SHARE:  

January 2025

giphy image

Happy New Year from the Community Living Education Project!

A new year brings new possibilities. At the Community Living Education Project, we often describe our work as "assisting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities and their families/caregivers explore the possibilities of community living."


Instead of focusing on a person's limitations, we imagine what could be possible with the right supports in place.


We work one-on-one with individuals and their support teams so they can pursue their own goals and aspirations in life.


As a part of Rutgers School of Public Health, we do this entirely FREE for anyone with an intellectual or developmental disability living in New Jersey.


Can you imagine what might be possible in 2025? Don't wait for another year to pass! Contact us to find out how we can help.

Get in Touch!

Our Latest Blog Posts

Are New Year's Resolutions Helpful in the Disability Community?



For many people, January brings a sudden desire to "fix" oneself. Quit that bad habit once and for all, lose some weight, and through one channel or another become a better version of yourself.


How can people who experience a range of disabilities, as well as the people who love and care for them, choose to join in on this self-improvement momentum-- or opt out all together? 

Read More

Unsure Where to Even Begin?



Learning and advocacy for a loved one is a lifelong commitment and can sometimes feel overwhelming. Let us acknowledge that it is overwhelming. 

 

As we wait for warmer days and the first buds of spring, we invite you to make a commitment to start by learning more about person-centered thinking and planning. 






Read More

Upcoming Events From Our Partners

Direct Care Listening Sessions


The New Jersey Department of Human Services wants to better support the Direct Care workforce.


In order to do this, they will be hosting a series of three public listening sessions in January. These sessions are an opportunity for individuals to speak about their needs, challenges, and successes as direct care workers and employers, or as individuals who receive direct care services.


These listening sessions may help the Department develop new policies and programs to support those working in the field, as well as those who are employers and those receiving services.


Three different sessions will be hosted via Zoom, as follows:


January 14 at 5 p.m. - Direct Care Workers

January 15 at 5 p.m. - Direct Care Employers

January 16 at 5 p.m. - Direct Care Consumers


Click to Register Here

Human Trafficking and Individuals with Disabilities: Understanding, Identifying, and Addressing Vulnerabilities



This webinar provides an in-depth exploration of human trafficking with a special focus on individuals with disabilities, a population uniquely vulnerable to exploitation. Participants will gain insights into what human trafficking is, why it thrives, and the legal frameworks in place to combat it. Using real-world case examples, the session will highlight the intersections between disability and trafficking, offering practical tools for identifying and addressing these cases.




Tuesday, January 14

10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Virtual

Click to Register Here

Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Update Webinar 



Thursday, January 23

10:30 AM

Virtual

Click to Register Here

Virtual Tour with REED Autism Services' Path Transition Program



The REED Autism Services PATH Transition Program is a post-secondary, two-year, college-based certificate program in partnership with Felician University. The program is designed to impart crucial career readiness and life skills for young adults with autism.


Located on the Rutherford campus of Felician University, PATH students will have the opportunity to experience life as part of a college community. Students will have access to Felician University amenities and may have the opportunity to take or audit Felician University courses if appropriate.


PATH blends dynamic classroom instruction with real-world application, emphasizing four key pillars: community engagement, employment, self-determination, and household/personal management. The program, which also includes vocational training through work-based learning, equips students with the tools for meaningful employment. PATH will work to create individualized experiences that match each student’s unique interests and strengths.




Tuesday, January 28

1:00 PM

Virtual

Click to Register Here

2025 Special Needs Resource Fair


The JCC of Central NJ is hosting the 2025 Special Needs Resource Fair. Meet a variety of service providers and disability-focused agencies.


Sunday, February 23

10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

In-Person: Scotch Plains

Learn More

PLAN | NJ Presentation


Planned Lifetime Assistance Network of New Jersey (PLAN|NJ) will be coming to the Alliance Center for Independence (ACI) to do an in person presentation on their services.


PLAN|NJ is a nonprofit organization that helps the families of people with disabilities answer the question: who will care for my loved one when I’m gone? They offer exemplary care coordination, guided oversight of financial affairs, and compassionate actions to enhance quality of life. They partner with families to provide their loved ones a lifetime of assistance.


Who should attend? Parents and caregivers of adults with disabilities who will need assistance with guided oversight of financial affairs and coordinated supports, while living independently.




Tuesday, February 25

6:00 PM - 7:00 PM

In-Person: Edison

Register Here

News

Cuts to Medicaid Are an Issue To Unite Against


Medicaid is the funding source for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to live in communities of their choice.  It is the lifeline that provides them the ability to choose where to live and who will support them in addition to providing health care to citizens with low income and people with disabilities. It is a joint federal and state program enacted in 1965 by President Lyndon B. Johnson as part of Social Security Amendments.  The federal government sets the guidelines but each state administers the program which results in variations across the country. 


There is national concern that Medicaid cuts a new administration may enact will drastically affect the ability for people with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities to continue living lives of choice.  This will affect everyone, regardless of your political affiliation. It is something that should unite all self-advocates, family members, service providers, friends, co-workers, and employers.  May we all work together in this new year to ensure that what we have all worked so hard for, for so many years, does not become a memory.  We cannot allow Medicaid funding to be reduced or eliminated.


Deborah M. Spitalnik, PhD, is professor emerita of Pediatrics and Family Medicine and Community Health at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, recently retired as director of The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development. She recently wrote an opinion piece on this subject that everyone should read, regardless of your political views.



Read More

Supportive Housing Association's New Guide


The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey has a new publication, "Aging in Supportive Housing Guide." This guide provides information about what new supportive housing might look like in your city or town, and how they might fill affordable housing requirements. It includes profiles on supportive housing projects across New Jersey and how they were financed and built.

Learn More

Lights! Camera! (Social) Action!


The 12th Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge is set for 2025!  More than sixty million Americans have a disability but fewer than 3% of film or television characters with speaking roles are disabled characters.  Many, too, are played by non-disabled actors.  The Easter Seals Disability Film Challenge spotlights roles, characters, and creators with disabilities.


Registration opens January 25, 2025.

Learn More

Are You Taking Advantage of NJ Transit's Reduced Fare Program?


If you’re a person with a disability, you’re eligible to apply to NJ TRANSIT’s Reduced Fare Program. Participants can save 50 percent on a regular one-way ticket. You just show your Reduced Fare ID or Medicare Card, along with your ticket, to the operator or conductor. 

Click to Learn More

Secretary Pete Buttigieg Announced Sweeping Protections for Airline Passengers with Disabilities


On December 16, 2024, the U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced new protections for people with disabilities in commercial air travel that will ensure that they can fly safely and with dignity. 


The new final rule requires that airlines meet more rigorous standards for accommodating passengers with disabilities, especially for passengers who use wheelchairs. The rule sets new standards for assistance, mandates hands-on training for airline employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with disabilities and handle passengers’ wheelchairs, and specifies actions that airlines must take to protect passengers when a wheelchair is damaged or delayed during transport. 


Click to Read More

NJ State Rental Assistance Program Application Window Is January 13 - 31, 2025


The New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program (SRAP) is a state funded program that provides housing subsidies on behalf of very low-income New Jersey residents, for decent, safe and sanitary housing. Persons applying must meet all applicable SRAP income and eligibility requirements. A total of 6,000 households will be selected through a lottery system to be placed on the State Rental Assistance Program waiting list. 


The New Jersey State Rental Assistance Program application process runs from Monday, January 13, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. until Friday January 31, 2025, at 5:00 p.m. 


You must be a New Jersey resident eighteen (18) years of age or older or be an emancipated minor to apply.

Click to Learn More

New Jersey’s Ombudsman for Individuals with IDD and Their Families Testified Before the NJ State Senate Committee of Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens




Paul Ahronson, NJ's Ombudsman for Individuals with IDD and Their Families testified in December before the NJ State Senate about his concern about abuse and neglect in group homes. He reported that individuals and families approach his office daily with heartbreaking stories and horrifying pictures about physical abuse, emotional abuse, sexual abuse, improper medicine administration, improper food practices, questionable visitation policies, questionable house practices, unexplained injuries and unexplained deaths.


His testimony also offered steps that could help minimize such occurrences, as asked for the Senate's support in implementing them. These measures include:


  • Direct care staff that are paid a living wage and trained appropriately and that staff-to-resident ratios in group homes be established and enforced
  • A complete overhaul of the abuse investigations process – one that would inject much needed rigor, transparency, and objectivity into the process.
  • The establishment of a schedule of civil monetary penalties to punish hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living residences for misconduct
  • Widespread installation of video cameras in State-licensed settings
  • Transparency measures that can shine a much-needed bright light on the way provider agencies are spending taxpayer money as well as spending individual, personal money.


Click to Read Full Testimony
Past Webinar Recordings

If you missed these recent live webinar discussions, we invite you to watch them and our other recordings on the Community Living Education Project's Youtube Channel.

Trauma Risk and Recovery: A Workshop for Families and Caregivers

Presented by Melissa Cheplic, MPH, NADD-CC

Senior Training and Consultation Specialist, The Boggs Center on Disability and Human Development

Webinar Date: December 5, 2024

Watch now

Assistive Technology "Open Mic"

Presented by Mike Marotta, ATP

Director, The Richard West Assistive Technology Access Center

Webinar Date: November 21, 2024

Watch now

Assistive Technology for Community Living: Enhancing Independence

Presented by Mike Marotta, ATP

Director, The Richard West Assistive Technology Access Center

Webinar Date: October 30, 2024

Watch now

About Us

If you or someone you know have an intellectual and/or developmental disability and live in New Jersey, we can help -- FREE! We work one-on-one with individuals and families as mentors and guides to navigating all the different services, programs, and options available to you. From where to live to setting up services, to pursuing hobbies and interests, we'll help you make informed decisions that will allow you to live as integrated members of your community.


Please get in touch if we can help you!

Email us at clep@sph.rutgers.edu or call (732) 235-3277


Let's continue the conversation on social media! Please follow us and let us know how we can best be of assistance to you and/or your loved ones.

Facebook  Instagram  Youtube  LinkedIn

Please forward this email to your friends, colleagues, and families, and encourage them to subscribe and visit our website. Together we can make New Jersey a vibrant place for people with disabilities to live, work, and thrive!