County awards domestic-violence services contract to JBWS; new helpline and courthouse advocates begin Nov. 1

The Passaic County Board of County Commissioners heard on Nov. 17 that JBWS, a Morris County–based domestic-violence nonprofit, has been awarded a Department of Children and Families contract to provide domestic-violence services across Passaic County.

"We bid for it, and we were awarded the contract," Diane Williams, CEO of JBWS, said. She told commissioners the contract took effect Nov. 1 and that JBWS is providing a 24/7 helpline, emergency sheltering, housing navigation, legal advocacy stationed in the courthouse, two domestic-violence liaisons embedded in child-protection offices, and a domestic-violence response team that dispatches trained volunteers to police stations and emergency rooms.

Williams said JBWS started temporary services in June and moved to full operations in November. "We're here to partner, we're here to learn, and we look forward to partnering with the amazing organizations that already exist in this community," she said.

Commissioners thanked county staff for helping facilitate the transition. Commissioner Cruz noted the program had strong local resonance in Hawthorne after a prior provider experienced financial trouble; Commissioner Cruz said he was glad to see a new organization step in.

County administrators provided no budget detail in the meeting transcript on the contract amount. Williams listed some of JBWS's local leadership who will work on the program: Diana Kurlander (vice president of client services), Kim Viafarra (director of housing and supportive services), Kim Vargas (senior manager of legal advocacy services), and Robin Hughes (senior manager of crisis response). She invited commissioners and community partners to reach out with questions.

The board recessed that portion of the meeting after brief comments and continued with other agenda items.