News & Knowledge Base

Visit this Section often to keep current with the latest developments in: discoveries, legislation, theories, improving living conditions, and more, for the benefit of Adults with Autism. Past 1 month, and as appropriate, news articles are moved to our categorized knowledge base.

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Federal News State News Local Upcoming Events Useful Info. during COVID-19

Knowledge Base

Federal Knowledge State Knowledge Local Knowledge Past Events Methods & Philosophies Funding

Current Federal News

This Section features the latest news in Federal / National legislation, discoveries, theories, the improvement in living conditions, and more, for the benefit of Adults with Autism. Past 1 month, and as appropriate, news articles are moved to our categorized knowledge base.


Tax Bill Information
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Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on December 22, 1:43 PM

On December 20th, Congress passed the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, which is expected to be signed by President Trump in the coming days. The bill will impact the funding of various aspects of disability services. Read the links below to learn more about the bill, its impact on the disability community, and the reaction of various leaders.

Disability and Disaster Response in the Age of Climate Change

Disability Community Responds to Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 Passing

34 things you need to know about the incoming tax law

Tax Bill May Threaten Disability Services

The GOP's Tax Bill Is a War On Disabled People

(The opinions expressed in the links and articles below do not reflect those of the Post21 Club, and the posting of such material does not equal support or an endorsement by Post21 Club of the views expressed)

  1. “REPEAL AND REPLACE” down but not out! Graham/Cassidy Repeal And Replace Bill a nail-biter
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on September 27, 7:58 PM

    After numerous failed attempts to repeal and replace Obamacare, Senate Republicans are again trying yet one more time, prior to a Sept. 30, 2017 deadline that will make it virtually impossible to so from a legislative standpoint. Pertinent to the US Autism and other affected populations are the near-assured loss of pre-existing conditions protection and […]

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  2. July 18, 2017: “Repeal and Replace” defeated.
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on August 23, 2:27 PM

    The Republican-controlled Congress failed to accomplish their long-promised “repeal and replace” rollback of “Obamacare”. Although skyrocketing premiums, deductibles, and other troublesome trends continue to worsen, the nation’s Congressional lawmakers are now obligated to cooperate and creatively strive to repair and overhaul the existing legislation, without leaving tens of millions of vulnerable Americans without life-sustaining Medicaid […]

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  3. New Healthcare Law- Senate Vote Delayed
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:48 PM

    Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stumbles in drive to pass the Senate version of Obamacare “repeal and replace”. If the measure does not pass by July 7, the Nation faces a fork in the road- greater troubles, or alternatively the Republicans will be forced to work with the Democrats across the aisle in creating a […]

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  4. New Senate Healthcare Bill delayed but still a threat to Adults with Autism
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:47 PM

    The Republican-controlled Senate continues on its drive to repeal Obamacare and replace it with new legislation which may threaten Medicaid funding to the Adults with Autism population, even after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was forced to delay the Senate vote for a week and a half to attempt to sway and obtain more positive votes. […]

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Current State News

This Section features the latest news on the State level for Adults with Autism. Past 1 month, and as appropriate, news articles are moved to our categorized knowledge base.

https://nj.gov/humanservices/coronavirus.html

  1. Highlights from New Jersey Division of Developmental Disabilities Seminar in Hamilton
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on April 30, 2:59 PM

    The DDD invited families to its quarterly update meeting, in Hamilton, NJ on April 26, 2018. Members of the public were present, concerns were raised, and discussion ensued. The Agency organized the seminar around 7 general topics, and the detailed overview can be viewed here.

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  2. New Jersey Creates Ombudsman for Disability Services
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    Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on January 12, 4:24 AM

    Earlier this week, Governor Chris Christie signed A-3824 into law. The law ‘establishes Office of Ombudsman for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families.’ From Lilo H. Stainton of NJ Spotlight: “Estimated to cost anywhere from $150,000 to $1.9 million annually, depending on its workload, the ombudsman and a limited staff would be […]

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  3. Easter Seals was allowed back into the State’s Administration system
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on August 22, 8:57 PM

    Easter Seals was allowed back into the State’s Administration system because their replacement, Public Partnerships, was unable to fully discharge the strenuous duties that they assumed when the State contract was awarded to them months ago. Details are sketchy at this time and post21club.org will continue to monitor and report on the situation.

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  4. New Jersey Family Care update- July 2, 2017
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:50 PM

    New Jersey Family Care greatly benefited from Obamacare. For a demographic map of how New Jersey would be impacted by the repeal of newly-realized Medicaid benefits, visit http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2017/03/map_who_in_nj_would_get_hurt_by_repealing_and_repl.html

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  5. New Jersey Family Care update- June, 2017
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:49 PM

    (By Beverley Roberts, the ARC of NJ) June 2017: NJ FamilyCare – Important Information It is important for families and staff to be aware of the necessity of completing the NJ FamilyCare renewal application if it arrives in the mail. The renewal application is mailed to those who already have Medicaid, and it is necessary […]

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Current Local News

This Section features local news of all kinds for Adults with Autism. Past 1 month, and as appropriate, news articles are moved to our categorized knowledge base.

  1. Interview with Moish Tov, CEO of Joy Dew
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    Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on March 16, 1:06 PM

    If there is such thing as a traditional path into constructing an adult autism program, Moish Tov has not followed it. A serial entrepreneur with experience in the technology and medical device industries, Tov’s path to building an adult autism program emanated from his two children (who both have autism). Upon visiting various potential adult […]

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Federal Knowledge

This Section features archived news articles on the Federal level for Adults with Autism.

Tax Bill Information
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Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on December 22, 1:43 PM

On December 20th, Congress passed the Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, which is expected to be signed by President Trump in the coming days. The bill will impact the funding of various aspects of disability services. Read the links below to learn more about the bill, its impact on the disability community, and the reaction of various leaders.

Disability and Disaster Response in the Age of Climate Change

Disability Community Responds to Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017 Passing

34 things you need to know about the incoming tax law

Tax Bill May Threaten Disability Services

The GOP's Tax Bill Is a War On Disabled People

(The opinions expressed in the links and articles below do not reflect those of the Post21 Club, and the posting of such material does not equal support or an endorsement by Post21 Club of the views expressed)

  1. New Healthcare Law- Senate Vote Delayed
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:48 PM

    Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell stumbles in drive to pass the Senate version of Obamacare “repeal and replace”. If the measure does not pass by July 7, the Nation faces a fork in the road- greater troubles, or alternatively the Republicans will be forced to work with the Democrats across the aisle in creating a […]

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  2. New Senate Healthcare Bill delayed but still a threat to Adults with Autism
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:47 PM

    The Republican-controlled Senate continues on its drive to repeal Obamacare and replace it with new legislation which may threaten Medicaid funding to the Adults with Autism population, even after Majority Leader Mitch McConnell was forced to delay the Senate vote for a week and a half to attempt to sway and obtain more positive votes. […]

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State Knowledge

This Section features archived news articles on the State level for Adults with Autism.

  1. Personal Preference Program: An Overview
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on March 12, 5:12 PM

    Q: “Why should I be interested in the Personal Preference Program (PPP)?” A: If you and/or your relatives spend a significant part of your week providing caregiving services to your adult child who lives with Autism, the Federal government and NJ State can and will compensate all those involved, up to certain limits, as “employees” […]

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  2. New Jersey Creates Ombudsman for Disability Services
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    Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on January 12, 4:24 AM

    Earlier this week, Governor Chris Christie signed A-3824 into law. The law ‘establishes Office of Ombudsman for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families.’ From Lilo H. Stainton of NJ Spotlight: “Estimated to cost anywhere from $150,000 to $1.9 million annually, depending on its workload, the ombudsman and a limited staff would be […]

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  3. New Jersey Family Care update- June, 2017
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:49 PM

    (By Beverley Roberts, the ARC of NJ) June 2017: NJ FamilyCare – Important Information It is important for families and staff to be aware of the necessity of completing the NJ FamilyCare renewal application if it arrives in the mail. The renewal application is mailed to those who already have Medicaid, and it is necessary […]

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State Knowledge

This Section features archived news articles on the State level for Adults with Autism.

  1. Personal Preference Program: An Overview
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on March 12, 5:12 PM

    Q: “Why should I be interested in the Personal Preference Program (PPP)?” A: If you and/or your relatives spend a significant part of your week providing caregiving services to your adult child who lives with Autism, the Federal government and NJ State can and will compensate all those involved, up to certain limits, as “employees” […]

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  2. New Jersey Creates Ombudsman for Disability Services
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    Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on January 12, 4:24 AM

    Earlier this week, Governor Chris Christie signed A-3824 into law. The law ‘establishes Office of Ombudsman for individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities and their families.’ From Lilo H. Stainton of NJ Spotlight: “Estimated to cost anywhere from $150,000 to $1.9 million annually, depending on its workload, the ombudsman and a limited staff would be […]

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  3. New Jersey Family Care update- June, 2017
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 12, 9:49 PM

    (By Beverley Roberts, the ARC of NJ) June 2017: NJ FamilyCare – Important Information It is important for families and staff to be aware of the necessity of completing the NJ FamilyCare renewal application if it arrives in the mail. The renewal application is mailed to those who already have Medicaid, and it is necessary […]

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Past Events

This Section features archived articles pertaining to past events.

BEYOND 21 Conference Follow-up – Living on your own Successfully
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Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 29, 10:26 AM

As a follow-up to the 6.23.19 Beyond 21 conference, "Living on your own Successfully" held at Home Away From Home Adult Medical Day Care's location in Nutley NJ, Beyond 21 is pleased to provide a LINK (see below) to the written presentations and video clips from this conference - now available for all conference attendees, as well as for those who were unable to attend.

Click this link: http://www.hafhamdc/beyond-21-events to access the presentations and video clips.

For questions about the Beyond 21 program, please contact Program Director, Lisa Roser at 973-662-9191 or by email at lisar@njadultdaycare.com.   For questions about the Attain & Gain program, please contact Roman Rubin at 973-662-9191 or by email at romanr@njadultdaycare.com.

  1. Employing Individuals on the Spectrum
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 25, 2:17 PM

    April 19th, 2017 Margaret Gilbride, JD, CT, Instructor of Pediatrics, (Director of Transition, Employment, and Aging & Disability at The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities), spoke on the employment of individuals on the Spectrum. An Event hosted by Ryan Roy, Autism Advocate. Ms. Gilbride graduated from Indiana University School of Law and is a certified […]

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  2. Informative Seminar On the Joydew Strengths Assessment
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on July 25, 2:16 PM

    On May 24, 2017, from 6:30 pm 8:30 pm, Moish Tov and Marybeth Burtt of Joydew, LLC presented an informative seminar on the Joydew Strengths Assessment, or “S.A.” The S.A. stands in stark contrast to the current over-riding mentality of what people with Autism CAN’T do, in seeking to uncover what they CAN do. The […]

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  3. Informative Seminar with Joydew, LLC
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    Second Test
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    Posted By: LarryLam on June 8, 2:55 PM

    On May 31, Post 21 Club Hosted an informative Seminar given by Joydew, LLC. Topics included o the proprietary Joydew Strengths Assessment o the achievement of age-appropriate communications for a high percentage of our population o a new approach to high-level training and employment for Individuals with Autism

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  4. Talk With Margaret Gilbride
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    Posted By: LarryLam on May 25, 1:55 PM

    On April 19th, 2017, from 6:30 pm-8:30 pm, Margaret Gilbride, JD, CT, Instructor of Pediatrics, is Director of Transition, Employment, and Aging & Disability at The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities, spoke on the employment of individuals on the Spectrum. Ms. Gilbride graduated from Indiana University School of Law and is a certified Thanatologist through […]

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Methods & Philosophies

ABA vs. DIR
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Posted By: Post 21 Club on June 23, 7:26 PM

June 25, 2017: written by Post 21 Club

A tale of two Methodologies-

ABA: Since the 1970’s, families with Autism have scratched and clawed their way out of emotional devastation (and worse) toward something more palatable, to varying degrees, thanks to an approach stemming from the work of Dr. Ivar Lovaas, from that era. That approach is Applied Behavioral Analysis, or “ABA”.

Simplistically, ABA instructs that through a discrete trials “rewards” system, individuals with Autism can be “taught” or “trained” to subsist in the real world of their parents, and everyone around them. ABA further teaches that although the Autism Spectrum is wide, with a great variety of different manifestations of the disorder, the “cure” is the same: discrete trials with a “rewards” system. The system essentially impacts the wide variety of individuals on the Autism Spectrum in the same way, leading to relatively predictable results.

General complaints about ABA revolve around the observation that individuals tend to become “robotic”, although it is generally accepted to produce noticeable results. Another issue is that it requires “1-on-1” involvement for numerous hours/day, which is inescapably expensive.

DIR ®: The Developmental, Individual-differences, & Relationship-based model, or “DIR”, is an approach which is alternative to ABA. To paraphrase from the icdl website with founder the late Dr. Stanley Greenspan of Harvard and George Washington Universities: DIR is a way to understand individuals with Autism, and each other, that builds connections, understanding, love, communication, and engagement. Through this approach, the true potential of each person can be discovered.

An excellent overview of DIR/Floortime may be found on Wikipedia.

DIR incorporates a proprietary term called “Floortime”, which puts the principles found in DIR into practice. Combined with a special Strengths Assessment series of interviews with the family of an individual with Autism, administered by organizations such as Joydew, LLC of New Jersey (www.joydew.com), the chances of discovering the internal strengths, aptitudes, and future communications and career preferences are increased. DIR theoretically has the potential to “take our population to the next level”.

  1. Interview with Moish Tov, CEO of Joy Dew
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    Posted By: Sam Fogelgaren on March 16, 1:06 PM

    If there is such thing as a traditional path into constructing an adult autism program, Moish Tov has not followed it. A serial entrepreneur with experience in the technology and medical device industries, Tov’s path to building an adult autism program emanated from his two children (who both have autism). Upon visiting various potential adult […]

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Funding

Fee for Service Clarification
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Posted By: Post 21 Club on June 23, 7:25 PM

June 23, 2017: DDD Procedural Clarification on “Fee for Service” by Post 21 Club  

If you’re a parent who lives in New Jersey and you care for one or more adult children with Autism, you’re used to changes in the DDD support system every few years.  Here’s what you’ve seen, heard, or dealt with: “Self Determination”…”Real Life Choices”….”Self-Directed Services”.  Now, “Fee-for-Service” is set for implementation!

What does “Fee-for-Service” mean?  Potentially a good thing, as it is coincident with the onset of “Tier Funding”, which for some affected individuals means funding levels more appropriateness to their functioning levels.  Funding and provided services are more tightly linked, presumably increasing service value delivered “per dollar”.

Right now there appears to be a gap of understanding.  Many Providers and participants think it means that Program and Service Providers need to set staff and resources aside to keep time records taken at 15 minute intervals during each weekday.  Nothing can be further than the truth.

“Fee-for-Service” was adopted by the State Division of Developmental Disabilities as a way to facilitate choice and flexibility for Parents, and to foster competition between Program and Service providers.  Recently, when asked about the additional burden of keeping records at 15-minute intervals, the DDD desk (at the Phoenix House Provider Fair in Nutley, NJ) clarified that that was not the intention.  For example, if a given program lasts for, say, 4 hours, the paperwork is appropriately adjusted so that the Provider does not have file repetitive and redundant paperwork.  This is contrary to the current understanding of many Providers.

Indeed, many Program and Service providers are already girding for additional paperwork that would more resemble the arduous internal timekeeping in a busy law firm than the back office of an Autism program or service provider.  Providers should circle back with the DDD and re-clarify and confirm proper paperwork procedures under the new Fee-for-Service structure, prior to possibly squandering precious resources under a possible procedural mis-understanding.

  1. Personal Preference Program: An Overview
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    Posted By: Post 21 Club on March 12, 5:12 PM

    Q: “Why should I be interested in the Personal Preference Program (PPP)?” A: If you and/or your relatives spend a significant part of your week providing caregiving services to your adult child who lives with Autism, the Federal government and NJ State can and will compensate all those involved, up to certain limits, as “employees” […]

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Articles Wanted!

Post 21 Club seeks writers and articles for posting on our website, so that our Community can benefit from greater common knowledge and communication of news and information. Write to info@post21club.org for information on the rates that we can pay for suitable articles.

General Autism Information (oriented toward the adult Autism population and their families)

If you would like to contribute articles under any of the listed categories, or would like to create a new category or categories, contact us at info@post21club.org

Applied Behavior Analysis (“A.B.A.”)

Bergen County

  • Autism Programs and Services
  • Bergen County Transportation

Developmental individual difference relationship based model (“D.I.R.”)

Stanley Greenspan

Floortime Therapy Hidden Strengths
  • Access
  • Development

Housing

  • United Way of Bergen and Passaic Counties

Legal

  • Guardianship
  • Special Needs Trusts

Medical

The undoing of the Affordable Care Act New Jersey Department of Human Services
  • Division of Developmental Disabilities
  • Association with Medicaid
    - Transition to "Fee-for-Service" 2017