History

NEW JERSEY STATE PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HISTORY

The Junior Leagues of New Jersey State Public Affairs Committee grew from the concern on the part of volunteers in Newark that abandoned babies were being placed in an overcrowded municipal hospital there – often for long periods of time. The Newark Junior League was joined by the Leagues of Montclair and Oranges-Short Hills in appealing to the elected freeholders for an infant shelter in Essex County.  After a series of meetings with state and county officials, funds were finally provided; but in the course of accomplishing their objectives, the Tri-Leagues of Essex County were made acutely aware of the need for improved services to the children of the state.  This issue prompted the Executive Council of the New Jersey Junior Leagues to re-activate the State Public Affairs Committee in April of 1970 to study the problems of New Jersey’s abandoned, abused, and neglected children and to work toward changing the state’s laws affecting children.

The work of the committee began in late May with the study of the Blum Report – a comprehensive analysis of children’s services within the state completed in 1968 under the direction of Professor Jerome Blum and an outstanding panel of citizens appointed by the Governor.  This exhaustive study, though given very limited publication, was done at taxpayers’ expense and raised many questions about the state’s services.  It was, therefore, a very logical instrument with which to begin the education of the new committee.

The spring meeting of NJ SPAC was attended by representatives of each of the New Jersey Leagues who agreed, in addition to study of the Blum Report, to undertake research over the summer months.  The delegates, working in pairs, were responsible for four interviews, which included a district office of the Bureau of Children’s Services (the state’s child care agency) a private child service agency, a county welfare department, and a school district.  Specific questions were compiled to aid the interviewers in gaining insights about the strengths and weaknesses of the state’s Bureau of Children’s Services.  All survey results were presented in writing by September and circulated among the delegates.  The results of the research erased any doubts that some Leagues may have had concerning the need for action on behalf of the children of New Jersey!

In the meantime, Sally Orr, the first chairman of NJ SPAC, was granted permission by the Executive Council to appear before the Senate Committee on Institutions and Agencies in Trenton on June, 11, 1970.  The purpose of Sally’s statement was to give the reasons for the re-activation of NJ SPAC, request wider circulation of the Blum Report, and to indicate the desire of the committee to appear again with suggestions and recommendations once their research was completed.

The September meeting of NJ SPAC brought new attitudes and enthusiasm as a result of the summer research and new inspiration in the person of Dr. Leontine Young, noted author and Director of the Child Service Association of Newark, who spoke to the group about the needs of the state.

At this time the committee, following the excellent advice of Myron Chevlin of AJLI, set up two long-range goals.  The first was “to secure a reorganization of the Department of Institutions and Agencies to increase priorities for services to children and youth.” The second goal was “to work for a change in the law which would replace “may” with “must”; requiring the state to acknowledge its primary responsibility for child services.”  Three task forces, based upon the priority needs indicated in the summer survey, were formed to concentrate the areas of research and action.  The original task forces were Adoption, Child Abuse, and Residences for Hard-to-Place Adolescents.  Other task forces added and dropped according to need have been Juvenile Justice, Legislative, Children in Need of Placement, and Learning Disabilities.

Four professional advisors were selected to counsel NJ SPAC – a lawyer, two directors of private social service agencies and the director of a public county welfare office.  The committee voted to work for the passage of a bill, which had been introduced to provide emergency appropriations to the Bureau of Children’s Services and was rewarded with its first success when the bill passed.

In October 1970 NJ SPAC requested permission from the Executive Council to speak for the ten New Jersey Junior Leagues whenever the committee voted to take an action recommended by a task force and approved by the advisors.  The request was granted by the Executive Council following approval by the boards and memberships of all New Jersey Leagues.  This was the beginning of a unique public affairs action group which has been effective and has gained respect and cooperation from the Leagues which it represents and from public officials.

Legislative Lunch 2013

Bergen County Elizabeth-Plainfield Greater Princeton Monmouth County Montclair-Newark Morristown Oranges & Short Hills Summit
Association of Junior Leagues International
Junior Leagues of New Jersey - State Council