About Us

Agency Mission

Family and Children's Services: Building Hope and Healing Trauma to Strengthen Families and Communities

Agency History

1893 – Charity Organization Society of Elizabeth is founded
1897 – Downtown Relief Association organized by the Mayor of Elizabeth
1898 – Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children merges with the Charity Organization Society
1898 – “Friendly Visitors” program begins
1903 – Counseling Services begins
1915 – Adoption Program begins
1928 – Holiday Drive for toys begins
1938 – Agency name becomes Family and Children’s Society
1951 – North Ave location opens
1993 – Parent/child visitation begins
1994 – Post adoption counseling begins
1997 – Union County program for youth involved with juvenile justice begins
2011 – FACS receives multi-year federal SAMHSA grant to provide clinician training and evidence-based trauma therapy to children and adolescents
2012 – The first annual Red Carpet Party fashion show and fundraiser is held
2016 – Office opens at 70 West Grand Street in Midtown Elizabeth, joining the main office at 40 North Avenue in Elizabeth
2019 – The HEART (Hope Empathy and Recovery from Trauma) Program starts providing evidence-based trauma therapy to Unaccompanied Migrant Youth and Refugees
2020 – Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, FACS begins providing mental health and case management services via telehealth, as well as in person
2020s and Beyond – Family and Children’s Services is a premier mental health and social services agency, leveraging federal, state and local grants, as well as individual, corporate, and foundation donations to build hope and heal trauma for the most vulnerable residents in the community.

The Team

Malika Cook, LCSW

Executive Director
mcook@facsnj.org

Colleen Williams

Director of Finance
cwilliams@facsnj.org

Kylene Calderon

Accounts Manager
kcalderon@facsnj.org

Shannon Seragusa, LPC

Program Manager, Outpatient Programs
ssoucy@facsnj.org

Elena Zangerle, LCSW

DCPP Manager
ezangerle@facsnj.org

Danielle Baker

Human Resources Manager
dbaker@facsnj.org

Maria Roman

Office Manager
maroman@facsnj.org

Ariana Diaz, LPC

Supervisor, Youth and Case Management Services
adiaz@facsnj.org

Board of Trustees - Executive Board

Jeanne Marie Ryan

President

Occupation: Librarian
Member since 1998

Nancy King

Chairman Emeritus

Occupation: Philanthropist
Member since 1986, Past President

Paul Monroe

1st Vice President

Occupation: Fireman’s Fund Insurance (retired)
Member since 2015

Robert D’Uva

Treasurer

Occupation: CPA/Partner, Mendoca & Suarez
Member since 1997

Sonja Wilson

Secretary

Occupation: Sales Business Manager
Member since 2015

Board of Trustees - Voting Members

Terrence McCarthy

Occupation: Director of Clinical Services, Robert Wood Johnson (Retired)
Member since: 1996

Molly Monroe

Occupation: Fraud Prevention Team Lead – Finance Net-a-Porter Group
Member since 2017

John Dougherty

Occupation: Director of Security, Trinitas Regional Medical Center (Retired)
Member since 2018

Lisa Dressner

Occupation: Vice President, Behavioral Health Operations,
Trinitas Regional Medical Center
Member since 2021

Patricia Colbert

Occupation: North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority (Retired)
Member since 2024

Manuel R. Grova Jr.

Occupation: Attorney
Member since 2024

FACS at a Glance...

In 2023, among other activities, we...

Provided therapy and support to more than 100 vulnerable families in their own homes or remotely via telehealth

Supported more than 70 struggling parents through our weekly parenting classes

Provided more than 3,000 hours of trauma- informed individual psychotherapy to children, adolescents and adults

Coached, supported, and encouraged parent and child bonding through our in-person, therapeutic visitation program

Counseled dozens of juvenile-justice involved youth to help them understand healthier ways of coping with stressors

Supported traumatized unaccompanied migrant children and young adults with mental health therapy and basic needs support to give them a fighting chance at a happy, healthy, and productive life!

Main Office


40 North Avenue
Elizabeth, NJ 07208

Ph: 908-352-7474
Fax: 908-965-3227
info@facsnj.org

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Midtown Elizabeth Office


70 West Grand Street
Elizabeth, NJ 07202

Ph: 908-372-1007
Fax: 908-372-1018
info@facsnj.org