The NJCAT is completed during the initial eligibility application process. For students turning 21 and transitioning out of school, the NJCAT can be completed in the fall/winter of the last year of school.

A trained Division facilitator will schedule an in-person, virtual, or phone meeting with you and your guardian, if you have one. It can be helpful to have additional people participate in the meeting who know you and spend time with you – for example, other family members, service providers and caregivers. You can also look at a sample NJCAT.pdf (or sample NJCAT in Spanish.pdf) before attending the face-to-face NJCAT meeting.

The facilitator will use a computer to access the NJCAT online, but will ask the questions out loud. You and the other meeting participants can talk about the question and the facilitator will enter the answer based on the consensus of the group.

The facilitator will submit the completed NJCAT electronically to the Rutgers University Developmental Disabilities Planning Institute (DDPI), where the scores are tabulated, and the tier is established.

DDD will mail a tier letter to eligible individuals within four weeks of the face-to-face NJCAT meeting. 

If you would like a copy of the questions and answers, you can email the DDD Fee-for-Service Helpdesk at DDD.FeeForService@dhs.nj.gov or ask your support coordinator.

If there are changes in your life that may have affected your need for support, you, your guardian, or your support coordinator can ask to have an NJCAT reassessment. It is important to understand that a reassessment can result in no change to the tier, or it can result in either a higher or lower tier.

To complete a reassessment, you need to have a support coordinator and a completed Person Centered Planning Tool (PCPT) and NJ Individualized Service Plan (NJISP).

To ask for a reassessment, submit the Request for NJ CAT Reassessment.xlsb form to DDD by email or mail.

Email: DDD.DDPIAssessmentRequests@dhs.nj.gov