Important Changes that Affect Individuals with I/DD in New Jersey, as well as their Families
The NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities provides public funding for “services and supports” that assist adults (over 21) with intellectual and developmental disabilities to live as independently as possible. Services are available in the community and can be “purchased” from independent providers such as The Arc of Burlington County.
The Division's Shift to a New Service Delivery System
The New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities is shifting to a Medicaid-based, fee-for-service system. The shift began on July 1, 2015 and will continue in phases over a 12-18 month period. For information and updates, please visit the Division website’s “Fee-for-Service (FFS) Implementation ™.”
DDD is in the process of sending letters and inviting you, as family members, to participate in the New Jersey Comprehensive Assessment Tool (NJCAT), also known as the “survey.” The DDD letter will provide yours or your family member’s MIS number which you will need for future correspondence. The MIS number serves as an identifier for the individual. The letter also provides instructions on how to complete the survey. You must contact DDD to arrange a phone survey or obtain a password to complete the survey on-line. Most of you who are in the self-directed funding system are familiar with the survey and know its impact on your family member’s budget.
We recommend the on-line option vs. the phone survey as this allows you time to process the questions.
Tier Assignments
The Division has begun the process of releasing tier assignment information to individuals/families who submitted a request to receive that information. A tier basically equates to the level of assistance an individual will require and can result in an increase to the individual’s approved budget. If it has been 30 days or more since you completed the NJ CAT assessment, you may submit a “Request for Tier Assignment Form”, which is available on the Fee-for-Service Implementation page of the Division’s website. Due to the high volume of assessments being conducted, it may take 60 – 90 days from completion of the NJ CAT in order for an individual to access this tiering information. You will not automatically receive this information.
If you should have any questions or need assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Sara Anderson saraa@arcofburlington.org or Charlene Tinnick charlenet@arcofburlington.org, or at 609-531-0211.
