Mental Health

Supportive outreach services are provided to individuals with psychiatric needs. Counseling, group activities, self-help skills, advocacy, medical referrals, psychiatric evaluations and treatment are offered. Specific programs include:

Integrated Case Management Services (ICMS)
Integrated Case Management is consumer-centered services provided predominantly off-site in the consumer's natural environment. The goal of ICMS is to provide aftercare services to individuals with a persistent mental illness, especially those leaving the state psychiatric hospital. JFS staff assist individuals in the community to achieve wellness and recovery by addressing a range of issues that are important to the individual.

The PATH Program
The PATH Program provides street outreach throughout Atlantic County to individuals in homeless situations with serious mental illness. JFS staff also provide targeted site outreach to the Atlantic Homeless Alliance, Atlantic City Library, the Atlantic City Rescue Mission and Sister Jean's Kitchen and accept referrals from a broad range of community providers. The PATH Program is funded by a contract with the New Jersey Division of Mental Health Services.

Behavioral Health Collaborative
In partnership with AtlantiCare Behavioral Health and the Atlantic City Rescue Mission, JFS provides case management services to a five-bed transitional residential unit that helps program participants in psychiatric crisis be diverted from psychiatric hospitalization. The case manager supports individuals during their tenure in the unit and links to needed community services. A community linkage/re-entry group is also provided by the case manager as part of the program’s partial care programming.

Links to Health (also known as Behavioral Health Home)
JFS Links to Health is a Behavioral Health Home model that offers healthcare connections, care coordination, linkages, coaching, mental health and medical services as well as wellness workshops. The program benefits participants through a continued level of care that help individuals stay healthy and out of the hospital and emergency room. Links to Health also prioritizes the facilitation of communication among behavioral health and medical care providers in both acute and on an ongoing basis.

Jail Reentry Program
Through a contact with Atlantic County, the program provides wrap-around discharge planning and reentry support for all county sentenced inmates (includes all of those anticipated to be county sentenced). The Jail Reentry staff conduct bio-psychosocial assessments that inform a reentry plan for clients. The plans address the need areas of housing, mental health services, substance use services, employment, income, identification, and family reunification.

Mental Health Justice Involved Services

Jail Diversion
This program provides services designed to prevent or substantially shorten the incarceration of individuals with mental illness arrested for non-violent, victimless offenses. Program staff respond to police departments as they encounter individuals in the community. The agency's partners, AtlantiCare Behavioral Health and Family Service Association, provide recovery focused mental health interventions to the 150 people served each year.

Community Re-Entry
JFS is providing help to inmates with mental illness who are completing their sentence at the Atlantic County Criminal Justice Facility re-integrate into the community by connecting them to mental health and housing services.

Supportive Housing Services

Supportive Housing
JFS provides support to individuals with mental illness who live independently in Atlantic County. The program serves individuals needing outreach support to maintain their household and develop integration and natural support systems in the community.

Enhanced Supportive Housing
The Enhanced Supporting Housing Services at JFS provide intensive wrap around supports seven days a week to consumers with mental illness and additional concerns such as homelessness, criminal justice, medical and intellectual/developmental disability. The staff utilize wellness and recovery principles to assist consumers to meet their goals and aspirations in life.

Inquire about any of the mental health and psychiatric services at JFS by phone at (609) 822-1108 or via e-mail.