Family Support Center of New Jersey Continued Funding

We, the undersigned, petition to continue the existing state funding provided to the Family Support Center of New Jersey so that their desperately needed programs and services can continue to be provided to assist the disability population of New Jersey.

The Family Support Center, established in 1994, is a clearinghouse of up-to-date information on national, state and local family support programs, services and disabilities. The Center offers a "One-Stop-Shopping" approach to individuals seeking information on disabilities and services by providing them with easy access to a comprehensive array of services. Family support is not a single service, but rather a flexible and varied network of supports that can change with individual family needs. Family support often makes it possible for families with children with disabilities to just be a family. Support components include the NJ Parent to Parent program; a library and comprehensive database of both state and national services and resources; informational workshops for families; training for families and professionals in all 21 counties, cash subsidies and guardianship stipends, coordination of the National Caregivers Conference, the development of a private provider database and the reproduction and distribution of the OPTIONS manual.

In 2008, The Family Support Center of NJ assisted nearly 5,000 individuals through information and referral, trained over 1,500 individuals across the state in 46 trainings and conducted an additional 75 presentations. With over 40,000 yearly visitors taking advantage of the Family Support Center of New Jerseys informational website, it is clear that New Jersey residents find FSCNJ to be an imperative resource in the disability community.

In New Jersey alone, nearly 1.1 million unpaid caregivers support a family member, often from birth to adulthood. In order to reach more of these individuals and continue to offer free programs and assistance the Family Support Center of New Jersey needs your help! Please sign this petition and make New Jersey legislators aware that these service are instrumental to New Jersey families and that there is a continually growing need for these types of services throughout the state.