30:1AA-1.1 Findings, declarations relative to individuals with developmental disabilities.

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. Disability is a natural part of the human experience that does not diminish the right of individuals with developmental disabilities to live independently, exert control and choice over their own lives, and fully participate in and contribute to their communities through full integration and inclusion in the economic, political, social, cultural and educational mainstream of United States society;

b. Recent studies indicate that individuals with developmental disabilities comprise between 1.2 and 1.65% of the United States population, and individuals whose disabilities occur during their developmental period frequently have severe disabilities that are likely to continue indefinitely;

c. Individuals with developmental disabilities often encounter discrimination in the provision of critical services and are at greater risk than the general population of abuse, neglect, financial and sexual exploitation, and the violation of their legal and human rights;

d. A substantial portion of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families do not have access to appropriate support and services, including access to assistive technology, from generic and specialized service systems, and remain unserved or underserved;

e. Individuals with developmental disabilities often require lifelong community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that are most effective when provided in a coordinated manner;

f. There is a need to ensure that services, supports and other assistance are provided in a culturally competent manner, which ensures that individuals from racial and ethnic minority backgrounds are fully included in all activities provided under P.L.2003, c.54 (C.30:1AA-1.1 et al.);

g. Family members, friends and members of the community can play an important role in enhancing the lives of individuals with developmental disabilities, especially when the family members, friends and community members are provided with the necessary community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance;

h. Current research indicates that 88% of individuals with developmental disabilities live with their families or in their own households, and many service delivery systems and communities are not prepared to meet the impending needs of the adults with developmental disabilities who are living at home with parents who are 60 years of age or older and serve as the primary caregivers of these adults;

i. Individuals with developmental disabilities are waiting for appropriate services in their communities, and the public needs increased awareness of the capabilities and competencies of individuals with developmental disabilities, particularly in cases in which the individuals are provided with necessary services, supports and other assistance;

j. As increasing numbers of individuals with developmental disabilities are living, learning, working and participating in all aspects of community life, there is an increasing need for a well trained workforce that is able to provide the services, supports and other forms of direct assistance that are required to enable the individuals to carry out those activities;

k. There needs to be greater effort to recruit individuals from minority backgrounds into professions serving individuals with developmental disabilities and their families;

l. The goals of the State properly include providing individuals with developmental disabilities with the information, skills, opportunities and support to: make informed choices and decisions about their lives; live in homes and communities in which these individuals can exercise their full rights and responsibilities as citizens; pursue meaningful and productive lives; contribute to their families, communities, the State and the nation; have interdependent friendships and relationships with other persons; live free of abuse, neglect, financial and sexual exploitation, and violations of their legal and human rights; and achieve full integration and inclusion in society, in an individualized manner, consistent with the unique strengths, resources, priorities, concerns, abilities and capabilities of each individual;

m. As the nation, states and communities maintain and expand community living options for individuals with developmental disabilities, there is a need to evaluate the access to those options by individuals with developmental disabilities and the effects of those options on those individuals; and

n. Therefore, the purpose of this act is to assure that individuals with developmental disabilities and their families participate in the design of, and have access to, needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance which promote self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life, through culturally competent advocacy, capacity-building and systemic-change activities conducted by the State Council on Developmental Disabilities, as required by the "Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill of Rights Act of 2000," Pub.L.106-402, 42 U.S.C. s.15001 et seq. These activities shall:

(1) be consistent with the purpose described in this subsection and the public policy described in section 2 of P.L.2003, c.54 (C.30:1AA-1.2); and

(2) contribute to a coordinated, consumer- and family-centered and consumer- and family-directed comprehensive system which includes needed community services, individualized supports and other forms of assistance that promote self-determination for individuals with developmental disabilities and their families.

L.2003,c.54,s.1.