30:6D-34. Findings, declarations

2. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. It is in the best interest of the State of New Jersey to preserve, strengthen and maintain the family unit. All individuals, regardless of disability, have the right to belong to a family unit where enduring relationships can be fostered.

b. Families are the major providers of support, care, training and other services for their family member with a developmental disability living at home. Consequently, families are continually searching for ways to support family members with developmental disabilities in their homes instead of placing these individuals in a State or private institution.

c. Many families with a family member with a developmental disability experience exceptionally high financial outlays and extraordinary physical and emotional challenges, isolation, stigmatization and daily stress. Supporting families in their effort to care for their family member with a developmental disability at home is efficient, cost effective and humane; failure to provide needed supports can result in premature placement of the family member in a setting outside the home.

d. To be effective, family supports must support the entire family, must be easily accessible, flexible, culturally sensitive and individualized. They must be designed to promote interdependence, independence, productivity and integration of people with disabilities into the community. Family supports must also be built on existing social networks and naturally occurring supports including extended families, neighbors and community associations.

e. A Statewide family support policy must acknowledge that families themselves are able to define their own needs and select their own services; family supports must be chosen by families, controlled by families and monitored by families.

f. Adults with disabilities should be afforded the opportunity to make decisions for themselves, live in typical homes and communities and exercise their full rights as citizens. Adults with disabilities should have options for living separately from their families, but when this is not the case, families should be provided the supports they need.

L.1993,c.98,s.2.