About

What is the Morris Family Justice Center (MFJC)?

The Morris Family Justice Center (MFJC) provides services that survivors of domestic violence, dating abuse, and sexual assault need in ONE place. Through the collaboration of numerous partner agencies, the MFJC provides counseling, protection, legal and immigration assistance, children's services and more.

 

Learn more about our services by watching a simulated client story!

How Does the MFJC Help?

The Morris Family Justice Center is JBWS' first public location where survivors of domestic abuse, dating abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking can walk into our location and immediately be connected to services. This is imperative because people experiencing these issues are typically forced to navigate complex systems in order to receive the support they need. The Morris Family Justice Center works in collaboration with numerous partner agencies to offer services in one location so people experiencing these issues do not need to travel to different agencies, recounting their story over and over.

 

Located on the 4th Floor of the County Administration and Records Building across from the Morris County Courthouse, the MFJC is warm and inviting. It's more reminiscent of a home, with big comfortable couches, a children's playroom, and a kitchen, then a sterile office.

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By The Numbers:

Adults and children received comprehensive services from multiple agencies within the Morris Family Justice Center (MFJC) in 2023.

People received critical legal advocacy services. This includes supportive and crisis counseling, legal options, safety planning, advocacy, and referrals in 2023.

Interventions conducted by Crisis Response Team volunteers. At local police stations, these volunteers offer immediate support, information, referrals, safety planning, and more in 2023.

Guiding Principles:

Developed by the Advisory Board for the Family Justice Center Alliance, these guiding principles are the fundamental values that direct our vision, service delivery, and the environment of the multi-agency Morris Family Justice Center.

Safety Focused

Increase safety, promote healing, and foster empowerment through services for victims and their children

Victim-Centered

Provide victim-centered services that promote victim autonomy

Culturally Responsive

Commitment to the utilization of culturally relevant service approaches that are measurable and behavior based

Intervene and Prevent

Engage all communities through outreach and community education

Survivor Driven

Shape services to clients by asking them what they need

Transformative

(Willing to change) Evaluate and adjust services by including survivors input and evidence-based best practices

Accountability

Increase accountability through evidence based prosecution strategies and defendant support

Prevention-Oriented

Integrate primary, secondary and tertiary prevention approaches into all initiatives, programs, and projects

Kind-Hearted

Develop a Family Justice Center community that values, affirms, recognizes and supports staff, volunteers, and clients

Empowered

Offer survivors a place to belong even after the crisis intervention services are no longer necessary

Relationship-Based

Maintain close working relationships among all collaborators/agencies (law enforcement, prosecution, community-based violence programs, shelters and other)

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History:

Founded in 2016 as JBWS' first public facing location, The Morris Family Justice Center stands as a beacon of hope for people experiencing victimization. For more than seven years, a multi-agency network has been operating under one roof to provide coordinated services to people experiencing domestic abuse, dating abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking.

 

The initial startup of the project was funded by the Office on Violence Against Women and The Provident Bank Foundation. Additionally, the County of Morris has agreed to provide rent-and utility-free space in which to operate the program in its Administration and Records Building in Morristown.

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