DDD SERVICES

ACI provides services through the Division of Developmental Disabilities. These services are provided through DDD referral only. If you are interested, please contact your Support Coordinator.

For more information, please contact our office.

All services are offered in Middlesex, Somerset, and Union counties unless otherwise noted.

CAREER PLANNING

Career planning is a person-centered, comprehensive employment planning and support service that provides assistance for program participants to obtain, maintain or advance in competitive employment or self-employment. It is a focused, time-limited service engaging a participant in identifying a career direction and developing a plan for achieving competitive, integrated employment at or above the state’s minimum wage. The outcome of this service is documentation of the participant’s stated career objective and a career plan used to guide individual employment support. If a participant is employed and receiving supported employment services, career planning may be used to find other competitive employment more consistent with the person’s skills and interests or to explore advancement opportunities in his or her chosen career.

COMMUNITY BASED SERVICES

Services that provide direct support and assistance for participants, with or without the caregiver present, in or out of the participant's residence, to achieve and/or maintain the outcomes of increased independence, productivity, enhanced family functioning, and inclusion in the community, as outlined in his/her Service Plan. Community-Based Supports are delivered one-on-one with a participant and may include but are not limited to: assistance with community-based activities and assistance to, as well as training and supervision of, individuals as they learn and perform the various tasks that are included in basic self-care, social skills, and activities of daily living.

COMMUNITY INCLUSION

Services provided outside of a participant’s home that support and assist participants in educational, enrichment or recreational activities as outlined in his/her Service Plan that are intended to enhance inclusion in the community. Community Inclusion Services are delivered in a group setting not to exceed six (6) individuals.
 

Prevocational Training

Services that provide learning and work experiences, including volunteer work, where the individual can develop general, non-job-task-specific strengths and skills that contribute to employability in paid employment in integrated community settings. Services may include training in effective communication with supervisors, coworkers and customers; generally accepted community workplace conduct and dress; ability to follow directions; ability to attend to tasks; workplace problem solving skills and strategies; and general workplace safety and mobility training. Prevocational Training is intended to be a service that participants receive over a defined period of time and with specific outcomes to be achieved in preparation for securing competitive, integrated employment in the community for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals without disabilities. Prevocational Training services cannot be delivered within a sheltered workshop. Supports are delivered in a face-to-face setting, either one-on-one with the participant or in a group of two to eight participants.

SUPPORTIVE EMPLOYMENT

MIDDLESEX COUNTY ONLY
Individual Employment Support Activities needed to help a participant obtain and maintain an individual job in competitive or customized employment, or self-employment, in an integrated work setting in the general workforce for which an individual is compensated at or above the minimum wage, but not less than the customary wage and level of benefits paid by the employer for the same or similar work performed by individuals without disabilities. The service may be delivered for an intensive period upon the participant’s initial employment to support the participant who, because of their disability, would not be able to sustain employment without supports. Supports in the intensive period are delivered in a face-to-face setting, one-on-one. The service may also be delivered to a participant on a less intensive, ongoing basis (“follow along”) where supports are delivered either face-to-face or by phone with the participant and/or his or her employer. Services are individualized and may include but are not limited to: training and systematic instruction, job coaching, benefit support, travel training, and other workplace support services including services not specifically related to job-skill training that enable the participant to be successful in integrating into the job setting.

Supportive Employment

(Small Group Employment Support)
Services and training activities provided to participants in regular business, industry and community settings for groups of 2-8 workers with disabilities. Services may include mobile crews and other business-based workgroups employing small groups of workers with disabilities in employment in the community. Services must be provided in a manner that promotes integration into the workplace and interaction between participants and people without disabilities. Services may include but are not limited to: job placement, job development, negotiation with prospective employers, job analysis, training and systematic instruction, job coaching, benefit support, travel training and planning.

Parental Hire

ACI is hiring parents (and guardians) as Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) for their adult child who receives services under DDD’s Community Care or Community Support programs DDD. Parents and guardians can work up to 40 hours a week (and be paid) assisting their son or daughter in activities of daily living, learning independent living skills, and accessing and participating in community services. All parental hires are subjected to the employment requirements for direct support personnel established by the NJ State Department of Human Services (including fingerprint, drug tests, College of Direct Support courses, and criminal background check). Please call ACI for more information.