S4102 SCS

An Act concerning the establishment of a center for direct support professionals by the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development, supplementing chapter 64A of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, and making an appropriation.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Legislature finds and declares that:

a. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities strive

to live active, engaged lives within the community.

b. Community inclusion is shown to promote the best outcomes and quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

c. Direct support professionals (DSPs) provide critical services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and without these services community inclusion for many people with intellectual and developmental disabilities would not be possible.

d. However, the system of services and supports that people with intellectual and developmental disabilities rely on for becoming contributing citizens in their communities is facing an ongoing workforce crisis; harming the ability of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities to access services. This strain is further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

e. The DSP workforce crisis, that is evident across the nation, is characterized in several ways, including high turnover, difficulty recruiting, and no discernable career path, all of which threatens the number and quality of available services and supports for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

f. This crisis calls for the establishment of a career path aligned with ongoing professional development in order to instill competence, confidence, and investment in the workforce that contributes to the well-being and quality of life of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities by providing an opportunity for career development, advancement, and learning new skills.

g. The Direct Support Professional Career Development Center shall have two objectives. First, the Center shall conduct a pilot that focuses on DSP recruitment and retention for students “at-risk” of not completing a traditional high school program and, as such, not only will benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities but also “at-risk” students who otherwise may not have access to a career opportunity.

h. The Direct Support Professional Career Development Center shall provide support to existing and new DSPs with incentives to remain in the field and further their education.

2. The Direct Support Professional Career Development Center shall be established at the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development in partnership with a trade association serving organizations that employ direct support professionals. It shall be the purpose of the center to provide a potential career path to high school students at-risk of failing to graduate in addition to existing direct support professionals, thereby assisting with recruitment and retention of this critical workforce.

The center, through partnerships with local school districts, shall identify and recruit high school students “at risk” of not graduating from high school who have not pursued vocational education or any other alternative education program, and who are interested in learning about and serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The center shall provide participating students with a two-year program that offers mentorship and training regarding the responsibilities of direct support professionals and a potential job opportunity upon graduation. The program shall provide online training in addition to on-site training and mentorship with experienced direct support professionals employed by participating agencies that serve individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Upon completion of the program, a participating student shall receive academic credits and the school district at which the student is enrolled shall apply the credits towards the district requirements for high school graduation. The student shall be offered an opportunity to interview for employment as a direct support professional at the agency where the student received on-site training. The agency shall interview the student for a position with compensation that reflects the experience and training received through the program.

In addition to “at risk” students, the Direct Support Professional Career Development Center shall work with existing and future direct support professionals to identify their educational goals including credentialing, an associate’s degree, and a bachelor’s degree.

3. The Direct Support Professional Career Development Center established pursuant to section 2 of this act shall employ a career counselor.

a. The career counselor shall provide ongoing support to participating high school students as well as direct support professionals, including providing the student with assistance in finding appropriate postsecondary programs or in connecting the student with a provider agency that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

b. The career counselor shall assist in the establishment of a

Career Development Program pursuant to section 4 of this act.

4. In collaboration with the New Jersey Council of County Colleges, a Career Development Program is established for new and existing direct support professionals at the Direct Support Professional Career Development Center established pursuant to section 2 of this act. The Career Development Program shall assist individuals employed as a direct support professional with the pursuit of a college degree. It shall be the purpose of the Career Development Program to create a career path for the recruitment and retention of direct support professionals.

The New Jersey Council of County Colleges shall, as part of New Jersey’s Workforce Development initiative, develop curriculum specific to the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities including an associates’ degree and bachelors’ degree.

5. a. There is appropriated from the General Fund to the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education the sum of $450,000 for the purposes of fulfilling the provisions of this act.

b. The Office of the Secretary of Higher Education shall distribute a grant to the New Jersey Community College Consortium for Workforce and Economic Development in partnership with a trade association serving organizations that employ direct support professionals to establish the Direct Support Professional Career Development Center by such criteria as are determined by the Secretary of Higher Education.

6. This act shall take effect on the 180th day after the date of enactment.