Department of Human Services | DDD/DDS Partnership for Information and Referral Services

In July 2009, the Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) began transferring the first group of almost 20,000 individuals from DDD case managers to the Division of Disability Services’ (DDS) Office of Information and Assistance Services, where their primary contact for all service-related questions will be nationally-certified Information and Referral Specialists.

Many of these individuals, who will be slowly transferred in groups over the next year, are under the age of 22, live with their families, attend public schools and are currently in need of information about insurance, benefits, transportation, education, future employment and resources that are provided by organizations other than DDD.

An Information and Referral Specialist can help by:

Answering questions about available services at all levels of government and in the non-profit community

Identify available resources and services and provide contact information

Troubleshoot obstacles and barriers to obtaining services

Help individuals and families to “navigate” the system

Triage calls to identify when an individual’s circumstances or situation may require transfer back to DDD, and make that transfer process as seamless as possible

DDS is New Jersey's designated single point of entry for disability-related information...

DDS is designated as New Jersey’s single point of entry for all people who are seeking disability-related information.

Information and Referral Specialists have logged more than 100,000 calls since DDS began in 1998.

Each individual identified for transfer will receive a “Welcome Packet” of information that explains the collaboration in detail.

Resources and Information...

DHS Press Release Announcing the Collaboration

Booklet of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Related to the Collaboration (pdf.)English Version Spanish Version

Myths and Facts about Students and the Division of Developmental Disabilities