REMINDER! NCI Survey Project Underway
New Jersey's service system for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities, age 21 and older, has undergone and is continuing to move forward with a number of significant reforms. At the heart of these reforms is a strengthened commitment to ensuring the delivery of high quality services in the community that support and reflect individual choice.
As national best practices demonstrate, ensuring quality services is a process that begins with the measurement of key performance indicators. The
National Core Indicators (NCI) is a national project whose purpose is to develop standard performance measures for state systems that provide services to adults with developmental disabilities.
The New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities is excited to participate in the NCI project through utilization of three of NCI's voluntary surveys. The
Adult Consumer Survey is a face-to-face conversation between individuals receiving services and trained interviewers. The
Adult Family Survey and
Family/Guardian Survey, both of which are anonymous, are completed online (or via a paper version if necessary).
Invitations to complete the online surveys were mailed by the Division to family members/guardians in early February, along with a
National Core Indicators Overview. At the same time, Division staff began calling randomly selected individuals to request their voluntary participation in a face-to-face interview.
If you are an individual who receives Division-funded services:
- You may receive a phone call in the coming weeks from a DDD staff person asking if you would be willing to participate in a face-to-face conversation about your experiences with the Division.
- It is your choice whether or not you would like to participate. If you choose to participate, we will schedule a time and place to meet that is convenient for you.
- Your responses will be confidential.
- Staff at DDD is very interested in hearing about your experiences with the Division.
If you are a family member/guardian of an individual who receives Division-funded services:
- You may receive a letter in the mail indicating you have been selected to participate in one of the NCI family surveys. THE MAILING WILL BE RECOGNIZABLE AS IT WILL BE PRINTED ON BRIGHT YELLOW PAPER, which will show through the window in the envelope.
- There will be a web address (URL) through which you will access the survey. This web address will be unique to you and cannot be shared. There will also be contact information if you prefer to request a paper copy.
- It is your choice whether or not you would like to participate, but please know that staff at DDD is very interested in hearing about your experiences with the Division.
If you are a Support Coordinator, Service Provider, Division staff, or other community partner
,
your assistance is needed to:
- REMIND the individuals and families in your networks to expect a mailing on bright yellow paper with a link to one of the two surveys, and possibly a phone call to schedule an interview.
- EDUCATE the individuals and families in your networks about the importance of the survey.
- ENCOURAGE the individuals and families in your networks to participate in the survey!
Service providers and community partners should be aware that you may see individuals being interviewed by DDD staff at your locations.
The success of this survey project, and of any quality improvement strategies that may emerge as a result, is directly proportional to our ability to elicit thoughtful, honest participation by individuals and
their families.
Your participation, assistance, and support are greatly appreciated, and we look forward to continuing to work with you to improve Division-funded services for adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities in New Jersey.
