Our History

The Community Living Education Project (CLEP) has been a source of accurate and up to date information for people and their families on community living and transition since its inception. The Project works as a partnership with and is funded by the New Jersey Department of Human Services Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD). The Community Living Education Project name was adopted in 2009 to reflect the broadening of project information and education activities to include both families and staff throughout the developmental center community, provider agency community and those who live at home with family or independently with supports.

1991 – CLEP was founded as the Family Support Project at Rutgers University School of Social Work under Professor Patricia C. Dunn in collaboration with the NJ Council on Developmental Disabilities to assist family members of people living in institutions to become more active participants in the creation of the Individual Habilitation Plan (IHP). The IHP was the plan of care document used for people living in New Jersey’s congregate living settings, or institutions. The Project produced a family member workbook highlighting the importance of the family role in the IHP process. The Family Support Project was also home for the first statewide coordinator of family support in NJ and it supported the development of the Family Support Act of 1993.

1991-1998 – The project assisted people and their families during the closing of two developmental centers, Johnstone Training and Research Center and North Princeton Developmental Center. The project also moved to The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (UMDNJ) and began working with The Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) Wait List families. The family workbook was divided into two workbooks, one for developmental center families and one for community families. A newsletter, Family Link, was created and distribution began quarterly to 6500 families. In addition, Dr. Dunn retired and Dr. Susan Hammerman and Dr. Lois Grau became the Co-Principal Investigators (UMDNJ) for the Project.

2000- 2017 - The project again began focusing on families from developmental centers providing education and support to individuals and their families after the historic United States Supreme Court Olmstead decision. Beginning in 2000 with 144 residents from four developmental centers, it was expanded quickly to 200 residents and their families in six developmental centers by the next year. In 2007 the Division released its statewide Olmstead Plan, The Path to Progress, and the Project worked with all seven developmental centers. The project participated in the Olmstead Implementation and Advisory Council from 2007 until its conclusion in 2017.

2003 – The project partnered with DDD for outreach to people and their families during the first self-directed initiative, Real Life Choices. The project modeled the function of Support Coordination for DDD during the development phase of Real life Choices from 2002 through mid-2005.

2008 – A new focus on the person-centered, self-directed supports coordination process began. New family education materials and learning events describing the possibilities of community living and support coordination transition process from developmental centers in addition to trainings for developmental center staff who would participate in transition.

2009 – DDD invited the project to join in introducing families to self-directed supports and services during their community wait list transition.

2011 – Then Governor Chris Christie announced the closing of Vineland Developmental Center. The Project immediately began working with people and their families at Vineland with education sessions and individual family visits to community residential settings.

2012 - The project continued working with Community Wait List families as the state waited for a binding decision from a Governor appointed Task Force. To determine which institutions would close. Once the announcement was made that Woodbridge and North Jersey Developmental Centers would close, work began with residents, their families and staff.

2013 – 2015 – The project worked closely with DDD to support families from both developmental centers until their closures in 2014 (North Jersey) and 2015 (Woodbridge). Family meetings with DDD were held at the centers and individual support was provided as parents and guardians visited provider managed community homes with CLEP staff.

2014 – 2020 - Self-Advocacy Community Learning Events (SACLES) began at New Lisbon and Woodbine Developmental Centers for residents who were interested in learning about community living. These meetings were held monthly until the Covid 19 pandemic began in 2020.

2020 – present - The project began focusing on community wait list families again with the presentations and support provided virtually due to the Covid 19 pandemic. The project also continued to support people moving from one provider managed setting to a new provider, family home to the community and nursing home to the community through virtual tours, and meetings among support teams.

2021 – Present – In 2021 The DDD Office of Education on Self-Directed Services was created and the project held virtual presentations on self-direction in addition to supporting families from the Wait List. Webinars on a variety of topics began and the Project was able to reach a larger audience. A new video on community living will be available soon in addition to our new CLEP website.