September 20, 2017 | Press Release.pdf

GREEN TOWNSHIP, NJ – Assemblyman Parker Space today visited a Community Options’ home in Green Township. Space met with two of the residents at their home to learn more about their lives and the types of support they receive from Community Options.

“I want to thank Community Options and the residents here for inviting me into their home,” said Space (R-Sussex, Warren, Morris). “As legislators, we deal with a whole host of issues and it is important for me to see first-hand people with disabilities being an active part of our community and use this experience when the Legislature is deciding human services policies. We need to provide opportunities that can lead to a more independent and inclusive life for those with disabilities and I want to thank Community Options for their role here in Sussex County and throughout New Jersey.”

There is high demand for community-based homes in New Jersey and across the country. The New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities has a waiting list of over 10,000 individuals seeking placement in a home. In recent years, Community Options has sought out partnerships with municipalities throughout the State to build or acquire additional homes. The three-bedroom home toured by Assemblyman Space was acquired through a public-private partnership between Community Options and Green Township.

“A lot of progress has been made in New Jersey in recent years to shift funding away from institutional developmental centers and into community based housing,” said Svetlana Repic-Qira, Regional Vice President for Community Options. “We look forward to continuing to work with Assemblyman Space and other State officials to give more people with disabilities the opportunity to live and work in the community.”

Community Options, Inc. is a national nonprofit organization based in New Jersey that provides residential and employment supports to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. With over forty offices across eleven states, the agency provides services to over 2,700 individuals and their families. Community Options provides advocacy assistance to empower people with disabilities because all people – regardless of ability level – should live and work in the community with dignity, choice and self-determination.

###