SENATE, No. 3736

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

220th LEGISLATURE

 

INTRODUCED MARCH 30, 2023

 


 

Sponsored by:

Senator  ROBERT W. SINGER

District 30 (Monmouth and Ocean)

Senator  SHIRLEY K. TURNER

District 15 (Hunterdon and Mercer)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Senator Diegnan

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes one-year pilot program for certain persons with disabilities; appropriates $85,000.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     As introduced.

  


An Act establishing a one-year pilot program for certain persons with disabilities and making an appropriation.

 

     Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    a.  As used in this act:

     “Direct support professional” means an individual who provides direct, non-medical supportive assistance, on a daily basis, to a person who has an intellectual or a developmental disability, with the aim of helping the person to:  (1) become better integrated into the community or the least restrictive environment; (2) more effectively understand, communicate, and advocate for, the person’s individual needs and desires; (3) identify and participate in positive employment, job coaching, and training opportunities; (4) make informed choices, and better understand the options and possible consequences of choices relating to physical health, safety, and emotional well-being; (5) address challenging behaviors through a person-centered approach; (6) successfully engage in the basic activities of daily living; (7) identify and participate in activities that promote a healthy lifestyle; and (8) otherwise lead a self-directed and autonomous life. 

     b.    There is established a one-year pilot program for persons with disabilities in the Department of Human Services to address social and community inclusion needs for such individuals through recreational, social, vocational, and other community-based activities.  The purpose of the pilot program shall be to:

     (1)   create a vocational program for individuals with disabilities;

     (2)   provide individuals with disabilities opportunities to learn recreational, social, and vocational skills;

     (3)   provide individuals with disabilities the ability to engage in recreational, social, and vocational activities in order to develop relationships within the community; and

     (4)   provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to explore their interests and build confidence in their abilities.

     c.     The pilot program shall:

     (1)   select one or more direct support professionals, who possess training tailored to the specific needs of participants in the program, to assist these individuals with social, vocational, and recreational activities and skills; 

     (2)   select three or more participants in the program who are currently receiving services funded by the Department of Human Services and who:

     (a)   are diagnosed with an intellectual or developmental disability and between the ages 21 and 30;

     (b)   do not exhibit aggressive or self-injurious behavior;

     (c)   are not diagnosed with both a mental illness and an intellectual or a developmental disability; and

     (d)   express interest in achieving personal, recreational, social, and vocational development;

     (3)   provide participants a minimum of six hours of weekly recreational, social, and vocational development that shall include, but shall not be limited to:

     (a)   educational-based courses that expand participants’ vocational skills;

     (b)   soft skill development in the form of workshops that teach communication, teamwork, problem solving, and ethics;

     (c)   pairing participants with mentors who offer support and guidance to participants throughout the pilot program;

     (d)   various recreational and social activities for participants; and

     (e)   opportunities for participants to volunteer in the community;

     (4)   collect data on a regular basis regarding the development of the participants; and

     (5)   provide quarterly progress reports, and a final, year-end report to participants’ parents or guardians.

     d.    (1)  The Commissioner of Human Services shall select an independent entity with expertise in evaluating vocational programs to evaluate the pilot program at the conclusion of the program.  The evaluation shall assess the progress and satisfaction of the participants and analyze the budget of the pilot program.  The evaluation shall be submitted to the Governor and Legislature in conjunction with the report prepared by the Commissioner of Human Services as required pursuant to paragraph (2) of this subsection.

     (2)   The Commissioner of Human Services shall prepare and submit a report to the Governor, and the Legislature, pursuant to section 2 of 2 P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), which shall contain information necessary to assess the success and budgetary needs of the pilot program no later than three months following the completion of the pilot program. 

 

     2.    There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Department of Human Services such sums as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of this act, but not to exceed $85,000, as shall be determined by the Commissioner of Human Services.

 

     3.    This act shall take effect immediately and shall expire upon the submission of the Commissioner of Human Services’s report as required pursuant to paragraph (2) of subsection d. of section 1 of this act.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This bill establishes a one-year pilot program for certain persons with disabilities in the Department of Human Services and makes an appropriation.

     Under the bill, the purpose of the pilot program is to:  (1) create a vocational program for individuals with disabilities; (2) provide individuals with disabilities opportunities to learn recreational, social, and vocational skills; (3) provide individuals with disabilities the ability to engage in recreational, social, and vocational activities in order to develop relationships within the community; and (4) provide individuals with disabilities the opportunity to explore their interests and build confidence in their abilities.

     The bill provides that the pilot program is to:  (1) select one or more direct support professionals, as this term is defined in the bill, who possess training tailored to the specific needs of participants in the program, to assist these individuals with social, vocational, and recreational activities and skills; (2) select three or more participants in the program as provided for in the bill; (3) provide participants a minimum of six hours of weekly recreational, social, and vocational development as provided for in the bill; (4) collect data on a regular basis regarding the development of the participants; and (5) provide quarterly progress reports, and a final, year-end report to participants’ parents or guardians.

     Under the bill, the Commissioner of Human Services is to prepare and submit a report to the Governor and Legislature containing information necessary to assess the success and budgetary needs of the pilot program no later than three months following the completion of the pilot program. 

     The bill appropriates up to, but not more than, $85,000 to the Department of Human Services, as may be necessary to effectuate the purposes of the pilot program.

     It is the sponsor’s belief that individuals with disabilities face many challenges in finding employment.  Vocational programs provide training and support to help these individuals gain employment and become more independent.  However social and recreational skills, as well as soft skills, are most often not directly addressed, affecting the individual’s ability to sustain employment. In addition, there is limited research on the effectiveness of vocational programs for individuals with disabilities.  This bill addresses the importance of teaching social, recreational, and soft skills to persons with disabilities and creates data for researchers to study the effectiveness of vocational programs for individuals with disabilities.