JBWS is a private, nonprofit agency that provides safety, support, and solutions for abuse for anyone who lives or works in primarily Morris County, NJ, and faces the issues of intimate partner abuse.

Our Mission is the prevention of domestic violence through the protection and empowerment of the victim, the rehabilitation of family members, the advocacy for social reform to prevent partner violence, and the education of the public about domestic violence and its consequences.

24-Hour Helpline
If you need help, call 1.877.782.2873 or 1.877.R.U.ABUSED Hablamos Espanol. Deaf/Heard of Hearing? Text: 973.314.4192

This confidential helpline is managed by trained staff and volunteers who are prepared 24/7 to provide information, assist with safety planning, or just listen and support callers. As the helpline is confidential, callers can remain anonymous. The helpline is also open to friends, family members, and professionals associated with the victim to learn the most effective ways to help.

For access to Arbour House, JBWS’ Emergency Safe House, or any of our counseling programs, please call the helpline for assistance.

Crisis Response Team
When an incident of domestic violence is reported to the police, members of JBWS’ Crisis

Response Team (CRT) is informed. Then a trained member of JBWS who has no affiliation with law enforcement, can either come to the police department, hospital, or safe space in the community or connect virtually with a person experiencing abuse.  The CRT can provide emotional support, information, referrals, help with safety planning, and help a person apply for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO).

If you’re interested in being a member of the Crisis Response Team, email Robin Hughes at [email protected]

Safe House
Known as Arbour House, JWBS’ Emergency Safe House provides temporary housing for adults and children who need a safe place to stay. Arbour House is large, beautiful, warm, and comfortable but most importantly, it is secure. This is because the primary reason people come to Arbour House is for protection from abuse.

Staying in Arbour House allows survivors to continue daily activities such as: supervising their children, shopping for food, preparing meals, and, if able, to continue going to work. Both single adults and adults with their children stay in private bedrooms but share living room and kitchen areas with other families. Individual and group counseling, housing, case management, financial, and legal resources are also available.

Please call our 24-hour helpline: 1.877.782.2873 or 1.877.R.U.ABUSED if you or someone you know is in danger and may need to come to Arbour House.

Transitional Living
When the stay at JBWS’ Arbour House is not long enough to overcome the obstacles of abuse, the Carol G. Simon Transitional Living Resource Center (TLRC) is the next step. Through the Transitional Living Program (TLP), housed within TLRC, adults and their children can live in one of eleven fully furnished apartments for up to two years.

During their stay, clients can receive individual counseling, case management, life skills development, financial education, vocational development, services for children, and assistance finding permanent housing.

Legal Advocacy
If you’re in need of legal assistance or advocacy, JBWS can help. Our legal advocates are available to support those in need of legal protection and can meet with them at the Superior Courthouse in Morristown, or at the JBWS-led Morris Family Justice Center (MFJC). We have both Spanish-speaking staff and interpreters available to better assist anyone in need of support.

Legal advocates can:

• Share information about the dynamics of abuse, legal options, and reliefs available through court orders
• Support clients in filing for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) and Final Restraining Order (FRO), as well as Dismissals of Restraining Orders
• Assist victims throughout the restraining order process and provide support in family court
• Support people in accessing pro bono legal representation

Individualized Support and Safety Planning
Speaking with a professionally trained counselor can help our clients understand the dynamics of abuse, examine the problems it causes, and connect clients with helpful resources.

Specialized Support Groups
Support groups are offered at various times throughout the week in both English and Spanish. These groups are facilitated by professional counselors and provide the opportunity to learn from others, restore self-confidence, reduce feelings of isolation, gain knowledge of one’s rights, and develop safety plans.

Center For Healthy Relationships
This is JBWS’ safe place to explore difficult relationships. Our specialized, confidential counseling programs are designed to support adults, adolescents, and children impacted by abuse.

Child and Adolescent Services
Children aged 3-18 participate in these services to help them sort through conflicting feelings of anger, sadness, fear, and love. This program strives to reduce risk factors connected to childhood exposure to domestic violence and to break the intergenerational cycle of abuse. It provides an opportunity to help children and adolescents heal, build coping skills, express feelings, improve conflict resolution skills, and understand healthy relationships. Additional services offered to residential clients include parental support, advocacy, information and referral, recreational activities, holiday fun, and special events.

Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral TherapyIn this evidence-based model, JBWS offers counseling support for children and caregivers to teach them skills to improve challenging behaviors and manage difficult feelings. Services are provided by professionally trained counselors and applied in a safe setting with children up to age 18 and their caregivers.

Morris Family Justice Center
The JBWS-led Morris Family Justice Center (MFJC) provides supportive services and legal resources to clients through a collaboration of partner agencies in one location. The MFJC is JBWS' first publicly known location where survivors can walk in to access services and be connected with the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office, County of Morris, Morris Sexual Assault Center, Morris County Superior Court, Legal Services of Northwest Jersey, Morris County Organization for Hispanic Affairs, Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Morris County Bar Association and professional staff will work together to coordinate service for our clients.

The model of the MFJC is recognized as a best practice in the field of domestic violence by the U.S. Department of Justice. For more information about the MFJC, including its location and how to access its services, please visit morrisfjc.org or call 973.829.4050.

Habamos Español. Interpreters are available.

Teen Dating Abuse Prevention
One in three teens will experience dating abuse and JBWS’ Dating Abuse Prevention Program (DAPP), known as No2DatingAbuse, is here to help.  These services will help teenagers identify types of abuse, recognize the warning signs of abusive relationships, and provide emotional support and safety planning. Confidential counseling is available for both teenagers who are experiencing abuse and teenagers who are using abuse in their relationships.

For more information about No2DatingAbuse visit www.No2DatingAbuse.org, call 973.267.7520 Ext. 136 or email: [email protected]

Jersey Center For Non-Violence
Designed for those who have used abuse in their relationships, the Jersey Center for Non-Violence offers confidential group counseling services for people to examine their use of control, force, and/or abuse within intimate relationships and to learn healthy alternatives. Initially, participants meet privately with a professional counselor and then join one of the many groups held throughout the week.

The perspective of other group members paired with insight from facilitators, allows group participants to begin developing a new personal outlook. Group discussions cover the identification of forceful behaviors and abuse, the motivations for using those behaviors as well as healthy boundaries, anger management, the impact of abuse on children witnesses, parenting, and more.

Professional Training
Social workers, counselors, school personnel, police officers, attorneys, criminal justice staff, school, healthcare personnel, and more learn to assess and intervene in cases of intimate partner violence.

Community Education
Domestic violence grows in silence and education is the best defense against it. JBWS does presentations to civic clubs, businesses, and faith-based organizations to educate the community about domestic violence.

Choices Program

Age Groups	Children Adolescents Adults Seniors
Community Services	Basic Needs / Assistance Housing / Shelter Family & Support Services Family Support Legal / Advocacy Advocacy (Legal)
Health Services	Behavioral / Mental Health Anger Management Mental Health Crisis / Safety Crisis / Safety / Prevention
Treatment Services	Out-of-Home Services Transitional Living
Payment Types	Free Self Pay Sliding Scale / Payment Plans

Last Updated: 05/11/24