The Commissioner’s
Advisory Committee to the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program for the Deaf, Hard of
Hearing, and Disabled
The State
of New Jersey’s, Department of Human Services, Division of Addiction Services
(DAS), sets aside annual funding to provide substance abuse programs for
individuals who are Deaf, hard of hearing, or have a disability. On January 5, 1996, Governor Christine
Whitman signed Public Law 1995, Chapter 318 establishing the “Alcohol and Drug
Abuse Program for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and Disabled”. This Public Law was the first set-aside in
the nation to provide funding for substance abuse services for people with
disabilities.
In order
for this Public Law to go into effect a Program Advisory Committee was created
to advise the Commissioner on the establishment and operation of the Alcohol
and Drug Abuse Program for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Disabled. The
provision of the Advisory Committee gives advocates a direct link to the state
agency and to the Division of Addiction Services, to ensure that the
legislation is implemented with integrity.
The Advisory Committee guides the program, assuring that it continually
meets the needs of the community which it serves and that the funds are
utilized in a quality manner, assuring maximum potential for the program. This Program Advisory Committee, which first
convened in March of 1997 is now known as the Commissioner’s Advisory Committee
to the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Program for the Deaf, Hard of Hearing, and
Disabled and meets on a quarterly basis to discuss issues related to those
individuals in need of substance abuse treatment, who are also either Deaf,
hard of hearing, or disabled.
The
committee consists of five members who are either Deaf, hard of hearing, or disabled,
two members of the public with an interest in issues relating to alcohol and
drug abuse and one representative from the following entities: The Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug
Abuse, Developmental Disabilities Council, Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation Services, Division of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, and the
Division of Disability Services. The
legislation also mandated the Commissioner of the Department serve as an ex
officio member of the Advisory Committee.
The DAS Disability Specialist attends each meeting as a representative
for the Director of DAS.
For more
information, contact (609) 984-3316 (voice) or (609) 292-6735 (TTY).
Current members of the Committee
include the following individuals:
Julie Doerrman Marian
Osborne
Javier
Robles Frank
Smith
John Hulik Jason
Weiland
Pat Krupka
Susan Massaro DAS Representative: Adam Bucon
Meeting Notes
Coming soon…