2014 is a troubling year for a lot of people with disabilities as the Return Home initiative is now in full swing. Since 2009, New Jersey has been trying to bring home disabled residents living in out of state facilities. In 2012 New Jersey started a five year plan to deinstitutionalize residents living at two out of our seven developmental centers.The plan is to place these men and women in group homes. Group homes are not appropriate for everyone and this needs to be evaluated and assessed over time. Also, group homes are not necessarily capable of providing for some of the life or death needs presented by some of our more fragile disabled citizens.Finally,upending those who are psychologically fragile by forcing them to leave a successful residential placement could cause irreparable harm.

Assemblywoman Valerie Vanieri Huttle, and Senator Robert Gordon initiated bills S2158 and S2249. These bills let disabled residents remain in their current out of state programs who have been living there 10 years or more and make sure group homes have to match the services each disabled person had before. Both bills won bipartisan support having successfully passed both assembly and senate . Our Governor however vetoed these bills saying parents can pay for what medicaid does not as an option. In addition, once placed in group homes, the disabled persons needs will be met ‘whenever feasible’, according to Gov. Chris Christie. This is in direct opposition to statements from Human Services Commissioner Jennifer Velez and other members of her staff who testified at budget hearings “the care would be comparable – no exceptions or conditions.*

New Jersey residents only; please sign this petition asking NJ legislators to override Governor Christies veto and reinstate bills S2158 and S2249. Support doing the right thing for our most vulnerable residents.

* Susan K livio The Star Ledger August 13th 2014 Families angry Christie vetoed, demanded changes to bills determining where disabled people will live