Department of Human Services

Human Services celebrates 20 years of personal assistance services for people with disabilities

TRENTON - Human Services Commissioner James M. Davy today joined with his Division of Disability Services (DDS) to celebrate 20 years of assisting people with physical disabilities, at an awards luncheon at the Trenton Marriott.

The event's theme was “PASP... Celebrating 20 Years of Independence and Choice,” and it honored the founders of the Personal Assistance Services Program (PASP): John Del Colle of Franklin Lakes, Bergen County & William A.B. Ditto, of Howell, Monmouth County , who is now director of the Division of Disability Services (DDS) which oversees the PASP program.

“To have the support system that allows you to get ready for work or school, get to work, and be a viable part of your community, is an empowering thing for people with a permanent disability,” said Davy. “We also salute the personal assistants who choose this work - assisting others so that their disabilities do not stop them from becoming contributing members of society.”

“When we conceived this program in Monmouth County and launched it as a ten-county demonstration program in 1985,” said Ditto, “we never imagined that it would prove to be such a valuable and necessary service in only three years, when the legislature and governor made it a statewide program in 1988.”

PASP has helped more than 1,300 individuals with disabilities to be independent citizens. One of the consumers of PASP, singer Michael Jones, entertained the crowd of nearly 200 supporters, providers and consumers.

Joining Davy and Ditto in honoring PASP were Theresa Wilson, DHS Deputy Commissioner; Michael Laracy, senior associate, The Annie E. Casey Foundation and former DHS Assistant Commissioner who oversaw the program in its early years; Javier Robles, deputy director, DDS; Daniel Molloie, chair, PASP Statewide Consumer Advisory Council; and the Hon. Jacquelyn Love, retired director, Gloucester County Office of Disabilities Services.

Founders Awards went to John Del Colle of Franklin Lakes , Bergen County and William Ditto, of Howell, Monmouth County . The Administration Award went to Michael Nuskey, DDS; and County Coordinators Awards went to Reba Chonofsky in the Cumberland Co . Office on the Disabled, and Robert Colicchio, Union Co . Office for the Disabled.

Representatives from both the Bergen County Office for the Disabled and Bergen County Executive Dennis McNerney presented congratulatory tributes to PASP.

PASP gives adults with permanent physical disabilities the opportunity to work, attend school or vocational training, and live independently in the community. Personal assistants help with tasks such as light housekeeping, bathing, dressing, meal preparation, shopping, correspondence, note-taking in class, bill paying, mobility, driving and/or use of public transportation. PASP was one of the first consumer-directed personal care programs in the country and was the first such program in New Jersey .

The PASP 20 th Anniversary Planning Committee consisted of Robert Colicchio, PASP Coordinator, Union County ; Matthew Ford, PASP Coordinator, Bergen County ; Cynthia Good, Statewide Advisory Council (SAC) Member, Hunterdon County ; and Katherine Vaczi, Vice-Chair, SAC , Gloucester County ; plus committee members from the SAC: Lauren Casey, Mercer County ; Daniel Molloie, SAC chairman, Camden County ; Nancy Penrod, Ocean County ; and Virginia Peters, Monmouth County .

Ditto gave special thanks to PASP Director Carolyn Selick, Kathy Washburn and the rest of his DDS staff for setting up the anniversary program.