Advancing Opportunities, Inc./ Cerebral Palsy of New Jersey

03/18/2020

Our friends at the Richard A. West Assistive Technology Advocacy Center are sponsoring “AT Town Halls” to address COVID-19, School Closures, and AT. What Do We Do? Let’s learn from one another and exchange ideas!

  COVID-19, School Closures, and AT: What Do We Do? The Richard West Asssistive Technology Advocacy Center (ATAC), Trenton, NJ. Mike Marotta, Director, has been has been working with colleagues to come up with and disseminate helpful ideas on assistive technology during school closures. Mike is hos...

03/14/2020

We regret to announce that our DDD-funded community-based drop-off programs have been suspended until further notice. That includes ANO, PNO, and Weekend Recreation. The following is a letter from Jonathan Seifried, Assistant Commissioner, New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities:

"The highest priority of the Division of Developmental Disabilities is the health and safety of the individuals we serve. Early information on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) suggests that older adults and people with chronic or underlying health conditions have a heightened risk of getting very sick if they become infected. An important step to preventing the spread of COVID-19 is to eliminate large groups of people congregating together.


"For this reason, DDD is calling for immediate actions to help prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). No later than Tuesday, March 17, all Division-funded, facility-based day services have been directed to close until advised otherwise.


"Additionally, the Division has directed that community outings facilitated by providers that are not for the health or safety of an individual should be discontinued immediately.


"The immediate health and safety of the individuals we serve are our top priority, and we are committed to working with our individuals, their families, and provider community to identify the best available solutions to keep individuals safe.


"We recognize that this guidance will raise immediate questions about service delivery and reimbursement. The Division will provide additional details over the weekend, but we wanted to get this message to you all as quickly as possible. This is an evolving situation, we will stay in touch often, and we encourage stakeholders to monitor state and national public health websites for the most up-to-date information and guidance."

Thank you.



Jonathan Seifried

03/13/2020

Gov. Murphy announced administrative actions this week to waive consumer cost sharing for COVID-19 testing and testing-related services and enable NJ Medicaid beneficiaries to receive 90-day prescription refills.

  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Update for Individuals, Families, and Providers – Medicaid Governor Murphy announced administrative actions this week to waive consumer cost sharing for COVID-19 testing and testing-related services and enable NJ Medicaid beneficiaries to receive 90-day pres...

03/13/2020

Please note that two events scheduled for this weekend have been cancelled:

* Saturday, March 14: Weekend Recreation, Saint Patrick's Day crafts, Totowa Public Library, Totowa, NJ

* Sunday, March 15: ANO - North, Arts in the Afternoon, Center for Healthier Living, Hackettstown, NJ.

  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Update for Individuals, Families, and Providers   Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the respiratory illness caused by a new virus that first emerged in December 2019 and has since spread to at least 70 countries, including the United States. The NJ Depar...

03/12/2020

As a thought leader in providing many services to people with disabilities, we are proud to present a selection of recent articles and research news in the field.

  Welcome to our latest installment of noteworthy disability-themed articles! In addition, as a leader in the field, we are pleased to share our experience, knowledge, and expertise with the disability community through our social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Pinterest. ...

03/11/2020

The next N.J. Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) quarterly update meetings will be held Wednesday, March 18, 2020. Both meetings are via webinar, and links are provided.

The next N.J. Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD) quarterly update meetings have been announced, with a webinar registration link.

03/10/2020

The Hook+ adds accessibility to Apple iOS mobile devices, allowing users with physical disabilities to hook up switches and buttons. We acquired the latest version at our assistive technology lending library and review it.

  Apple iOS mobile devices – iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch – are known for their many accessibility features. “This is an opportunity for us to make things simpler for people,” says Mike Marotta, who presented on the topic in a 2017 webinar, “Built-in Accessibility Features of Mobile Devic...

03/09/2020

With Judith Heumann, civil rights became disability rights, and vice versa. Her work led to the inclusion of people with all disabilities. We recognize her!
International Women’s Day
Women's History Month
In the photo: A woman with brown hair sits in her wheelchair and smiles. She is wearing a red jacket and black slacks.

  Born with polio, Judith Heumann has been fighting on behalf of people with disabilities since the late 1960s. The New York City Board of Education rejected her application for a job because, as a wheelchair user, she was deemed a safety liability. She sued and won the landmark case, becoming the ...

03/06/2020

The NJ DDD will be holding a webinar:
Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Update for Individuals, Families and Providers
Monday, March 9, 2020, 3:00 p.m.

  Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19): Update for Individuals, Families and Providers Monday, March 9, 2020 3:00 p.m. Register Here for the COVID-19 Webinar   Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is the respiratory illness caused by a new virus that first emerged in December 2019 and has since spre...

03/05/2020

Developmental disability awareness means offering individuals with this challenge full inclusion in the community, both where they live and work. It’s their time to shine!

A diverse group of individuals with developmental disabilities gather under a gazebo in a park. It is summer.

    Following the well-publicized horrific abuse of adults at with intellectual disabilities Willowbrook in the late 1970s (but much later than the horrors Nellie Bly reported in Ten Days in a Mad House), President Reagan in 1987 proclaimed March as Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month. This...

03/04/2020

You know spring is almost here when it's time to celebrate Saint Patrick's Day! For our families in Passaic and Essex counties, come have a look at the brand-new Weekend Recreation calendar for March 2020 and sign up for your favorite events and activities.
https://advopps.org/weekend_rec_passaic/

03/04/2020

March 4 is ! From the Xbox Adaptive Controller to giving voice to someone who is Deafblind, we cover all aspects of assistive technology. We even have an AT lending library for New Jerseyans to try tech out for free!
In the photo: A variety of assistive tech items, some in colored bins, are on three tall metal shelves.
https://advopps.org/category/assistive-technology/