Trenton, NJ –The bipartisan New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus met virtually with representatives from the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities, KDH Enterprises, Alliance for the Betterment of Citizens with Disabilities (ABCD), Ocean Partnership for Children, Family Connections and disability organizations from across the state to discuss issues related to early intervention and youth services for children with disabilities in the Garden State. Assemblywoman Aura Dunn, Co-Chair of the Caucus, led the discussion providing an update on efforts in the Legislature to invest in early intervention, youth mental health and other critical services to support the health and wellbeing of youth across the state.

“Today’s conversation centered around the crucial issues of access to care and early intervention for youth and adolescents in New Jersey. A topic that this caucus understands as vital to the overall support of those with disabilities. I found our dialogue productive and am hopeful that this discussion will spark new pathways for services in our state. It was an honor for me as co-chair to lead the discussion on a topic that has been the focus of much of my life’s work – the health and wellbeing of children. I am blessed to advocate alongside all of the talented and committed stakeholders that participate as members of this caucus.”

K. David Holmes, President/CEO of KDH Enterprises, a management consulting firm that specializes in autism consulting, staffing and recruitment, and board member of ABCD, discussed the state’s Early Intervention system, detailing the challenges many families face in accessing services and offering policy solutions to help streamline processes and eliminate barriers to care.

Mary Jo Buchanan, Executive Director of Ocean Partnership for Children also joined the discussion, sharing her vast experience with the Children’s System of Care (CSOC). She detailed how the system works, the current challenges the system faces, especially under the pressures of the current children’s mental health crisis. She concluded her remarks offering some potential ways to strengthen the system to best serve children and families in need.

Jacques Hryshko, CEO of Family Connections (Essex County) was the final speaker, providing an overview of the state’s new hub-and-spoke model of youth mental health services called NJ Statewide Student Support Services (NJ4S) that’s intended to support youth mental wellness and promote prevention initiatives across the state. He shared his personal story of the challenges he faced in accessing services as a child with Dyslexia and stressed the need for the state to ensure residents in underserved communities are fully represented in new systems such as this.

“These quarterly meetings are important opportunities to share information, but the real work is done in the days and weeks in between,” said Mercedes Witowsky, Executive Director of the New Jersey Council on Developmental Disabilities.“ I applaud Assemblywoman Dunn for bringing these issues to the forefront and to all the speakers who offered their expertise with Caucus members. These conversations spark collaboration that is key to advancing policies to increase, equitable access to critical services for New Jerseyans of all ages and abilities,” she said.

“Today was another reminder that when impassioned and determined minds come together for a forever deserving cause, positive momentum in the right direction ensues. I am grateful for the opportunity to help facilitate the discussion and I greatly look forward to the next installment in our caucus series.”

About the New Jersey Legislative Disability Caucus: The Caucus was formed December 1, 2020, and serves as a bipartisan forum within the New Jersey Legislature for lawmakers and their staff to consider the impact on the disability community when shaping ALL public policies in the Garden State. The Caucus is co-chaired by Senate Majority Leader Teresa Ruiz (D-29), Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald (D-6), Senator Anthony Bucco (R-25) and Assemblywoman Aura Dunn (R-25). Participation in the Caucus is open to all legislators who agree to be champions for individuals with disabilities in New Jersey by meeting with them in their district offices; participate in the quarterly education forums; and promote policies to improve the lives of people with disabilities and their families. People with disabilities, their families and organizations that serve, support and advocate for people with disabilities in the Garden State serve as a resource for the NJ Legislative Disability Caucus. For more information about the Caucus and to get involved, visit https://njcdd.org/legislative-disability-caucus/.