Department of Human Services | New Jersey’s Residential Developmental Centers for Individuals with Developmental Disabilities

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An Overview:

The New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities administers seven residential developmental centers (DCs). They are:

· Green Brook Regional Center in Somerset County

· Hunterdon Developmental Center in Hunterdon County

· New Lisbon Developmental Center in Burlington County

· North Jersey Developmental Center in Passaic County

· Vineland Developmental Center in Cumberland County

· Woodbine Developmental Center in Cape May County

· Woodbridge Developmental Center in Middlesex County

The DCs are home to approximately 2,700 individuals. Residents have intensive needs related to their developmental disabilities, and many also have co-occurring mental health, behavioral and/or medical needs. The average age is 51, and a recent survey indicated that more than 80 percent of the residents have lived in a DC since childhood. Many residents are non-ambulatory and must use a wheelchair for mobility.

More about New Jersey’s Developmental Centers (DCs)

Select from the following list for more information about New Jersey’s DCs:

Admissions to the DCs
Admissions of Children to the DCs
Why are DC Admissions so Limited?
Transitioning Back to the Community
Living in a DC
Care and Treatment in a DC
History
Olmstead

Admissions to the DCs
In order to be admitted to a DC, an individual must be both eligible for DDD services and meet the criteria set forth in the Social Security Act for admission to one of the DCs.

Even then, admissions to a DC are limited. In some cases, individuals enter a DC as the result of a court order. Otherwise, all three of the following conditions must be met before an individual can be admitted to a DC:

1. The individual’s situation must be declared an emergency by a DDD Regional Administrator. An emergency is declared when an individual is determined to be in imminent peril or will become homeless.

2. No other community placements are available for the individual or the available placements are inappropriate.

3. The Assistant Commissioner or his designee, approves a DC placement for the individual. Before this approval can be given, the Assistant Commissioner or his designee reviews the placement request and discusses it with staff in the region that made the request. If the placement is approved, a decision is then made as to which developmental center would be most appropriate for the individual.
Admissions of Children to the DCs
At one time, before community services were widely available, children were routinely admitted to DCs. Today, children are admitted to DCs on an extremely limited basis, either as the result of a court order or for the purpose of stabilization before returning to the community. In these cases, DDD will work toward reunification of the family.
DDD does not believe children should be institutionalized. To that end, DDD encourages families to work with their children at home whenever possible and will provide them with services and supports when possible.
Why are DC Admissions so Limited?
DDD is committed to providing individuals in need with resources and support in the community. In most instances, DDD is able to provide community options to an individual who faces an emergency, which can be declared if an individual is in imminent peril or will be homeless.
During Fiscal Year 2010, DDD provided placement options in the community to more than 88 percent of the individuals who faced admission to a DC because of an emergency situation. During the first five months of Fiscal Year 2011, that number was 90 percent.
Transitioning Back to the Community
Once an individual is admitted to a DC, work begins to stabilize the individual and develop a treatment plan. This plan is overseen by an interdisciplinary team, which includes DC staff, the individual’s guardian (if he or she has one), family members, and others who are chosen by the individual.
At some point, an individual’s interdisciplinary team may determine that he or she is appropriate for and would benefit from a move to the community. The team then works to identify or develop services in the community that will allow the individual to be discharged to a community placement.
Living in a DC
The DCs provide residents with opportunities to live as part of both the DC community and the community-at-large. Services and supports are provided by DDD staff, whose goal is to help the residents function as independently as possible and prepare for reintegration into the community outside the developmental center.
Residents participate in a wide variety of vocational and recreational activities both on- and off-site. They also experience the community through visits to restaurants, parks, movies, shopping malls, bowling alleys, sporting events, hair and spa salons, theaters, and similar types of locations.

The DCs recognize that religion is important to many residents as well, and individuals are encouraged to practice their religion of choice within the various community faith-based centers.
Care and Treatment in a DC
Residents receive health care and social services, as well as occupational, psychological, psychiatric, physical, speech, dietary, and other therapies, as needed. Professional and direct care staff provides a supportive, dignified, and respectful environment that helps to ensure the health, safety, and development of each resident. Residents are encouraged to have active lifestyles.
At least once a year, each developmental center resident participates with an interdisciplinary team to create, review and update his or her Individual Habilitation Plan (IHP). This ensures that the individual’s needs and preferences are being met. The interdisciplinary team includes DC staff, the individual’s guardian (if he or she has one), family members, and others that are chosen by the individual.
History
The DCs once offered the sole option for families seeking state assistance in caring for a family member with a developmental disability. Today, the number of individuals who reside in the developmental centers is declining as New Jersey continues to commit resources to developing more services and residential options in the community.
Olmstead
New Jersey is committed to transitioning appropriate DC residents to the community in accordance with the Supreme Court’s Olmstead decision and consistent with the state’s Olmstead Plan, Path to Progress.