Department of Human Services

Department of Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn L. Harris today announced that the New Jersey Department of Human Services has identified $11.7 million in state funds, based upon more recent projections within the SFY04 Medicaid budget, which will enable 84 group homes for 402 individuals with developmental disabilities to open in State Fiscal Year 2004. "This has been a difficult budget year. One of the most painful issues has been the lack of funds for new group homes for people with developmental disabilities."

Restoring this State's commitment to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families is a priority for this department, Governor McGreevey and for our State Legislators, the Commissioner added. Our Legislators made it clear during appropriations hearings, that this is a critical issue and they encouraged our efforts to identify a department solution.

Commissioner Harris said that the original FY04 proposed budget did not include sufficient funds to open the 84 group homes. Examining potential resources to allow the homes to open has been a top priority for the department. These homes will be ready to open in phases: 25 are scheduled to open in the summer and another 25 homes will be ready in the fall and the remaining 34 homes will open by the end of SFY 04. The total amount needed is $11.7 million for all 84 of the homes to open during FY 04.

These 84 group homes have been developed by private, not-for-profit agencies contracting with the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). The group homes are in various stages of completion. The process often requires two to three years, since most of the homes need special renovations or adaptations for handicapped accessibility.

The Division of Developmental Disabilities contracts with private, mostly not-for-profit community agencies to provide residential services, day programs and individual and family supports. The division currently funds 767 group homes serving more than 3,600 individuals and 178 supervised apartment programs with almost 1,100 residents with developmental disabilities. In total, DDD serves more than 32,700 individuals with developmental disabilities, such as mental retardation, cerebral palsy, autism, spina bifida, and other neurological impairments who live in their own homes, community residential programs or in the state operated developmental centers. The total current budget for DDD is approximately $1.1 billion (state and Federal funds.)