This bill:
1. Requires transportation network companies (TNCs) to adopt policies of non-discrimination on the basis of disability (among other characteristics) and provide drivers with information on accommodating a rider with a disability;
2. Prohibits TNCs from imposing additional fees for accommodating a person with a physical disability because of that disability; and
3. Requires drivers to comply with all applicable laws relating to accommodation of service animals.
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This bill appropriates funding for Workforce Investment boards to provide grants for basic skills training for individuals with learning disabilities or who otherwise need vocational rehabilitation services. It further directs the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development to work with organizations dedicated to the economic empowerment of people with disabilities (among other groups) to promote its basic skills training program.
This bill requires the New Jersey Transit Corporation to ensure that all paratransit services it manages and administers adhere to a specific set of standards, and to collaborate with the Department of Human Services to develop and implement a paratransit best practices pilot program. The pilot program will produce a training module for paratransit best practices and train paratransit providers on those best practices. Finally, the bill establishes regional paratransit coordinating councils for the purpose of exchanging best practices.
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Systems Coordination
This bill:
1. Requires boards of education to provide special education and related services to students who attain the age of 21 during the pandemic, provided the student's parent and IEP team determine the student requires additional or compensatory special education and related services, including transition services;
2. Requires these services be paid for through federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Act (CRRSA) and American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, and that Property Tax Relief Fund be used to reimburse school districts for any costs that federal funds do not cover; and
3. Permits approved private schools for students with disabilities to temporarily utilize non-qualifying spaces on school property for instruction and educational purposes in order to serve any additional students receiving these services, including transition services.
This bill establishes a multi-stakeholder Task Force on Maximizing Employment for People with Disabilities, to study the problem of unemployment and underemployment among individuals with disabilities and provide recommendations on how to increase opportunities, expand employment readiness and training programs and offer greater employment supports.
This bill directs the Secretary of Higher Education to develop a training program for direct support professionals who work closely with people with disabilities of any age and whose work supports the client in making gains towards self-sufficiency and community integration. The program is required to provide information around (among other topics) age-appropriate behavior including social, educational and occupational skills pertaining to intellectual, developmental, mental and physical disabilities.
This bill establishes and appropriates money for county college-based adult centers for transition, whose purpose is to coordinate and integrate existing county- and state-based services, programs and resources, and to ensure that individuals with developmental disabilities up to the age of 24 have opportunities to receive mentoring, job coaching, skill training and any other appropriate wrap-around services to help them make a successful transition into employment and independent living.
This bill requires the Commissioner of Labor and Workforce Development, in consultation with the Commissioner of Education and the Chief Diversity Officer of New Jersey, to establish a peer-to-peer statewide apprenticeship mentoring program for people with disabilities (among other populations), provide mentoring and support services and establish a network of peers involved in apprenticeship.
Participants in the day training program get a personalized service plan that focuses on the following: 1) social and communication skills, 2) functional life skills, 3) recreation, 4) health and wellness activities, 5) educational, volunteer, and employment opportunities, and 6) self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: Easterseals New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program helps blind and vision impaired New Jersey residents acquire assistive technology that is necessary to gain or retain employment. Technological Services Specialists perform technology assessments and skill evaluations and make recommendations suitable for each consumer’s unique situation.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program enables individuals with disabilities, service providers and others to learn about, access, and acquire assistive technology needed for education, employment, and community living. Services include device demonstrations, reutilization, loans, and financing.
Operating Entity: Disability Rights New Jersey (DRNJ), The Richard West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides consultation and information for those receiving disability benefits, who need help understanding eligibility and the impact work may have on their benefits.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
The Business Enterprise Program helps people who are blind become food service or vending operators.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program sends Transition Counselors to high schools to work with students who are blind or visually impaired. Counselors describe transition programs and initiate arrangements for students to participate in these programs.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
The Career Pathways Connections program provides opportunities for individuals with hearing loss to enter the workforce and obtain sustainable employment. The program is run by staff that are proficient in American Sign Language, experienced in identifying workplace accommodations, trained in assistive technologies, and knowledgeable in resources for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Operating Entity: Easterseals New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
CAP helps individuals who experience problems when applying for or receiving vocational rehabilitation or independent living services. This includes advising and informing individuals of their rights and providing advocacy services.
Operating Entity: Disability Rights New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides personalized college support for students with learning and social challenges. This includes providing high school students with an introduction to college, and college students with ongoing support. The program consists of an Individualized College Plan, peer mentorship, pre-employment training, self-advocacy training, and more. It is a collaboration between College Steps, high schools, colleges, families, and agencies.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program provides trainings and information sessions to underserved populations, parent groups, and other agencies and organizations who want to learn more about transitioning from high school to the work force and also about employment rights for people with disabilities (including the full scope of vocational services that may be available to them).
Operating Entity: Disability Rights New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Family Engagement
This program helps ensure underserved parents of children with disabilities, including low-income parents, parents of children who are English learners, and parents with disabilities, have the training and information they need to enable them to participate effectively in helping their children.
Operating Entity: Association for Special Children and Families
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Family Engagement
These conferences provide opportunities for students and adults with disabilities to gain insight into the transition and self-advocacy process. Students participate in workshops led by their peers, which touch on goal setting, self-discovery, student self-advocacy, and planning for the future. Parents are also welcome to attend.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Education, Office of Special Education
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Family Engagement, Youth Development & Leadership
This program helps individuals with disabilities who might be experiencing discrimination in the workplace due to their disability. The team provides information about a person's rights and provides guidance on how to vindicate those rights. The program also assists individuals who are seeking a reasonable accommodation so that they may maintain their employment.
Operating Entity: Disability Rights New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides a range of vocational services to individuals with developmental disabilities, including assistance with developing job skills, writing a resume, completing job applications, interviewing, and getting to work.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Easterseals New Jersey offers a range of services - including pre-vocational evaluation, work adjustment training, school to work transition, supported employment, extended employment, and job placement services - at two employment sites located in Central and Southern New Jersey.
Operating Entity: Easterseals New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program provides a range of independent living services to people with disabilities at Centers for Independent Living across the state. Services include help connecting to local services, assistance with job searches, local transit skills training, assistive technology help, peer mentoring support, assistance with school-to-career transitions, self-advocacy help, and more.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Kach is a three-year program for individuals with disabilities that provides classroom and experiential learning opportunities at Brookdale Community College. Students attend Kach classes to strengthen basic academic skills, audit regular college courses, and enjoy full integration into the Brookdale community. It is a collaboration between Brookdale and The Arc of Monmouth.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): School-Based Prep
This program enables eligible individuals with disabilities to save money in a tax-exempt account that may be used for qualified disability expenses while keeping their eligibility for federally-funded, means-tested public benefits. Eligible expenses include education, employment training and support, and assistive technology.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides a range of professional development and technical assistance activities to help families, educators, and community service providers improve the existing educational service systems for children with deafblindness in the state.
Operating Entity: The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), Center on Sensory and Complex Disabilities
Entity Type: College / University
OSYES helps out-of-school and unemployed youth and young adults with disabilities, ages 16 to 24, get back on the path to self-sufficiency through the development of job skills and career pathway planning.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program supports Parent Training and Information Centers and Community Parent Resource Centers in 12 eastern states plus DC and two territories. Services include one-to-one consultations, trainings and webinars, peer-to-peer mentoring, site visits, non-profit management tools, and more.
Operating Entity: Navigating Excellence Parent Center Assistance & Collaboration Team (NE-PACT)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides a variety of direct services for children and youth with disabilities, families, professionals, and other organizations that support them. This includes helping parents participate effectively in their children’s education and development and partnering with professionals and policymakers to improve outcomes for children with disabilities.
Operating Entity: SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This statewide project assists young adults with developmental disabilities and their families in charting a life course for adulthood. The program offers a variety of resources including informational sessions, webinars, and resource guides/materials related to postsecondary education, employment, and self-direction. The program also runs monthly student and parent clubs and coordinates various transition events throughout the year.
Operating Entity: The Arc of New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
These programs offer students with intellectual disabilities an opportunity to take college classes, engage in career development and independent living activities, and participate in the social life of a college campus.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Pre-ETS assist students with disabilities in identifying career interests and developing skills to be successful in the workplace. This includes five required activities: job exploration counseling, work-based learning experiences, workplace readiness training, counseling on comprehensive transition or postsecondary educational programs, and instruction in self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This supported employment program connects people with disabilities to integrated employment opportunities in their community. Job Developers work closely with program participants to determine interests and aptitude, and connect them with appropriate employers. Job Coaching staff train participants in on-the-job skills and provide ongoing support.
Operating Entity: The Arc of New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
Project SEARCH is a one-year transition-to-work program for students with significant disabilities that includes classroom instruction, career exploration, and internship rotations. It is a collaboration between local businesses, state agencies, local school systems, and other entities, and is offered at several locations.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program protects individuals with disabilities by empowering them and advocating on their behalf. This includes providing information and referrals, providing training and technical assistance to service providers, and conducting self-advocacy training.
Operating Entity: Disability Rights New Jersey
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program provides information, training and technical assistance, and support to youth and young adults with disabilities and their families, including transition services to help youth and their families navigate multiple programs and service systems; actively participate in the development of plans for independence; and collaborate with transition professionals. It is a collaborative effort between Parent Centers in nine northeastern states.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Family Engagement
Through workshops, regional meetings, and parent leadership development activities, START helps parents become informed about their child's education, partner with educators in improving educational programs for students with disabilities, and strengthen parent advisory groups or parent support groups in their areas.
Operating Entity: SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Family Engagement
This program helps prepare students with special needs for post-graduation employment. Transition students explore career opportunities through job sampling at a variety of local businesses, which gives them real-life experience to better understand and participate in the world of work.
Operating Entity: The Arc Union County
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program provides training courses to both new and veteran employment specialists to help them understand and apply best practices in supported employment. Technical Assistance is provided via consultation to support capacity building and systemic growth.
Operating Entity: Rutgers University, The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
Entity Type: College / University
NE-PACT provides technical assistance to Parent Centers in Region A (which includes New Jersey), including strategies for reaching underserved families, on-site training and support, an annual conference, program evaluation, and consulting around the nonprofit management process.
Operating Entity: Navigating Excellence-Parent Assistance and Collaboration Team (NE-PACT)
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
This program supports individuals with disabilities who are participating in post-secondary programs or vocational school, technology or trade school, and business school training. Funding can be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, room and board, assistive technology, interpreting services, and support services, depending on need and financial eligibility.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, School-Based Prep
The Division works with various partners to ensure that individuals approaching the age of 21 have the tools and resources needed to successfully transition from school into adulthood. This includes offering presentations on transitions, supporting transition programs, and more.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program provides information, training, and technical assistance to youth with disabilities, their families, and professionals in order to support informed and effective transition from school to adult life. Services include information on rights, workshops on best practices in transition planning, technical assistance on IEPs, and more.
Operating Entity: SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Entity Type: Non-Profit / Community Organization
Topic(s): Connecting Activities, Family Engagement
This program helps individuals who are blind or visually impaired become more employable and ultimately obtain employment. Services include vocational evaluation, counseling and guidance, career exploration, training, job placement, supported employment services, post-employment services, high school transitional services, college counseling/support, assistive technology services, computer training, and more.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
This program provides vocational counseling, job search skill development, supported employment, assistive technology evaluations, and more to individuals with disabilities achieve their employment goals. The program also includes services specifically for deaf and hard of hearing individuals and English learners.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, Division of Vocational Rehabilitation Services
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
The Joseph Kohn Training Center offers people who are blind and visually impaired an opportunity to learn independent life skills, including skills to attend college or seek employment. The program includes a career assessment and vocational counseling component.
Operating Entity: State of New Jersey Department of Human Services, Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Entity Type: State Agency / Office
Topic(s): Career Prep & Work-Based Learning
This program help out-of-school and in-school youth with one or more barriers to employment (including having a disability) prepare for and secure employment and postsecondary education opportunities. Services include tutoring; work experiences; occupational skills training; leadership development opportunities; and postsecondary education and training preparation activities.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
This program helps individuals with disabilities who are receiving Social Security Disability benefits make informed choices about work and make a successful transition to self-sufficiency.
Operating Entity: --
Entity Type: Multi-Stakeholder Project
Topic(s): Connecting Activities
This program works with local groups and community-based organizations to provide leadership training for young people with developmental disabilities, through eight training sessions.
Operating Entity: New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities
Entity Type: Other
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
This program consists of eight, two-hour training sessions that seek to teach young people with developmental disabilities a wide variety of skills and information that they can take with them out into the world of self-advocacy.
Operating Entity: The New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities
Entity Type: Other
Topic(s): Youth Development & Leadership
This is a helpline for emotional support as well as a helpline for the deaf and/or hard of hearing during COVID-19. This helpline also serves as a hotline for mental health crises.
Operating Entity: New Jersey Department of Human Services
Topic(s): Mental Health
This webpage lists different usable hotlines and mental health guidance for New Jersey residents during the pandemic.
Operating Entity: Mental Health Association of New Jersey
Topic(s): Mental Health
This web page discusses free summer educational programs for students on an IEP. The plan provides guidance for supplementing IEP plans, stating that IEP teams must assess all IEP programs to ensure that students with necessary IEP requirements have access to extended school year learning.
Operating Entity: New Jersey Department of Education
Topic(s): IEP
This document contains guidelines for how students with special education classes should be structured during distanced learning as well as the learning plan. It requires that schools spend additional money to provide special education services, specifically emphasizing technological adjustments to best accommodate students with an IEP
Operating Entity: New Jersey Department of Education
Topic(s): IEP
New Jersey's One-Stop Career Center Services has notified all transition-age job seekers that, due to COVID-19, it has moved its services online. As such, the New Jersey DLDP has continued to provide transition age youth with job-seeking assistance, resume and interview help, and other job market advice, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic
Operating Entity: New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development
Topic(s): Transition
The New Jersey Department of Education's plan to return to in-person learning includes guidance for updating IEP plans. Specifically, it mentions that new IEP plans must consider additional technological needs and the need to replenish skills and/or services lost during online learning. The plan describes comprehensive mental health policy responding to COVID-19 in schools, breaking recommended school responses into 3 "tiers" based on the severity of the student's mental handicap or trauma. It also includes expanded telehealth requirements, requiring each school district to provide health services to students engaged in distance learning.
Operating Entity: New Jersey Department of Education
Topic(s): Distance Learning, IEP, Mental Health, Telehealth