New Jersey § 18a:64a-82

§ 18a:64a-82.

The Legislature finds and declares that: a. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities strive to live active,

engaged lives within the community. b. Community inclusion is shown to promote the best outcomes and quality of life for

people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. c. Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide critical services and supports for

people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and without these services

community inclusion for many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

would not be possible. d. DSPs support individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in their

own homes, family homes, provider-managed residences and programs, in the community,

and workplaces. They support individuals with the activities related to daily living, including

personal care, health and well-being, behavioral and mental health, relationship building,

home and community participation, achievement of goals, and a variety of other individual

needs. They require the ethics, skills, and competency to effectively provide these supports. e. However, the system of services and supports that people with intellectual and

developmental disabilities rely on for becoming contributing citizens in their communities

is facing an ongoing workforce crisis, harming the ability of people with intellectual

and developmental disabilities to access services. This strain is further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. f. The DSP workforce crisis, that is evident across the nation, is characterized in

several ways, including high turnover, difficulty recruiting, and no discernable career

path, all of which threatens the number and quality of available services and supports

for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. g. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has awarded Money Follows the Person

funds (MFP) to the Department of Human Services, Division of Developmental Disabilities

(DDD) to address the DSP crisis through a process facilitated by DDD and the Boggs

Center on Developmental Disabilities, Rutgers, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

to establish core competencies for New Jersey and related training. The federal MFP funding and this act represents a recognition of the need for a

Direct Support Professional Career Development Program aligned with national and State

core competencies in order to instill competence, confidence, and investment in the

workforce that contributes to the well-being and quality of life of people with intellectual

and developmental disabilities by providing an opportunity for career development,

advancement, and learning new skills. h. Efforts of the Direct Support Professional Career Development Program will be aligned

with the competencies developed and adopted by New Jersey. i. The Direct Support Professional Career Development Program shall have two objectives. First, the program shall conduct a pilot that focuses on DSP recruitment of high

school or county college students, but may also be open to individuals pursuing a

change in career, and oversee implementation of one-year paid fellowship opportunities. The program shall be responsible for determining and evaluating the criteria for

fellowship recipients, and selecting new fellows on an annual basis. j. The second objective of the Direct Support Professional Career Development Program

shall be to provide support to existing and new DSPs with educational programming

and experience that help them build skills and competency while working in the field

and further their professional development.