Families Involved with Juvenile Justice System Invited to Advocacy Workshop

Regional Day School in Jackson, a state-funded institute run by the  that specializes in the education of children with developmental disabilities and behavioral challenges, will host a workshop organized by SPAN, the Statewide Parent Advocacy Network, for parents dealing with the New Jersey juvenile justice system.

Monique Dujue Wilson, who will present the free workshop on Wednesday, May 18, at 6:30 p.m., said that a statistical trend shows a large amount of the youth that ends up in the juvenile justice system have been determined to have some sort of disability.

“A lot of people that end up in that system have special needs within school system before they end up there,” Wilson said. “It can be anything from ADHD to bipolar disorder or autism to a developmental disorder, whether recognized before or during the [justice system] process. It’s important to know what your rights are within that justice system.”

The workshop is intended to provide parents and caregivers and community members with information. There will be an overview of New Jersey’s juvenile justice system, including where there are centers located.

Wilson will also describe the education and health rights of juveniles and their parents’ right to participate in decision-making regarding their youth.

“We will cover what happens from the time you enter that system to the court," she said. "Whether you can go to a home or in-house or outpatient type of service, what type of coverage is afforded to you, and educational rights. Also, what will happen upon exiting the system, being released back into the community, home, and school.”

When asked what people can expect from the event, Wilson said, “That there is a lot of information given. [We will provide the] tools and resources to navigate the system appropriately to ask right questions.”

For those dealing with this system, Wilson said that it is tough to get over the obstacles of facing criminal charges, crowding in the system, and how slowly things occur.

All that coupled with educational and health issues create a tough barrier to overcome.

“I think the families who have young people within that system will benefit the most from this event,” Wilson said. “Who I see coming out the most for this information are professionals, but this is about the rights of the individuals and their families.

“The saddest thing is that we don’t see enough parents, even if you’re a foster parent,” Wilson said. “[Those] people who need it the most, need to come out in larger volumes.”

Wilson originally got involved with SPAN as a parent.

“I got hooked up with them when my son started school to learn what our rights are,” she said. Wilson has continued to work for SPAN part-time ever since.

SPAN works on behalf of parents and children on understanding education and health policies on all different levels and is one of the state’s leading parent advocacy agencies. Their mission is to empower and inform families as well as involve professionals and other individuals interested in the healthy development and educational rights of children.

Regional Day School is located at 890 Route 571 in Jackson. Walk-ins are welcome admitted, but registering for the event is encouraged to ensure enough literature can be provided.

All attendees will also receive a continued education certificate for attending the workshop. Register online  or call 973-642-8100, Ext. 116. 

More information on the programs and services offered by SPAN is available on the organization's website.