The plan will be developed to assist some of the more than 3,000 people who live in the state's seven developmental centers, and who wish to move into community homes. The plan will be implemented over an eight-year period.
“Each developmental center resident who wants to live in the community and whose needs can be met in a community setting should have the opportunity to move,” said Acting DHS Commissioner Clarke Bruno.
“We should also respect the wishes of residents who want to remain in a developmental center, ” Bruno added. “Our goal is to rely less on institutions and develop more opportunities and options for people with developmental disabilities in communities across the state .”
The public hearings are required by a law signed by the Governor in August that directs DDD to obtain public input, establish objective criteria for candidates interested in moving, identify the needed resources, and determine how the funding, services and homes will be provided .
The plan is due in May and will be submitted to Governor Corzine; the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee; and the Assembly Human Services Committee.
The Division of Developmental Disabilities is conducting the hearings to hear from people with disabilities, their family members, their advocates, and other members of the public on issues including the amount and types of community supports and housing that will be needed for residents of the developmental centers who are interested in moving to community homes. The input will be gathered at four hearings:
January 9, 5:30 p.m. – 8:30pm Union County College Cranford Campus, Roy Smith Theater, 1033 Springfield Avenue, Cranford
January 11, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm New Lisbon Developmental Center, Multi-purpose Room, Route 72, New Lisbon
January 16, 5:30 pm – 8:30 pm Middlesex County College, College Center, Cafeterias B and C, 2600 Woodbridge Avenue, Edison
January 18, 10:00 am – 1:00 pm North Jersey Developmental Center, 169 Minnisink Road, Totowa
More information is available on the DHS website, www.state.nj.us/humanservices/index.shtml, including directions to the hearing sites and registration information for public members interested in providing input. Click: “Public Hearings on Plan to Move Individuals from Institutional to Community Living.”
