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In this Week's Edition
News
Save the Date - Developers Meeting
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SHA Wins First Place For Legislative Impact Among Winners In 2023 New Jersey Social Innovations Awards
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Gov. Murphy Delivers FY 2024 Budget
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HUD Awards $5.6B In Annual Formula Grants
With $152M In Grants For
Affordable Housing, Community Development,
And Homeless Assistance In New Jersey
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National League Of Cities Releases
Brief On Housing First
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NLIHC Releases Advocates’ Guide 2023:
A Primer on Federal Affordable Housing &
Community Development Programs & Policies
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NJHMFA Releases
Latest Edition Of Housing Hub
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2023 Case for Inclusion Launches Nationwide
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New Jersey Board Of Public Utilities Announces Launched Of The New Jersey Community Solar Project Finder
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Call For Workshops For
Facing The Future 2023
Co-sponsored by The Boggs Center and NJAPSE
Resources & Virtual Forums
NJCDD Hybrid Quarterly Meeting
March 9, 2023
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NJ LGBTQ+/HIV+ LTC
Bill Of Rights Designate Training
March 13, 2023
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Sorting And Decision Making:
Two Key Skills For Effective Decluttering
Understanding Hoarding Behavior
March 20, 2023
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NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid & Individuals with IDD
Preparing For The Start
Of Medicaid Redeterminations
March 25, 2023
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HUD’s Office Of Policy Development
And Research (PD&R) Hosts
Meeting On Housing First
April 6, 2023
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Next SHA
Developers Meeting
March 13, 2023
Special Guest:
NJHMFA
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Next SHA
Members Meeting
April 5, 2023
In-Person, Trenton
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Registration Open
HCDNNJ Summit
Healthy Homes & Communities Summit
April 28
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Registration is now open for the 2023 Law & Disability Conference!
May 4th from 9am-1pm Annual FREE Law & Disability Conference hosted by the New Jersey Bar Foundation.
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Save the Date!
SHA's 25th Annual Conference
November 3, 2023
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Program Manager – Homeless Services
The Affordable Housing Alliance is seeking a Program Manager, Homeless Services. The Program Manager-Homeless Services (PMHS), under the supervision of the Director, works cooperatively with other agencies and state, county, and municipal governments to create equitable access to housing and supportive services for individuals and families experiencing homelessness. With the goal of preventing homelessness whenever possible, and shortening the length of time individuals spend homeless, the PMHS will implement various grants and programs to provide rapid rehousing, homeless prevention, and related supportive service.
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HABcore is seeking a Supportive Housing Coordinator. This role will work in collaboration with program participants in planning and implementing intensive, coordinated services to help individuals and families with special needs maintain safe, stable and affordable housing.
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A special shout out to Rich Skorupski, Senior Vice President, Risk Strategies for being named a 2023 nonprofit power broker for his years of exemplary service to the nonprofit community. | |
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SHA sends a special shout out to Community Preservation Corporation (CPC) as they celebrate their progress over the recent years with:
- 2,500 units of affordable housing financed across the country in 2022
- 5,500 units of affordable housing financed over the last three years
- $2.11 Billion deployed to more than 400 affordable transactions since 2018
With a full suite of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and FHA licenses, CPC Mortgage Company brings deep expertise and unwavering commitment to delivering Agency financing to affordable housing projects. With the cost of capital from Fannie and Freddie down significantly from its peak in Q4 of 2022, now is the time to access Agency capital through CPC Mortgage Company.
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SHA Welcomes New & Returning
Members In 2023
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Save the Date - SHA Virtual Developers Meeting | |
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Monday, March 13, 2023 1:00 - 3:00 PM
Special Guest:
NJHMFA
Our next meeting will cover important updates from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency on the the newly approved Affordable Housing Production Fund Set Aside (AHPFSA) Program as well as the Qualified Allocation Plan, or QAP, which details the selection criteria and application requirements for both 9% and 4% Low Income Housing Tax Credits.
Members can email Joseph Christensen for registration details.
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SHA Wins First Place For Legislative Impact Among Winners In 2023 New Jersey Social Innovations Awards | |
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SHA's Kate Kelly, Integrated Community Project Manager, accepted the first place award for Legislative Impact for the Integrated Community Project. This award represents innovation through policy reform and improvements in financial models to improve service delivery and reduce barriers to care. We are honored to be selected for this recognition among so many dedicated people and projects nominated.
On Thursday, February 23, 2023, The Social Innovations Journal (SIJ) hosts the inaugural 2023 New Jersey Innovation Awards where New Jersey’s Leaders presented awards in Human Services, Social Mobility, Education, Arts and Culture, Systems and Policy Change, and Health to 69 Finalists. The Social Innovation Award Finalists were selected through an open nomination and public voting process by residents of New Jersey.
The theme of the awards, “Celebrating Innovations in the Social Sector,” to highlight the novel ideas from health care, health care systems, hospitals, direct care service providers, educators, funders, government, and advocacy organizations, working in the social sector in New Jersey who have a shared commitment and drive to improve our society, to improve conditions for all community members regardless of age, gender, sexual orientation, disability, income, race or ethnicity, and to improve systems and policies so that people have access to the services they need to thrive. The Social Innovation Awards is honored to bring this award to New Jersey to highlight the state’s most passionate social innovators, entrepreneurs and changemakers whose work and social impact too often goes unacknowledged. These efforts will be recognized among the region’s best; they are what make our communities thrive for all people.
SHA also celebrates and recognizes our members highlighted below in the Social Innovation Awards categories including:
COMMUNITY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
1st: Shannon Reese, Salem County Department of Health & Human Services
2nd: Derry Holland, CEO, Oaks Integrated Care
3rd: The SERV Foundation Scholarship Fund, SERV Behavioral Health System
RUNNERS UP:
Joseph Haber, Legacy Treatment Services
SERV Foundation Wellness & Development Conference, Scholarship Fund, SERV Behavioral Health
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
1st: Peri Nearon, Executive Director, New Jersey Department of Disability Services, New Jersey Department of Human Services
2nd: Rayletta Garrison, Kylen Robinson and Bianca Dumas Youth Consultation Services
3rd: Tianna Gresham, Tinks Golden Girls
RUNNERS UP:
Karly Forman, Raise the Bar Family Services Inc
Cristina Jones, Easterseals, NJ
POPULATION HEALTH IMPACT -- Innovative strategies improving clinical health outcomes, improved care coordination and patient engagement supported by appropriate financial and care models for a disadvantaged or minority population.
1st: Lisa Vara and Buddy Garfinkle, Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services
2nd: Michelle Joo, Oaks Integrated Care
3rd: Stacey Edwards, Archway Programs
RUNNERS UP:
Samantha Kunz, LPC, Division Director Adult Services, Legacy Treatment Services
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT
1st: Dan Rhoton, Hopeworks
2nd: Susan Perron, Abilities Solutions
3rd: SERV University, SERV Behavioral Health System
RUNNERS UP:
Cindy Wildermuth, CEO, Abilities of Northwest New Jersey
Ricky Alfaro, Allies
Mickie Patetta, Archway Programs
HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
1st: Amy Scartocci, New Jersey DDD
2nd: Victor Luna, CEO, Collaborative Support Programs of New Jersey
3rd: Dr. Manuel (Manny) Guantez
RUNNERS UP:
SERV Properties and Management, SERV Behavioral Health System
Tom Toronto, Bergen County’s United Way
INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS
1st: Stephanie Simon, Bridgeway Behavioral Health Services
2nd: Kathleen Noonan, President, Camden Coalition
3rd: Advocates for Children of New Jersey Represented by Mary Coogan
RUNNERS UP:
Ellie Willoughby, The J-Cares Intern Program
Dana Redd; Dr. Reginald Blaber, and Donna Antenucci, Camden Community Partnership and Virtua Health
West Bergen Mental Healthcare and Vantage Health System Represented by Karen Acker and Teresa McMahon Anthony Mongeluzo, PCS
LEGISLATIVE IMPACT -- Innovation through policy reform and improvements in financial models to improve service delivery and reduce barriers to care.
1st: Kate Kelly, Integrated Community Project Manager, Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey
2nd: Edward Dobleman, Legacy Treatment Services
3rd: Joanne St. Amand, A Voice of Reason
RUNNERS UP:
Martha Cray and Alieen Rivera
Donna Gomez, ASAH
Brian Woods, Chief of Staff at 8th Legislative District Office
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Governor Murphy Delivers FY 2024 Budget | |
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TRENTON- Governor Phil Murphy delivered his sixth annual budget address on Tuesday, outlining a spending proposal for Fiscal Year 2024 (FY2024) that builds on the historic progress made over the last five years with new investments centered around expanding affordability, promoting fiscal responsibility, and creating world-class opportunities for everyone to succeed in the Next New Jersey. The Governor’s proposed budget continues to increase direct property tax relief to new heights; once again provides the highest level of school funding in history; delivers a third consecutive full pension payment; and supports significant investments in the economy, workforce development, and public safety. Click here for a budget at a glance summary.
SHA applauds the following important investments for the supportive housing community:
HOUSING
- Additional $100 million in federal ARP funds for the preservation of affordable units and development of new workforce housing units.
- $15 million investment in First-Generation Homebuyer Down Payment Assistance.
HOUSING SUPPORT
- $3.5 million to create 150 community placements or housing subsidies for individuals with mental illness.
- $12 million to increase housing assistance rates to reflect fair market rent increases, ensuring that rental amounts are sufficient for continued access to housing for individuals. FMR rent increases will include programs within the Division of Mental Health & Addiction Services (DMHAS), Division of Developmental Disabilities, (DDD) and Division of Family Development (DFD). The funding will increase housing assistance and vouchers for direct rental payments for DMHAS and DFD. For DDD, this includes $5 million to fund a 10 percent increase in the housing component of the rates paid to group home providers.
- $13 million to develop housing options for individuals residing in nursing facilities and institutional settings who could be supported in the community and wish to transition to less restrictive settings. This initiative will be primarily focused on individuals under the age of 65 with mental illness and/or intellectual and developmental disabilities.
PROVIDER SUPPORT
- $72 million in state and federal funding for an increase across the board for all fee-for-service I/DD provider rates to partially offset the impact of inflation.
- Nearly $37 million in state and federal funding to support community providers of behavioral health services.
WORKFORCE
- Direct support professionals, or DSPs: More than $83 million in state and federal funding for another DSP and supervisor wage increase.
- $250,000 in state and federal funding for a support brokerage rate increase
- Certified nurse aides: $30 million in state and federal funding to raise wages for these workers who provide the majority of the direct care in most nursing facilities.
- Private duty nurses: Increasing the Medicaid reimbursement rate for private duty nurses to $62 per hour when provided by a registered nurse and $50 per hour when provided by a licensed practical nurse.
- Major investments in workforce development to include Nearly $20 million for loan redemption and similar programs for community-based care workers in fields such as behavioral health care, private duty nursing, applied behavioral analysis, and substance use disorder treatment and up to $60 million for recruitment and retention bonuses for the workforce that serves individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, mental health conditions, and substance use disorder.
OTHER
- The budget eliminates the 28-day waiting period for individuals eligible for the General Assistance program.
- $30 million to ensure that all SNAP households in New Jersey receive at least $95 in monthly SNAP benefits
- Expanding the Senior Freeze property tax relief program to those with incomes up to $150,000. That means additional property tax relief for 50,000 more older adults.
- $1.4 million to increase income limits by another $10,000 under the Pharmaceutical for the Aged and Disabled, or PAAD, and Senior Gold prescription assistance programs that help eligible seniors and individuals with disabilities save money on prescription drug costs.
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HUD Awards $5.6B In Annual Formula Grants
With $152M In Grants For
Affordable Housing, Community Development,
And Homeless Assistance In New Jersey
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HUD announced that $5.6 billion in annual formula grants will be awarded to communities nationwide to fund a wide range of affordable housing and community development activities and assistance to people experiencing homelessness. Funded by the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023, the announced formula grants include $3.3 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, which will enable nearly 1,240 jurisdictions to expand their communities’ resilience; $1.5 billion in HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) grants that will support over 660 jurisdictions in producing affordable housing; and $290 million in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) to boost state and local efforts to address homelessness. View a complete list of all communities who received funding.
The grants announced for New Jersey are provided through the following HUD programs:
- $87 million in Community Development Block Grants to 58 localities to build stronger communities— The Community Development Block Grants (CDBG) provides annual grants on a formula basis to states, cities, counties, and insular areas to develop stronger, more resilient communities by providing decent housing and a suitable living environment, and by expanding economic opportunities, principally for low- and moderate-income people. In 2022 the program helped over 60,000 families nationally through housing activities, 46,000 individuals through job creation or retention, 83,500 people experiencing homelessness through improvements to homelessness facilities, over 5.3 million people through public services, and over 39 million people through public improvements.
- $40.5 million in Home Investments Partnerships Program (HOME) grants to produce affordable housing — The HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME) is the primary Federal tool of States and local governments to produce affordable rental and owner-occupied housing for low-income families. HOME funds a wide range of activities including building, buying, and/or rehabilitating affordable housing for rent or homeownership or providing direct rental assistance to low-income people. HOME projects leverage non-federal funds including, in many cases, tax credits for affordable rental housing. In 2022 the program helped create over 15,000 units of housing and nearly 17,000 households nationwide were assisted with tenant-based rental assistance through the HOME program.
- $15.9 million in Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) grants to connect people with HIV/AIDS to housing and support — The Housing Opportunities for Persons With HIV/AIDS (HOPWA) program provides stable and permanent housing assistance and supportive services to low-income people living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Over 100,000 households nationwide receive HOPWA housing assistance and/or supportive services annually.
- $7.7 million in Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) to address homelessness — Emergency Solutions Grants (ESG) provide funds for homeless shelters, assist in the operation of local shelters, and funds related to social service and homeless prevention programs. Recipients enable people to quickly regain stability in permanent housing after experiencing a housing crisis and/or homelessness. ESG funds may be used for street outreach, emergency shelter, homelessness prevention, and rapid re-housing assistance. Annually, ESG connects over 350,000 people nationally to emergency shelters as they transition to permanent housing.
- $1 million in Recovery Housing Program grants (RHP) to support recovery from substance-use disorder— The Recovery Housing Program (RHP) allows States and the District of Columbia to provide stable, transitional housing for individuals in recovery from a substance use disorder.
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National League Of Cities Releases Brief On Housing First | |
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As shared by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, The National League of Cities (NLC) released a brief, “An Overview of the Housing First Approach for City Leaders ” The brief provides an overview of Housing First, examines the evidence supporting the approach, and spotlights the ways communities have used Housing First to address homelessness effectively, equitably, and compassionately. In addition to the Housing First brief, NLC released a tool to help local leaders identify federal funding sources that are available to local governments for addressing homelessness.
The brief highlights the core components of the Housing First approach, including the model’s emphasis on providing stable housing quickly and without prerequisites, consumer choice and self-determination, voluntary supportive services, individualized and client-driven supports, and social and community integration. In the resource, NLC emphasizes that Housing First does not mean “housing only.” By combining an open-door approach to permanent housing with comprehensive wraparound services, communities have been able to help individuals obtain and maintain stable housing and improve their overall health.
NLC’s resource examines the evidence supporting Housing First, highlighting research showing that Housing First programs significantly improve housing stability, reduce homelessness, and have significant positive impacts on health and wellbeing. Housing First can be particularly effective for helping individuals experiencing chronic or unsheltered homelessness; people with mental health or substance use challenges; individuals with prior justice system involvement; Black and Indigenous people and other People of Color; LGBTQIA+ individuals, including youth; individuals with pets; and members of families wishing to be housed together. The brief spotlights how communities – including Rockford, Illinois and Denver, Colorado – have used Housing First to address chronic and veteran homelessness.
The brief outlines recommendations for cities, towns, and villages seeking to comprehensively address homelessness using a Housing First approach and highlights resources to help communities implement each recommendation. NLC encourages communities to evaluate their current approaches to addressing homelessness and create an action plan for adopting Housing First; coordinate closely across local and regional systems and stakeholders; and take an individualized approach that engages clients or individuals experiencing homelessness as decision-makers. Individuals with lived experience should be involved in the planning, design, and implementation of homeless assistance programs. Moreover, NLC recommends that communities prioritize racial equity in local responses and support systems and strive to meet the comprehensive needs of community members by offering high-quality care and integrated supports.
Access the Federal Funding Sources for Addressing Homelessness Tool
Learn more about Housing First
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NLIHC Releases Advocates’ Guide 2023:
A Primer on Federal Affordable Housing &
Community Development Programs & Policies
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NLIHC has released the Advocates’ Guide 2023: A Primer on Federal Affordable Housing & Community Development Programs. Released annually, the Advocates’ Guide is a comprehensive resource for advocates and others involved in affordable housing and community development advocacy. The Advocates’ Guide comprises hundreds of pages of useful resources and practical know-how, written by leading experts in the affordable housing and community development field with a common purpose: to educate advocates and affordable housing providers of all kinds about the programs and policies that make housing affordable to low-income people across America. For many years, the Advocates’ Guide has been the leading authoritative reference for advocates and affordable housing providers seeking a quick and convenient way to understand affordable housing programs and policies. The Guide includes sections on advocacy resources, rental housing programs for the lowest-income people, the national Housing Trust Fund, community development resources, housing tools, special housing issues, and other topics.
This year’s Advocates’ Guide features new sections on COVID-19-era housing programs and on tenant protections and eviction prevention efforts, including chapters on just cause eviction, right to counsel for tenants, and eviction diversion. The 2023 Guide also includes new chapters on the State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund (SLFRF) program and on community land trusts. The new edition also features the very latest information on the Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing rule and updates on a wide range of HUD regulations and housing-related legislation.
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NJHMFA Releases Latest Edition Of Housing Hub | |
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The New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency has released the latest issue of
HMFA Housing Hub.
This new release includes progress made in 2022 on housing including:
- A $305 million investment in new affordable housing production through the creation of the Affordable Housing Production Fund
- NJHMFA committed resources to 30 new projects utilizing $143,493,000 in NJHMFA bond financing. This created 2,054 affordable units with a total development cost of $761,825,000
- NJHMFA also funded seven projects utilizing $173,008,000 in tax-exempt bonds through the conduit bond program, which will preserve 1,163 affordable units with $340,870,000 in total development costs
- NJHMFA established multiple new programs and amended the Special Needs Housing Trust Fund Guidelines to maximize the impact of all targeted subsidy dollars, producing 329 special needs units in 2022 alone
- $22 million in Multifamily Gap Financing Program (MGFP) funds was paired with the 4% Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) Program for the construction of four multifamily projects with approximately 300 new apartments
- $40 million in Affordable Housing Gap Subsidy Program (AHGS) funds were allocated to offset increased construction costs and to bridge funding gaps resulting from the pandemic and supply chain disruptions
- NJHMFA has expanded first-time homebuyer opportunities at a time when the national share of homes purchased by first-time homebuyers dropped from 34% in 2021 to 26% in 2022
Stay up to date with the latest on these and many other important notices from NJHMFA by joining their mailing list here.
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2023 Case for Inclusion Launches Nationwide | |
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On February 28, ANCOR and the ANCOR Foundation joined forces with United Cerebral Palsy to unveil The Case for Inclusion 2023: Making Good on Our Nation’s Promise of Community Inclusion for All. This annual report provides an extensive overview of how state programs are supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) to be included in their community. The latest edition of the report reveals that the ongoing direct support workforce crisis is obstructing access to the community, primarily due to the lack of investment in community I/DD services. The report delivers disconcerting data insights with policy implications, such as:
- There are 481,601 people with IDD on states’ waiting lists for home- and community-based services.
- After five consecutive years of decreases, the number of states participating in Money Follows the Person stands at just 36.
- Among individuals with IDD accepting any type of employment or day service, only 22% were working in integrated employment, meaning they were working alongside non-disabled workers.
The Case for Inclusion 2023 highlights numerous concerning discoveries, presenting a thorough policy blueprint for supporters and legislators who want to stabilize the direct support workforce and improve community access for individuals with I/DD. The report provides concrete policy actions, including suggestions for the Biden administration, the 118th Congress, and state governments. Find the Case for Inclusion and related resources here.
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New Jersey Board Of Public Utilities Announces Launched Of The New Jersey Community Solar Project Finder | |
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The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) announced it has launched the New Jersey Community Solar Project Finder. This online tool allows New Jersey residents to search by zip code for community solar projects serving their community. NJBPU is partnering with Sustainable Jersey on this initiative.
New Jersey’s Community Solar Pilot Program has been extremely successful and the Board is taking steps to make the pilot program permanent. It is anticipated that the straw proposal for the permanent program will be released in the first quarter of 2023. In the first two years of the program, the Board approved 150 applications for community solar projects representing 240 MW of solar energy capacity, more than half of which will serve low- and moderate-income communities. SHA gives a special shout out to our members, Solar Landscape and Dimension Renewable Energy for their parts in completing solar projects that empower our communities.
New Jersey’s Community Solar Program allows those who rent, lack control of their roof, live in an apartment or multi-family building, or cannot afford the cost of a solar installation to benefit from the cost savings and reduced carbon footprint of solar power. To date, there are 24 community solar projects that have come online and are in operation.
For more information, residents can join a webinar on March 8, 2023 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm that will include a demonstration of the New Jersey Community Solar Project Finder. In addition, Sustainable Jersey offers free community solar resources such as the Municipally Supported Community Solar certification action and a Sustainable Jersey Community Solar Guidebook for Municipalities.
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Call For Workshops For Facing The Future 2023
Co-sponsored by The Boggs Center and NJAPSE
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Facing the Future 2023
A conference for professionals highlighting best practices in supporting people with disabilities in career planning, supported and customized employment, and transition from school to work. Co-sponsored by The Boggs Center and NJAPSE
The Facing the Future conference committee invites workshop proposals for the October 13, 2023 conference at the Hyatt Regency New Brunswick. This annual one-day conference features workshops designed to educate professionals in supporting people with disabilities in career planning, supported and customized employment, and transition from school to work. Workshops are 75 minutes in length.
Click here for workshop submission requirements
Click here to fill out the application form.
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Resources & Virtual Forums | |
NJCDD Hybrid Quarterly Meeting | |
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The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities (NJCDD) will hold the First Quarter Hybrid Public Meeting on Thursday, March 9, 2023 from 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m at the Hilton Garden Inn, 800 US Route130, Hamilton NJ.
Use the link to register for the Zoom
Want to attend in person or want to make a comment from the Zoom, please submit your In Person RSVP or written public comment to Jacinta.williams@njcdd.org by Wednesday March 8, 2023
ACCOMMODATIONS:
For in-person accommodations please contact Jacinta Williams at the email noticed above. Language interpretation and/or other language accommodations, will be provided during the Zoom portion of the meeting.
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NJ LGBTQ+/HIV+ LTC Bill of Rights Designate Training | |
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Live Webinar for NJ LGBTQI+, HIV+ Long-term Care Bill of Rights (NJS2545)
"Designate In-Person" Certification
Monday March 13th, 9:30AM - 4PM
5.5 hours of Continuing Education Credits available (added fee) for National Nursing, NJ Social Work, National Activities Professionals, National LTC Administrators, National Therapeutic Recreation.
Click here to register
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Arc of New Jersey Webinar
Your Right To Appeal A Medicaid Termination
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Your Right to Appeal a Medicaid Termination
Monday, March 20, 2023 at 12:00pm
The Arc of New Jersey pleased to announce a webinar titled, "Your Right to Appeal a Medicaid Termination" with speakers Michael Brower and Kelly McGuire from Disability Rights New Jersey (DRNJ).
The DRNJ attorneys will share essential strategies to protect your Medicaid coverage in preparation for the largest review of Medicaid eligibility in the state’s history. For the first time since March 2020, the NJ Medicaid program (also known as DMAHS or NJFamilyCare) will begin terminating benefits for people who it thinks do not meet the eligibility standards. While NJ Medicaid reviewed eligibility during the pandemic, it did not terminate anyone’s benefits because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency. Starting in April 2023, NJ Medicaid will resume mailing termination notices for people it finds ineligible for continued coverage.
If you get a termination notice and disagree, you must act fast to preserve your rights! This webinar will give you the information you need to:
- Update your address with Medicaid
- Recognize a termination notice
- Request a Fair Hearing
- Keep your benefits during an appeal
- Find legal help
Click here to register for the webinar
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Sorting And Decision Making:
Two Key Skills For Effective Decluttering
Understanding Hoarding Behavior
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Conversations – March Training
(Live Streaming Webinar Format)
Monday, March 20, 2023 (1:00-2:30pm EST)
Research indicates that levels of family rejection of loved ones who hoard are remarkably high. This evidence places an increased need for empathy on the part of providers who work with persons who hoard. Such empathy can enhance a constructive and realistic understanding of hoarding behavior, assist in creating a nonjudgmental space in which persons can reflect on their hoarding behavior, and enable providers to more effectively teach skills persons need to change their hoarding behaviors.
People who hoard lack several skills that are necessary to declutter their living environments effectively. Two of the most important are sorting their possessions and making decisions quickly regarding what to do with them. Using experiential exercises, the presenter will guide and invite a deeper understanding and appreciation of these skills. More specifically, participants will practice the skills with the items that they assemble themselves from their living environment, or from their purses, wallets, backpacks, or desk drawer. The workshop leader does NOT expect participants to discard items but to learn from the inside out these sorting and decision-making skills using their own possessions. Specific Learning Objectives include:
- Enhance empathic understanding of hoarding and of persons who hoard.
- Assist people who hoard to sort items into categories to manage and decrease clutter.
- Use questions to assist people who hoard to make decisions regarding possessions.
PRESENTING will be Michael A. Tompkins, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and co-director of the San Francisco Bay Area Center for Cognitive Therapy where he specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders and obsessive-compulsive spectrum disorders in adults, adolescents, and children. Dr. Tompkins is Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of California, Berkeley, Diplomate and Certified Supervisor of the Academy of Cognitive Therapy, and a certified supervisor and faculty member for the Beck Institute for Cognitive Behavior Therapy. He is the author or co-author of numerous articles and chapters on cognitive-behavior therapy and related topics, as well as fifteen books, including Digging Out: Helping Your Loved One Manage Clutter, Hoarding, and Compulsive Acquiring (with Tamara L. Hartl) and the Clinician’s Guide to Severe Hoarding: A Harm Reduction Approach. He has presented trainings to national and international audiences on the topic of hoarding disorder, particularly managing hoarding behaviors through a harm reduction approach.
Social Work, Nursing, and LADC continuing education credits being pursued.
To register, please complete the Registration Form here.
Please Note - There is a non-fundable $25 registration fee for this webinar.
Payment can be made by Credit Card or Paypal.
(Debit Card payments may not go through, depending on your bank.
If you have trouble paying with a debit card, please use a credit card.)
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NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid and Individuals with IDD:
Preparing for the Start of Medicaid Redeterminations
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Join NJCDD on March 25 from 10AM to 12PM for information on Medicaid and different Medicaid categories in New Jersey. You will learn what you need to do now so that the Medicaid redetermination process goes smoothly. We will discuss potential areas of confusion and what to do if you encounter a problem with your loved one’s Medicaid redetermination. Beverly Roberts, Director, Mainstreaming Medical Care at The Arc of New Jersey will be our guest presenter and will answer your questions. We will also be joined by Lee Ginsberg from Community Health Law Project and Michael Brower from Disability Rights New Jersey to discuss the appeal process. This forum is directed at families with individuals who are 18 years old and up.
Click here to register for this meeting.
Multilingual closed captioning is available. If you need it other than English, please indicate in it the registration or contact Kyoko.Coco@njcdd.org
AM session (10AM to 12PM)
NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid and Individuals with IDD: Preparing for the Start of Medicaid Redeterminations
When the COVID pandemic began in March, 2020, the federal government declared a Public Health Emergency (PHE), which included "continuous Medicaid enrollment", i.e., everyone who already had Medicaid was required to continue receiving Medicaid -- even if they were no longer eligible. The "continuous Medicaid enrollment" requirement will be ending in April, 2023, at which time NJ Medicaid will start to send Medicaid redetermination applications to everyone who has NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid. Those applications will be mailed out over a period of 12 months. Whenever a caregiver of an individual with an intellectual or developmental disability (IDD) receives a letter from NJ Medicaid, it is very important to respond promptly. Please note: The information on Medicaid redeterminations pertains to people who have NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid. This information is not applicable to people who have SSI and Medicaid.
2 . Lunch (12PM to 1PM)
3 . PM session (1PM to 3PM)
NJ Regional Family Support Planning Councils will discuss council business. Non-members are welcome to stay.
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HUD’s Office of Policy Development And Research (PD&R) Hosts Meeting On Housing First | |
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On April 6, 2023, HUD’s Office of Policy Development and Research (PD&R) will host a virtual PD&R Quarterly Update on Housing First, a service model that addresses homelessness by quickly getting individuals and households experiencing homelessness into housing without any preconditions or barriers. Opening remarks will be provided by Jeff Olivet from the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. After a housing market update from PD&R’s Kevin Kane and a data spotlight segment from PD&R’s Veronica Helms Garrison, the event will feature two panel discussions. The first panel will highlight Housing First activities in Richmond, New Orleans, Houston, and Mississippi, and the second panel will do a deeper dive into the work being done in Seattle, Washington.
We hope you can join PD&R for this discussion on Housing First. We also invite you to participate in the event via social media by following @HUDUSERnews. We’ll be tagging our updates with #PDRUpdate.
Click here to register for this webinar
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There are many great ways of supporting SHA: Join as a member or send donations.
Thank you for your support!
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Want all the member benefits with SHA? Visit our website or contact Joseph Christensen to apply or manage your membership.
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Members can post jobs to find applicants within the wider supportive housing community. Click on the button to visit our job page.
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Advocate ● Educate ● Support
The Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey unites its diverse coalition of members engaging development, resources, and information to sustain supportive housing systems within New Jersey. Since 1998, our statewide mission seeks to enhance lives and accessibility to enable independent living within our communities.
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Supportive Housing Association of New Jersey
185 Valley Street, South Orange, NJ 07079
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