New Jersey

AVANZAR (formerly The Atlantic County Women’s Center) is a non-profit social service agency dedicated to empowering and supporting women, children, and families. The Violence Intervention Program (VIP) works to reduce the physical, psychological, and emotional trauma and recurrence of domestic violence, sexual assault, and incest experienced by survivors and their families.

Service area: Atlantic County
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault, sexual abuse, and incest and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; in-person individual counseling for survivors at the Gerard L. Gormley Justice Facility and following their transfer to a state prison, by arrangement; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; an empowerment group for women at the Justice Facility; information; and referrals. Survivors who are in crisis at the Justice Facility can get in touch with AVANZAR by contacting John McLernon, Director of Social Services, by reaching out to other Social Services staff or by contacting AVANZAR directly.
Services for survivors after release include: Crisis intervention; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; individual counseling; support groups; information; and referrals.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; counseling; individual advocacy; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: AVANZAR also operates an anger management group for men who are incarcerated at the Justice Facility.

CONTACT of Burlington County is dedicated to meeting the needs of the community by providing quality 24-hour crisis support, information, and referral services that are sensitive to the changing needs of the community. CONTACT’s Rape Care Program has been serving survivors of sexual assault since 1998.

Service area: Burlington County
Work with: Anyone in need of support, information or referrals. The Rape Care Program provides services to survivors of sexual assault and abuse, ages 12 and over, and their loved ones.
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; follow-up crisis counseling by phone; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: Crisis intervention; counseling; information; and referrals.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: The CONTACT Crisis Hotline provides services to any resident of Burlington County in need of crisis intervention, support, information or referrals, including children, teens, the elderly, people with mental illness, anyone who is suicidal, those who are grieving the loss of their pet, and others.

Family Service League provides direct services to survivors of sexual violence and their families and works to prevent sexual violence.

Service area: Essex County
Work with: Survivors of sexual violence and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; long-term individual counseling; and support groups, by request.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; counseling; information; and referrals.
Fees: Services are free and include up to four counseling sessions per client. Additional counseling sessions are priced on a sliding scale, and insurance is accepted.

Hudson Pride Center (HPC) is a non-profit organization founded in 1993 to bridge the gap in services and respond to the unmet needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community, as well as HIV positive people of any orientation/identity, through supportive social services, prevention, outreach, advocacy, and development trainings for other service providers, to educate, empower, and unite all of our communities.

Service area: Hudson County
Work with: Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people and people living with HIV/AIDS
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Support, information, hate crime reporting, and referrals via phone, email, and mail.
Services for survivors after release include: Confidential HIV testing via mobile testing units; support groups; youth programs; social events; information; and referrals for housing, case management, counseling, and other needed services.
Services for loved ones include: Support; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free

Hyacinth AIDS Foundation is the first and largest AIDS service organization in New Jersey. Founded in 1985, Hyacinth is a non-profit organization that provides client services in six regional offices as well as several statewide services. Services include individual client advocacy as well as hotline counseling for prevention, care, and treatment; service referrals; professional and community education workshops; legal services; and public policy advocacy.

Service area: New Jersey
Work with: People living with HIV/AIDS, those at risk, and others in need of services
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Information, referrals, and counseling support via the hotline; discharge planning for HIV+ prisoners re-entering the community; and assistance with connecting to health care and needs such as housing, recovery, and other support groups. Services are open to county and state prisoners, but may not be available at every facility.
Services for survivors after release include: Anonymous or confidential HIV testing and counseling through the Mobile Outreach Van and at the North Plainfield office; crisis intervention, information, referrals, and counseling support via the hotline; outreach to paroled and recently released prisoners living with HIV/AIDS; prevention education; and a range of services for people living with HIV/AIDS, including legal advocacy; case management; emergency financial assistance for the utilities of low-income people living with HIV/AIDS in Essex County; Housing Opportunities for People with AIDS (HOPWA) for low-income individuals or families living with HIV/AIDS in Essex County who require financial support for housing; pastoral care and non-denominational spirituality support; and The Wellness Community at Hyacinth (TWCH), a group that helps people manage the emotional impact of an HIV diagnosis.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention, information, referrals, and counseling support via the hotline; anonymous or confidential HIV testing and counseling through the Mobile Outreach Van and at the North Plainfield office; prevention education; and support groups for families.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: Hyacinth regional offices are located in Jersey City, Newark, New Brunswick, North Plainfield, Patterson, and Trenton.

The Middlesex County Center for Empowerment (The Center) is the state designated sexual violence program for Middlesex County.  We strive to support and empower survivors and significant others affected by sexual violence, and to help eliminate all forms of sexual violence through community awareness and education.

Service area: Middlesex County.
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones, ages 13 and up.
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline.  Hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; short-term individual counseling, by request; legal advocacy and court accompaniment; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; individual counseling; and support groups for adult female and male survivors of sexual assault.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; counseling; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: All services are available in Spanish, with the exception of support groups. Se ofrece todos los servicios en español, a excepción de los grupos de apoyo. Evening counseling is available Tuesdays and Thursdays. Saturday counseling is available during the day.

The mission of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA) is to promote the compassionate and just treatment of survivors, their loved ones, and significant others, foster collaborative relationships between community systems, and affect attitudinal and behavioral changes in society to work toward the elimination of sexual violence against all people.

Service area: New Jersey
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault and their loved ones, sexual assault programs, and allied professional group
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Information and referrals to the nearest rape crisis center via the hotline and by mail and a directory of affiliated rape crisis centers on the NJCASA website.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: Other NJCASA services include: membership services and outreach, prevention education, training, and legislative advocacy.

The Passaic County Women’s Center (PCWC) is a private non-profit organization that provides a variety of programs to address domestic violence and sexual assault.

Service area: Passaic County
Work with: Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; in-person counseling at the Passaic County Jail and half-way houses in Passaic County; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; emergency shelter; case management; individual and group counseling; and support groups.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; emotional support; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free
Additional information: Bilingual counselors who speak Spanish are available on the hotline and for individual counseling. Language Line Interpretation provides interpretation on the hotline in over 140 languages. Se habla español.

The mission of the AIDS Coalition of South Jersey AIDS Alliance (SJAIDS) is to provide comprehensive support services for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS through leadership and community collaboration.

The Guidance Center is dedicated to meeting the needs of the community by providing quality 24-hour crisis support, information, and referral services that are sensitive to the changing needs of the community.

Service area: Burlington County
Work with: Anyone in need of support, information or referrals. The Rape Care Program provides services to survivors of sexual assault and abuse, ages 12 and over, and their loved ones.
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; follow-up crisis counseling by phone; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: Crisis intervention; counseling; information; and referrals.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: The Guidance Center provides services to any resident of Burlington County in need of crisis intervention, support, information or referrals, including children, teens, the elderly, people with mental illness, anyone who is suicidal, those who are grieving the loss of their pet, and others.

Under the auspices of the Department of Human Services, Division of Planning, the Union County Rape Crisis Center offers an array of services to county residents who are survivors of sexual assault and to their families.

Service area: Union County
Work with: Survivors of sexual assault, ages 13 and up, and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; individual counseling, depending on staff resources; and a small library of materials related to sexual violence.
Services for loved ones include: All of the above.
Fees: Free

Womanspace, Inc. is a leading nonprofit agency in Mercer County that provides a comprehensive array of services to individuals and families impacted by domestic and sexual violence and is dedicated to improving the quality of life for women and their families.

Service area: Mercer County
Work with: Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline and by mail; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above; individual counseling; support groups; emergency shelter; and housing services.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; counseling; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free
Additional Information: Se habla español. The AT&T Language Line is also available to provide translation for anyone who does not speak English or Spanish who calls the hotline.

The YWCA Bergen County is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. The Rape Crisis Center provides a range of services to address the needs of those who have experienced sexual victimization.

Service area: Bergen County
Work with: Survivors of sexual abuse and assault and their loved ones
Services for survivors during incarceration include: Crisis intervention via the 24-hour hotline; hospital accompaniment during forensic exams; legal advocacy and court accompaniment for sexual assault cases; emotional support; information; and referrals.
Services for survivors after release include: All of the above and therapist-led support groups for adult female survivors of sexual assault and childhood sexual abuse and adult male survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Services for loved ones include: Crisis intervention; support; information; and referrals.
Fees: Free

The Office of the Ombudsman, New Jersey Department of Corrections provides assistance to prisoners with problems and complaints. The office functions independently of the state prison facilities to ensure the development of trust, confidentiality, and objectivity between Ombudsmen and prisoners. Ombudsmen are expected to be alert and to follow through on any violation of due process; to observe that basic living standards are met; to be especially responsive to all allegations of staff brutality; and to observe searches and crisis situations as required.

The ACLU of New Jersey (ACLU-NJ) is a private, non-profit organization devoted to defending the principles of freedom, justice, and equality outlined in the Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution. ACLU-NJ is involved in litigation and advocacy on behalf of individuals and lobbies on scores of bills in the state legislature and local councils.

The Legal Department reviews all of the complaints it receives, looking for issues with which the ACLU may be able to help. Some of the issues the ACLU looks for include freedom of speech, freedom of religion, government-sponsored religious activities, privacy, illegal discrimination, reproductive rights, police misconduct, censorship in schools or libraries, student rights, workplace privacy, and inhumane jail and prison conditions.

The ACLU provides information to thousands of people each year to assist them in asserting their rights. Sometimes the ACLU refers people to other organizations that may be able to help. Sometimes the ACLU acts as advocates for individuals and takes cases to court. However, the ACLU can provide direct representation to only a small number of clients each year in cases with the potential to set legal precedents for the preservation or advancement of civil liberties.

The ACLU is not a government agency or a general legal services organization. The ACLU does not dispense general legal advice, provide emergency services, or make referrals to attorneys. In general, the ACLU does not assist in criminal defense, post-conviction appeals, divorce or child custody disputes, property disputes, tax problems, consumer complaints, landlord/tenant disputes, or complaints against lawyers or judges. If your problem falls in one of these areas, you should look for other resources or organizations for help.

To obtain information or ask about assistance, contact the ACLU by letter. Your letter should address all of the questions listed below. In writing your letter, you should give a clear chronological account of your difficulty, with an emphasis on the facts of the situation.

To help you, the ACLU needs these facts:
• Describe in your own words what happened to you, including dates, places, and the names of the people directly involved.
• How were your rights violated?
• What explanation, if any, was given for what happened?
• Why do you think this happened to you?
• What steps have you taken to solve the problem (filed an appeal or complaint with the parties involved or with any public agency or official, or any other organization)?
• To whom did you complain and where does the matter currently stand?
• What documentation do you have on the matter?
• Please note that if you have an attorney assisting you with this matter and she or he believes there is a significant civil liberties issue involved, you must have your attorney contact us directly.

Attach copies of any important documents to your letter. Never send original documents. Do not simply send the ACLU documents or copies of letters to or from other organizations. The ACLU will not respond unless you send a cover letter written by you explaining what the problem is and how the documents are important.

The ACLU receives many complaints every week and answers every letter it receives. Letters should be mailed to the ACLU at the address above. You can also fill-out the online complaint form.

Legal Services of New Jersey provides legal advice and sometimes referral services to sponsored pro-bono programs on any civil matter for those meeting low-income financial eligibility requirements. Prisoners should call the hotline number to be further directed. More information on specific programs and regional offices is available on the website.

The New Jersey State Bar Association provides a list of county bar associations that offer lawyer referral services. See the listing below to locate your county of residence and contact the appropriate service.

Atlantic County Bar Association
Atlantic County Court House
1201 Bacharach Blvd.
Atlantic City, NJ 08401
Office: (609) 345-3444
Website: www.atcobar.org
E-Mail: atcobara@aol.com

Bergen County Bar Association
George W. Newman Law Building
15 Bergen Street
Hackensack, NJ 07601
Office: (201) 488-0044
Website: www.bergenbar.org
Email: info@bergenbar.org

Burlington County Bar Association
45 Grant Street
Mount Holly, NJ 08060
Office: (609) 261-4862
Website: www.burlcobar.org
Email: bcba@burlcobar.org

Camden County Bar Association
1040 N. Kings Highway, Suite 201
Cherry Hill, NJ 08034
Office: (856) 482-0618
Website: www.camdencountybar.org

Cape May County Bar Association
Rt. 9 Main Street
P.O. Box 425
Cape May Court House, NJ 08210
Office: (609) 463-0313
E-Mail: cmcba@comcast.net

Cumberland County Bar Association
P.O. Box 2374
Vineland, NJ 08362
Office: (856) 453-7000
Website: www.cumbnjbarassoc.org
E-Mail: info@cumbnjbarassoc.org

Essex County Bar Association
Essex County Historic Courthouse
470 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
Room B01
Newark, NJ 07102
Office: (973) 622-6207
Lawyer Referral Service: (973) 622-6204
Website: www.essexbar.com
E-mail: info@essexbar.com

Gloucester County Bar Association
Justice Complex
P.O. Box 338
Woodbury, NJ 08096
Office: (856) 848-4589
Website: www.gcbanj.org
Email: baroffice@gcbanj.org

Hudson County Bar Association
583 Newark Ave.
Jersey City, NJ 07306
Office: (201) 798-2727
Website: www.hcbalaw.com

Hunterdon County Bar Association
P.O. Box 573
Annandale, NJ 08801
Office: (908) 236-6109
E-mail: hcba@comcast.net

Mercer County Bar Association
1245 Whitehorse Mercerville Rd., Suite 420
Hamilton, NJ 08619
Office: (609) 585-6200
Website: www.mercerbar.com
E-mail: info@mercer.com

Middlesex County Bar Association
87 Bayard St.
New Brunswick, NJ 08901
Office: (732) 828-0053
Website: www.mcbalaw.com
E-mail: admin@mcbalaw.com

Monmouth Bar Association
Monmouth County Court House
71 Monument Park
Freehold, NJ 07728
Office: (732) 431-5544
Website: www.monmouthbarassociation.org
Email: TMaciewicz.monmouthbar@verizon.net

Morris County Bar Association
28 Schuyler Place
Morristown, NJ 07960
Office: (973) 267-5882
Website: www.morriscountybar.com/lawyer_referral/index.htm

Ocean County Bar Association
Courthouse
P.O. Box 381
Toms River, NJ 08753
Office: (732) 240-3666
Website: www.passaicbar.org

Salem County Bar Association
Office: (856) 935-5629
Website:www.salemcountybar.org
Email: attorneys@salemcountybar.org

Somerset County Bar Association
Courthouse
10 N. Bridge St.
P.O. Box 1095
Somerville, NJ 08876
Office: (908) 685-2323
Website: www.somersetbar.com

Union County Bar Association
Courthouse, 1st Floor
Elizabeth, NJ 07207
Office: (908) 353-4715
Office Hours: Monday-Thursday, 10am-1pm EST
Website: www.uclaw.com

Warren County Bar Association
413 Second St.
Belvidere, NJ 07823
Office: (908) 387-1835

NJSuccess is a website for all released prisoners in New Jersey who seek mental health counseling, legal services or transitional and general health services in their regions. Search by map or by specific service requested to find the appropriate organization in your area. NJSuccess is associated with the Prisoners’ Self-Help Legal Clinic and the Prisoners’ Resource Center of Northern New Jersey.