|
Funding, Housing Needed To Help Those With Developmental Disabilities
By Jo Ann La Russo
NEW JERSEY - Helping those with developmental disabilities has never been easy. And with current federal funding levels and housing difficult to find, it gets even harder.
The bottom line is, federal funding is needed to increase in-home services for the developmentally disabled, said New Jersey Department of Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez last week.
"Federal funding is the number one issue
to move beyond the problem," she said. "Until the cap is raised for in-home services
and there is an increase in federal funding, the problem will remain."
Both the state and members of the Toms River Mayor's Advisory Committee on Developmental Disabilities, who met with Velez last week, agree the need for housing and employment is critical.
However, Velez said that more money is needed before programs can be put in place.
Parent advocates are concerned with what will happen to their children when they can no longer take care of them. They want their children to be independent. They want them to stay out of institutions and they hope to form a community where they can feel a sense of belonging.
"In Toms River, we have a plan to build a community for those with DD and a community center, a place to socialize," said Paul Brush, mayor of Toms River. "They would like their kids to live independent within a community. That's what they think is best for their children. They want assisted living and group homes."
The problem is money, or lack of it. There is a great need for additional funding.
Velez said that housing issues won't change overnight.
"I know that we need more services and out of home placement for those with aging parents. The state wants to add home services rather than put people in institutions. If you live in an institution, you should be living in a community," Velez said.
Some parents shared their worst fears to the commissioner. "You're waiting for us to die and you'll just put them someplace. We want assisted living and group homes where they can live independently within a community … We want to be able to decide where our children live."
But housing is an issue. "When there are thousands on waiting lists and only about 100 slots, it doesn't make a dent," Velez noted. And the housing crisis is only a part of the problem. The rate of unemployment for those with developmental disabilities is 70 percent.
Possible tax incentives are offered to companies that hire those with disabilities to offset the cost of needed equipment and handicap accessibility. But that only goes so far.
Advocates blame the system for lack of opportunity in the workforce. Those who are able told the commissioner that they have a problem finding a second job, because those with developmental disabilities are sponsored for one job only, four hours a day, for two days a week.
"I want to work more," said a young self advocate.
Velez said that she was not aware of the minimum hour requirement and agreed that people should have the chance to work an additional job, adding supermarkets and larger stores are good place to apply. She also encouraged the committee members and parent advocates to form a task force to voice their concerns, "to let us know what your problems are."
"Families are the most important source of information for us," Velez said." They let us know what they need."
| 
