Official Site of The State of New Jersey

Acumen Transition Update Webinar on Thursday, April 10, 2025

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) Self-Directed Employee Model is transitioning in 2025 from Public Partnerships LLC (PPL) as the fiscal intermediary to Acumen Fiscal Agent (Acumen).

An Acumen Transition Update webinar is scheduled for Thursday, April 10, 2025 at 10 a.m.  This webinar will provide important details about next steps and the anticipated launch of a phased approach to participant enrollments.

If you are in one of the following categories, we recommend you attend this webinar or view the recording that will be available afterward:

• Support Coordinators and Supervisors
• Supports Brokers
• Individuals/families who have one or more services provided by a vendor that is enrolled with and paid through PPL
• Individuals/families who have one or more Self-Directed Employees who are enrolled with and paid through PPL
• Vendors that provide DDD-funded services for individuals and are enrolled with and paid through PPL

Register Here for the April 10 Acumen Transition Update Webinar

New E-Learning Series from The Boggs Center on Housing and Independent Living

The Boggs Center has collaborated with the Division of Developmental Disabilities and the Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey to develop a six-lesson webinar series for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and those who support them to better understand independent living and learn about housing options.

The series, Understanding Independent Living and Housing Opportunities for People with IDD, can be accessed by anyone and may be especially beneficial if you are assisting someone with IDD transition to independent living or preparing for independent living yourself. The series is also available as a training in the College of Direct Support (CDS), where it can be tracked as part of your CDS transcript.

April Transition Webinars for Students and Youth with IDD and Their Families

The DDD Office of Transition to Adult Life and Employment has several virtual opportunities in April for students and young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families to learn about the process of transitioning to adult life and to New Jersey’s adult service system for people with IDD. Open to anyone – click on the links to register.

• April 10, 6–7 PM: DDD Transition to Adult Services and Intake Process
• April 17, 12–1 PM: Overview of Division of Disability Services (DDS) Programs and Services
• April 24, 6–7:30 PM: Welcome Session with Topic Breakouts

2025 Increases to Agency with Choice Self-Directed Employee Model Monthly Rates

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) implemented the Agency with Choice (AWC) Self-Directed Employee Model in 2020 in response to feedback from individuals and families seeking a self-direction model that enabled employers to provide health benefits and paid time off to their employees. Under this model, the per-member, per-month (PMPM) rates are deducted from the up-to budgets of participating individuals who employ one or more Self-Directed Employees (SDE), with Easterseals NJ as the fiscal intermediary. Despite rising costs, these PMPM rates for participating in AWC and funding health benefits have remained unchanged over the five years since the model’s inception.

Effective May 1, 2025, the AWC per-member, per-month rates will increase for all individuals who participate in the AWC Self-Directed Employee Model, administered by fiscal intermediary, Easterseals NJ.

For details, please see FY25 Agency with Choice Per-Member, Per-Month Rate Increases.

Updated Checklist for Reporting Choking Incidents

Last year, the DDD Resource Team updated the checklist for providers to use when completing an initial incident report involving choking. Providers are reminded to use the updated Choking Incident Report Checklist (revised March 2024), which is available on the DDD Incident Reporting web page, under Incident Reporting Forms.

Sharing Your Story: A Guide to Medicaid Advocacy

The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development has created a new resource for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their caregivers and loved ones, Sharing Your Story: A Guide to Medicaid Advocacy. The guide is available in English, Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Tagalog, and Gujarati.

Governor's Roundtable Highlights Impacts of Potential Federal Funding Cuts to Medicaid

On Friday, March 28, 2025, Governor Murphy convened a roundtable discussion to provide an opportunity for New Jersey residents who rely on Medicaid funding for themselves and/or their loved ones to share their stories. These stories highlighted the devastating impact that potential federal funding cuts to Medicaid would have on the health and well-being of tens of thousands of New Jersey residents. In addition to providing health coverage for individuals and families with low or no income, Medicaid dollars – which consist of both state and federal funds – pay for critical services for vulnerable populations, including children and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, aging adults, and people with mental health diagnoses.

View a recording of the Governor’s Defending Medicaid Roundtable.

Driver's License Designation Now Available for Residents to Indicate Autism Spectrum and/or Communication Disorder

As announced in a February 21 press release (comunicado de prensa del 21 de febrero), the Department of Human Services (DHS), in partnership with the Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) and the Office of the Attorney General, has launched the driver’s license/State ID designation for individuals with autism spectrum disorder and/or a communication disorder and accompanying law enforcement guidance.

• Information about adding the optional designation to a driver’s license is found on the MVC’s Autism Spectrum and/or Communication Disorder Designation web page.
• Related law enforcement guidance, including a printable download, is found under the Communicating with Individuals with Autism Spectrum and Communication Disorders heading on the Attorney General’s Behavioral Health Initiatives web page.
• There is also a Deaf or Hard of Hearing Driver’s License Designation for deaf motorists or those with a hearing impairment of 41-db loss or more.

Feb. 28 Webinar on Upcoming Transition of VF/EA Self-Direction Model from PPL to Acumen

Acumen Fiscal Agent, the new fiscal intermediary for the DDD Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) Self-Direction Model, will provide an overview webinar* about the upcoming transition of the VF/EA Model from PPL to Acumen. Although anyone may attend, the target audience includes the following:

• Individuals and families who have one or more Self-Directed Employees (SDE) and/or vendor services (for example, Goods & Services) that are paid through Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL)
• Support Coordinators
• Supports Brokers

A recording of the webinar will be available afterward for those unable to attend.

*The upcoming transition to Acumen does not impact individuals participating in the Agency with Choice Self-Direction Model through Easterseals New Jersey.

March 28 is National Choking Prevention Awareness Day. Expanding on this single day, the DDD Resource Team will dedicate all of March 2025 to raising awareness about the risk of choking for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), regardless of diet texture or consistency.

In-person trainings will be held for provider staff from 10 AM to 2:30 PM on Tuesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 27. The in-person trainings will be held at 5 Commerce Way in Hamilton (where the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services is located).

• Register for March 11 In-person Training
• Register for March 27 In-person Training

Virtual trainings are open to anyone and will be held throughout the month of March. To learn more, visit the DDD Health and Safety web page.

Webinar on Upcoming Transition of VF/EA Self-Direction Model from PPL to Acumen

Acumen Fiscal Agent, the new fiscal intermediary for the DDD Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) Self-Direction Model, will provide an overview webinar about the upcoming transition of the VF/EA Model from PPL to Acumen. The primary audience for this webinar* is individuals and families who have one or more Self-Directed Employees (SDE) and/or vendor services (for example, Goods & Services) that are paid through Public Partnerships, LLC (PPL), as well as support coordinators and supports brokers. A recording of the webinar will be available afterward for those unable to attend.

*The upcoming transition to Acumen does not impact individuals participating in the Agency with Choice Self-Direction Model through Easterseals New Jersey.

Peer EDUcation Series Webinar for Adults with Disabilities

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) and The Boggs Center are pleased to announce the first Peer EDUcation Series webinar for adults with disabilities, Sharing Strengths: Peer Education and the Lived Experiences of Self-Advocates.

This inaugural webinar will discuss the Peer EDUcation Series and include insights from adults with disabilities who use their experiences to guide and support others through their work as peer educators. It will also discuss the Personal Preference Program (PPP) and explore how it can be a helpful resource for people with disabilities in New Jersey.

Transition Thursdays Webinar Series

The DDD Office of Transition to Adult Life and Employment offers a number of webinars throughout the year for students, young adults, and families. These webinars provide information about transitioning to adult life and services for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities, the DDD application and intake process, and a variety of other transition-related topics.

Please see details and registration links below for February webinars in the Transition Thursdays series, and visit the Transition to Adult Life Events and Webinars page for a full schedule.

• 2nd Thursday
  • February 13, 2025, 6–7 p.m.
  • DDD Intake Process and Transition to Adult Services
• 3rd Thursday
  • February 20, 2025, Noon–1 p.m.
  • PLAN NJ - Life Planning, Guardianship, and Other Alternatives

February Information on DDD Self-Directed Employee Models

Learn about the two Self-Directed Employee (SDE) models available to individuals interested in self-directing some or all of their DDD-funded services: the Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent Model and the Agency with Choice Model.

Register for one or both virtual information sessions, which are open to all:

• Vendor Fiscal/Employer Agent (VF/EA) Model Information Session, hosted by Public Partnerships LLC (PPL)
  • Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 1 – 2 p.m.
  • Register for the February 25 VF/EA Information Session
• Agency with Choice (AwC) Model Information Session, hosted by Easterseals NJ
  • Wednesday, February 26, 2025, 1 – 2 p.m.
  • Register for February 26 AwC Information Session

To learn more about self-directed services and the two models available through DDD, visit the DDD Self-Directed Services web page.

March 28 is National Choking Prevention Awareness Day. Expanding on this single day, the DDD Resource Team will dedicate all of March 2025 to raising awareness about the risk of choking for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), regardless of diet texture or consistency.

In-person trainings will be held for provider staff from 10 AM to 2:30 PM on Tuesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 27. The in-person trainings will be held at 5 Commerce Way in Hamilton (where the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services is located).

• Register for March 11 In-person Training
• Register for March 27 In-person Training

Virtual trainings are open to anyone and will be held throughout the month of March. To learn more, visit the DDD Health and Safety web page.

March 28 is National Choking Prevention Awareness Day. Expanding on this single day, the DDD Resource Team will dedicate all of March 2025 to raising awareness about the risk of choking for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD), regardless of diet texture or consistency.

In-person trainings will be held for provider staff from 10 AM to 2:30 PM on Tuesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 27. The in-person trainings will be held at 5 Commerce Way in Hamilton (where the Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services is located).

• Register for March 11 In-person Training
• Register for March 27 In-person Training

Virtual trainings are open to anyone and will be held throughout the month of March. To learn more, visit the DDD Health and Safety web page.

Dual-Diagnosis: A Vision for Better Mental Health Care for the IDD Population

On May 14, 2025, from 10 AM to 11:30 PM, the New Jersey Governor’s Council on Mental Health Stigma is holding a virtual Learning Collaborative dedicated to the discussion of best practices and new ideas for mental health services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Open to all.

Register Here à Dual-Diagnosis: A Vision for Better Mental Health Care for the IDD Population

Beginning Next Week, DCA is Accepting Pre-Applications for the State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) Waiting List  

The New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP), administered by the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), is a state-funded program that provides housing subsidies to low-income New Jersey residents, for decent, safe and sanitary housing.

DCA will be opening its SRAP waiting list. Beginning 9 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 13, 2025, through 5 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025, pre-applications to be added to the SRAP waiting list can be submitted online 24 hours a day by going to the Waitlist Check site. To apply, a person must be a New Jersey resident who is 18 or older (or an emancipated minor), and must meet SRAP income and eligibility requirements.

Submission of an SRAP pre-application does not guarantee placement on the SRAP waiting list. SRAP pre-applications are selected through a lottery process, and every pre-application successfully submitted during the open enrollment period has a chance of being selected during the lottery.

For DDD providers, support coordinators, families, and caregivers: The DCA Offices of Homelessness Prevention and Housing Assistance are offering a webinar on navigating the SRAP pre-application and waitlist process to empower you to help individuals in your care successfully submit an SRAP pre-application. Select your preferred date/time below to register, and please only register for one:

• Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025, 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
• Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, 9:30 – 10:30 a.m.
• Friday, Jan. 10, 2025, 3 – 4 p.m.

Please note this reminder that DDD-funded rental subsidies, issued through the Supportive Housing Connection, are meant to be a bridge program until an individual can access a federal, state, or local housing assistance program. Individuals who are receiving a DDD-funded rental subsidy through the Supportive Housing Connection should complete an SRAP pre-application.

Transition Webinars, January 2025

The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Office of Transition to Adult Life & Employment will continue in 2025 with the Transition Thursdays Monthly Webinar Series and Quarterly Welcome Sessions for students, young adults, and families. See what’s coming up in January and register below!

• DDD Virtual Welcome Session: Thursday, January 9, Noon, ̶ 1 p.m.
• Transition to Adult Services and DDD Intake Process: Thursday, January 9, 6 ̶ to 7 p.m.
• DDD Virtual Welcome Session with Breakout Topics: Thursday, January 23, 6 ̶ 7:30 p.m.

For a full list of upcoming events, visit the Transition to Adult Life Webinars and Events page.

Updated Medication Practicum Documents Now Available

As part of the new Direct Support Professional (DSP) and DSP Supervisor training requirements that went into effect January 1, 2025, the mandatory Medication Training modules were revised. Along with these revisions, the Division has updated the Medication Practicum documents. The following documents are now available on the Provider Information web page:

• Mock Medication Administration Observation Checklist(new-hires)
• Medication Administration Evaluation(new-hires and annually thereafter)
• Medication Competency Assessment(new-hires and annually thereafter)

Guide to Medication Competency Assessment