New Jersey Department of Human Services Aims To Expand Home Services for the Developmentally Disabled

New Jersey Department of Human Services Commissioner Gwendolyn Harris on Sept. 19 announced plans to provide more home-based care to developmentally disabled residents to "whittle down" a "monolithic" 7,000-person waiting list, the Newark Star-Ledger reports. Under current policy, families receive state assistance only if they are in "crisis situations" and on a waiting list for state-subsidized housing. Under the new policy, which will take effect in fiscal year 2004, the state is changing its focus from finding people places to live to providing more services to allow them to remain with their families longer. The state will provide services such as additional respite care, equipment to make their homes more accessible and more employment programs. The state's plan to fund the new program is expected to "generate some controversy," the Star-Ledger reports. To pay for the plan, the state will increase from 47% to 75% its share of what developmentally disabled people in group homes earn to pay for room and board. The move will give the state $5 million to $20 million, the Star-Ledger reports. The state also plans to seek an additional $30 million to $60 million in federal matching funds annually from Medicaid. The plan is the second part of Harris' effort to "overhaul" the state's $1 billion system for the developmentally disabled. Earlier this year, the state invested $27 million to hire new staff, improve staff training and repair facilities, after five of the seven state institutions failed federal inspection (Livio, Newark Star-Ledger, 9/20).