OCEAN COUNTY – A public hearing to explain how the county is going to use $25 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds will be held on February 7 at 11 a.m. in Room 119 of the Ocean County Administration Building, Hooper Avenue, Toms River.
The spending plan is expected to be approved during the next meeting of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners, which takes place on February 15 at 4 p.m. in the same building.
The American Rescue Plan was passed during the previous session of Congress and it was designed to assist populations hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The county is implementing the Housing Insecurities and Homelessness Services project which will provide temporary housing, fiscal aid, and other services to those at risk of homelessness. Some of the aid could take the form of such things as temporary rental assistance, security deposits, rental application fees, or moving expenses.
Another change will be the Eviction, Foreclosure, and Homelessness Prevention Legal Services Program. This is geared to help seniors who are at risk of foreclosures stay in their homes.
The county’s Aging and Disability Resource Center program will be expanded, offering more help to disabled seniors and young adults.
A Benefits Navigator will be created so that residents can find what they need easier.
Other funds will be assigned to mental and behavioral health. A lot of people are suffering the loss of loved ones and there are increases in suicide and drug overdose incidents. Grief and trauma programs will be put into place.
“The County understands that addressing mental health issues calls for specialized skills,” according to the draft funding plan. “As such, the intelligent selection of professional partners offering behavioral health care expertise, case management, and links to services is paramount.”
A program called On Point will aim to divert people experiencing mental illness from entering the criminal justice system.
“With so many people, including children and teenagers, now suffering with negative mental and behavioral health impacts, and others struggling to get back on their feet financially, a large percentage of the funds will go to updated initiatives and expansion of current services to help our residents,” said Ocean County Commissioner Gary Quinn, who serves as a liaison to the Ocean County Finance Department along with Commissioner John P. Kelly. “After a thorough review of how the funds can be used, it was determined these are areas along with assisting our municipalities, that needed our response.
“While Ocean County has many social services and human services programs available for our citizens, this will add an additional layer of help to those residents that need it,” said Commissioner Quinn. “Clearly, the pandemic highlighted many areas of concern that need to be addressed further.”
Other Plans
The plan also includes funds for the boroughs of Ship Bottom and Beach Haven for needed infrastructure upgrade projects and for the towns along the northern barrier island from Berkeley Township to Point Pleasant Beach to cover the local costs for a needed beach renourishment project.
“Ocean County will continue to carefully review the priorities affecting our residents,” said Director of the Ocean County Board of Commissioners Joseph H. Vicari. “This proposed plan is the first step in allocating the federal funds we anticipate receiving.”
The draft plan is available for review on the Ocean County government website at co.ocean.nj.us
