Official Site of The State of New Jersey
DDD services are available to people who are 21 or older and meet all other eligibility requirements.
If you are a student getting services through school, you can keep receiving them until age 21. If you plan to graduate or leave school between ages 18 and 21, talk to your Individualized Education Program (IEP) Team and your school's transition coordinator about your service options. (See Limited Circumstances Where a Person Aged 18 through 21 May Receive DDD Services)
Important Transition Timelines
If you are planning to apply for DDD services, do the following two things after you turn 18 and at least six months before you turn 21.
- Apply for Medicaid.
- We recommend you apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) when you turn 18. In New Jersey, if you are approved for SSI, you are automatically eligible for Medicaid.
- Submit the DDD Application for Determination of Eligibility.
- If you were already determined eligible for developmental disability services through the Children’s System of Care (PerformCare), you may be able to submit the SHORT Application.
- After DDD reviews your application, you will be scheduled to complete the New Jersey Comprehensive Assessment Tool (NJCAT).
From September to June: Preparation and Planning
- Attend a DDD Welcome Session.
- Participate in activities offered through Planning for Adult Life.
- Use the Division’s Person-Centered Planning Tool to identify your vision for work and life, and the supports that may be needed to achieve it.
- Learn about Support Coordination and service providers.
From February to April: Support Coordination Agency Selection and Assignment
Your DDD intake worker will give you a Support Coordination Agency Selection Form during the eligibility application process. On the form, it is a good idea to identify both a first-choice and second-choice agency.
To find a support coordination agency that serves the county where you live, go to DDD Provider Search and search the database or download the PDF list of agencies..
From April to June: Service Plan Development
Your support coordinator will write your Individualized Service Plan (ISP). They will get help from the planning time (which includes you, your family, providers, etc.) with guidance from the planning team (you, your family, providers, etc.) and use the information from your Person-Centered Planning the NJCAT.
The ISP should be written and approved before the student exits the school system so that services will be in place upon graduation.
The DDD Graduates Timeline.pdf (Graduates Timeline - Spanish.pdf) shows you the steps to apply for and start getting home and community services for adults.
Section 3.1.5 in the DDD policy manuals: Limited Circumstances Where a Person Ages 18 through 21 May Receive Division Services
Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), students with disabilities, ages 3 through 21 are entitled to a free, appropriate public education (FAPE). Students are entitled to receive the special education and related services identified through their Individualized Education Program (IEP), as determined by the IEP team. The IEP contains goals aligned with academic achievement, and behavioral and functional performance, as well as post-secondary goals related to training, education, employment and, if appropriate, independent living. The local educational agency (LEA) is responsible for ensuring all services are provided at no cost to the student or parents. The level of services and protections provided under the IDEA to students with disabilities are not equivalent to those offered through the New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities’ (Division) adult service system as Division services are not an entitlement. For this reason, individuals with disabilities who have established eligibility for Division services receive them when they turn 21 and are no longer eligible to receive services in the public education system under the IDEA.
The Division recognizes that each year there may be a small number of eligible young adults with developmental disabilities ages 18 through 21 who have met both graduation requirements and the goals in their Individualized Education Program (IEP) and are not eligible to remain in high school until age 21. An individual, if eligible for Division services, may be eligible to enroll in the Division as early as the age of 18 if they have graduated and are seeking Division services to:
- Support immediate enrollment at an institute of higher education or trade school not funded by the Division of Developmental Disabilities; and/or
- Support established competitive integrated employment.
In both of the above circumstances, the services being sought from the Division would not otherwise have been the responsibility of their LEA to provide. Please note that this flexibility does not allow individuals to enroll in Division services before the age of 21 for other reasons, such as enrolling in a Division-funded adult day habilitation program.
If you feel the above circumstance applies to you we strongly suggest you contact a Division Representative for Options Counseling at least six months prior to your anticipated graduation. This is to ensure that you would be eligible to access Division Services before electing to graduate prior to the age of 21. Please email DDD.TransitionHelpdesk@dhs.nj.gov for more information.
There are also organizations in New Jersey, such as the SPAN Parent Advocacy Network and The Arc of New Jersey Family Institute, that can assist families with children who receive special education and related services if you have questions about the IEP process.
Webinars for Students, Young Adults, Families, School Personnel
Webinars in the Transition Thursdays series happen twice each month during the school year, on the second and third Thursday.
- Second Thursday each month: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Intake Process and Transition Resources
- Third Thursday each month: 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. – Topic of the Month
Two virtual welcome sessions are held the first and fourth Thursday in January, April, July, and October. You can learn about what DDD has to offer and how to prepare for adult life and the adult developmental disabilities service system in New Jersey.
- First Thursday, 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. – Quarterly Lunchtime DDD Welcome Session: an introduction to DDD and information about how to prepare to access DDD services, with plenty of time for questions.
- Fourth Thursday, 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. – Quarterly Evening DDD Welcome Session: provides an opportunity to join breakout rooms to learn in-depth about:
- Support coordination
- Self-direction
- Waiting list for the Community Care Program
- Employment options
- Housing
Resources for Schools and Community Organizations
DDD can give a presentation to your group in person or or through a custom webinar. Presentations usually last one to two hours and include time for questions. You can pick from these topics:
- How to use DDD services
- Learning about jobs
- Planning for a bright future: real stories from people with disabilities
During a DDD Family Guidance Day, schools can set up short meetings (15 to 20 minutes each) where students, families, or school staff can talk one-on-one with a DDD team member to ask questions and get help. DDD will work with your school to plan a Family Guidance Day about transitioning to adult services or finding jobs. These events can be held during or after school, either online or in person.
DDD can set up an exhibit/information table at school fairs, conferences and other transition-related community events. At least one DDD staff member will be there to share information and answer questions.