otherwise would be placed in psychiatric institutions.

In the spring of 1989, Adolescent Services began the Youth Case Management Program to provide connecting services among agencies for adolescents with emotional problems who are in need of appropriate programs.

In the fall of 1989, an Ad Hoc Committee made up of community and business leaders recognized the changing economy and laid the ground work for Consumer Credit Counseling Service of South Jersey (CCCS). CCCS opened in 1990 and provides budget counseling, debt management planning for individuals and families, and educational programs. In addition to our Absecon facility, CCCS services are currently provided in Atlantic City, Cape May Court House, Manahawkin, Turnersville, Vineland, Woodbury, Pleasantville and Egg Harbor Township.

In 1990, Family Preservation Services was initiated with a goal of preventing unnecessary out-of-home placement of children.

In preparation for continued operation and growth in the years ahead, in the fall of 1993 the agency was restructured into four distinct entities:

FAMILY SERVICE OPERATION (FSO) - A holding company with the purpose of managing assets and providing management services to the three substructures.

FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION (FSA) - A not-for-profit, multi-service organization providing mental health, day care, adolescent and older adult services.

FAMILY SERVICE DEVELOPMENT (FSD) - A corporation with the purpose of providing fund raising, public relations and volunteer services to the entire structure.

FAMILY SERVICE ENTERPRISE (FSE) - A corporation with the purpose of providing creative and inventive human service programs.

In order to maintain its recognition in the community, the agency continues to be known as "Family Service Association." The restructuring provided an opportunity to develop several new programs.

In 1994, Transitions (FSE), an adult partial-care program, was initiated to serve higher functioning, mentally ill adults, and the Pleasantville Family Center and the Egg Harbor Township Community Center (FSA) were opened to provide "one-stop-shopping" for services as needed in each particular community.

In the spring of 1996, Community Services (FSE) was initiated which includes The South Jersey Training Institute, the Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for local businesses, and a Managed Care component, Family Behavioral Health.

In 1999, an initiative with the banking community and the McKnight Foundation raised a total initial loan pool of $370,000 to start up the Ways To Work ~ Family Loan Program (FSE). This program provides low interest loans to families throughout South Jersey to assist them in becoming self-sufficient.

Also in 1999, RainbowPlace (FSA) , a partial care program for children, age 6 - 12, who are in need of mental health services was initiated. The goal of the program is to help each child attain his or her highest level of functioning while remaining in the community.



FSA opened their first satellite office in Pleasantville, New Jersey in 1989. As the agency grew, satellite offices were also opened in Atlantic City, Cape May Court House and Vineland. The agency also offers a variety of services at the Family Centers in Pleasantville and Egg Harbor Township. When we outgrew the Pleasantville facility, a larger building was leased at 145 W. White Horse Pike, in Pomona, NJ. The First Day, SafeHarbor, Transitions, Older Adult Services and Family Preservation Services, were located in this facility.

In 1999 and 2000, Family Service Association developed two innovative community development programs to promote self-sufficiency and assist individuals who were moving from welfare to work. The Ways To Work Family Loan Program provides low interest loans to families for necessities that enable an individual to obtain or retain employment. Most of the loans are for used cars. The Individual Development Account (IDA) Program provides matching funds for savings accounts for low income individuals with goals of buying a home, furthering their education, etc. Also in 2000, we received a grant for the Kinship Care Program to provide assistance to families who are raising the children of relatives.

In June, 2001, a significant step was taken in the expansion of the agency with the purchase of a large facility located at 3073 English Creek Avenue, Egg Harbor Township, NJ, which became the Corporate Headquarters. All administrative and support functions moved from Absecon to this new facility. Subsequently, we terminated our lease on the building in Pomona, and all programs formally located there were moved into the Absecon building. The Board of Trustees made this major commitment with the long-range plan to have the agency own two substantial buildings with ample room for growth in the future.

The Board of Trustees of Family Service Development holds several events each year which raise funds for the agency while providing public relation opportunities and enjoyable social activities as well. The agency's annual "Celebrate Families" event is held to present the following two awards: the Henry West Leeds Award to "The Family of the Year", to a South Jersey family chosen by the Board because of their exemplary family values while enhancing the community through volunteerism and the "Corporate Leadership Award for Strengthening the Community" to a corporate leader who has made a positive contribution to the establishment of a strong community. Other fund raising events may be held during the year which also provide an opportunity for members of the community to become more familiar with the agency and the services we provide.

The agency's Strategic Long Range Plan is updated periodically to keep abreast of the many changes in the human service field, funding philosophies and technology. The combined Boards of Trustees meet with management staff to evaluate current services and to plan for the future growth of the agency.

A major event for Family Service Association every four years is reaccreditation of the agency by the Council on Accreditation for Children and Family Services (COA). This evaluation requires that we do a meticulous evaluation of every aspect of our service delivery system to determine where we are successful and where improvements are needed. From past evaluations, we have learned that FSA is doing what we say we are doing, and doing it very well!

Family Service Association has developed a creative administration and service delivery structure, and we are excited about our ability to serve the growing needs of the Southern New Jersey community.

Contact person: Nick White, Development Manager, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: 609-569-1942

Address:

3073 English Creek Avenue Suite 3 Egg Harbor Township, NJ 08234 (See a map)

Web Site: http://fsasj.org

Directions:

FSA is located just off the Black Horse Pike in Egg Harbor Township. At the English Creek Shopping Center turn on to English Creek Avenue and continue south for about 3/4 of a mile. FSA will be on your right. . . (more)   Nearest Bus Stop: English Creek Shopping Center, 10 minute walk For maps or information, please see http://www.septa.com/

Miscellaneous Information

Are court referrals welcomed?
	Yes