Learn More About CLEP

Our mission is to assist individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in New Jersey to live lives of choice within their communities.

We encourage you to explore this website and get in touch if we can help you or someone you love.

Community living values each person’s strengths and abilities and supports them in pursuing their own goals and aspirations. Person-centered supports and services enable people to establish a valued presence in their communities.

Community living offers opportunities to people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to choose where they live and explore their hopes and dreams. A valued presence in a community is something we all strive for. It allows us to be recognized as contributors to our community as neighbors, friends, volunteers, and taxpayers.

Community living includes everyone and creates diverse neighborhoods that benefit us all. All people have the right to choose where they live, close to the people and things they care about. Community living also allows everyone the opportunity to be seen as a neighbor, friend, volunteers, worker, and taxpayer.

When neighborhoods and communities include people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, they are showing they understand that when it comes to diversity and acceptance, ‘all means all.’

We provide education, training, and resources regarding the possibilities for community living within New Jersey. Possibilities include living independently with supports, provider-managed settings (group home, condominium, supervised apartment, or town home) or remaining in the family home.

In addition to providing education, training, and resources, we mentor and guide people as they explore community living. We have decades of professional and lived experience and offer long term support as you explore your options. There is no cost to you or your loved one’s Individual Budget from DDD.

We serve New Jersey residents living in the family home, independently with supports, or in provider-managed settings (including group homes, condos, supervised apartments, and townhomes). We also serve young adults transitioning from the Children’s System of Care (CSOC) to the Adult System of Care (The Division of Developmental Disabilities, DDD).

We serve individuals and their families, guardians and friends who are looking for information and support. This support may be a one-time interaction or more longterm. 

A self-determined life matters. Years ago, there were limited choices for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The philosophy of self-determination began with a group of committed family members who knew there was a better way to support their loved ones in a community of their choice.

We recognize that all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities have unique gifts and experiences that enable them to live a self-determined life. We use person-centered thinking approaches to develop a profile of each person’s gifts and experiences to share with others.