ROSELLE PARK, NJ — First Children Services, a premier provider of behavioral health and special education services in New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania, celebrated the opening of its fifth location, a new 8,400-square-foot autism diagnosis and treatment facility located at 316 Westfield Avenue West in Roselle Park, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and free community event on Saturday, June 5. Roselle Park Mayor Joseph Signorello III and members from the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce were also in attendance to celebrate the milestone event, which drew countless children and families from the local community. The event featured tours of the new facility, a magic show, arts and crafts, music, giveaways, and a variety of pizzas from an Il Forno a Legna food truck.
Formerly operating out of a 3,000-square-foot space at First Children School in Fanwood, First Children Services’ STRIVE Autism Care Continuum will be able to increase client capacity from 15 to 50 children on the spectrum and their families. The relocation and expansion will also create roughly 100 new jobs in Union County, as First Children Services looks to expand its staff of board-certified behavior analysts, behavior skills technicians, clinical psychologists, school psychologists, clinical counselors and social workers.
“As a family-owned and family-focused community-based provider, our No. 1 priority is to make a positive impact on children and families in the communities we serve,” said Matthew Hess, chief executive officer, First Children Services. “Since founding First Children Services 10 years ago, we have firmly adhered to that mission, which has enabled us to grow our organization’s autism services into a comprehensive care continuum providing vital treatment and diagnostic services and support programs for children and their families in our region. We are so grateful to the community members and families who joined us for our grand opening event and look forward to building on our presence and providing kids and families with the highest quality of care through our new Roselle Park facility.”
First Children Services’ STRIVE Autism Care Continuum takes an interdisciplinary, integrated approach to addressing the needs of children on the spectrum and their families. Its team offers a community-centric, comprehensive suite of on-site diagnostic, assessment and treatment services, creating specialized, interactive treatment plans designed to make learning fun and improve social behaviors in a positive, meaningful way.
“There will be a heightened demand for behavioral health services coming out of the pandemic, including autism spectrum disorder diagnosis and treatment, which is why we are pleased to continue to expand our STRIVE Autism Care Continuum in New Jersey and improve outcomes for as many children on the spectrum as possible,” said Dr. Jeffrey Selman, vice president of clinical services for First Children Services. “The opening of our Roselle Park location will allow us to continue to offer our existing client base seamless integrated care, as well as expand our services to children and families in local communities where limited resources currently exist.”