Governor releases Transition Committee Reports

On January 26th, Governor Murphy released final reports from the 14 Transition Committees that were charged with establishing priorities and recommendations for the first 100 days of the new administration covering. Our Executive Director, Dr. Suzanne Buchanan, was one of forty plus members of the Human and Children Services Transition Committee. Although the report from the Human and Children Services Transition Committee covers a vast array of issues, there were a number of recommendations in the report that will directly impact the autism community. Of most importance to our community, the report recommends that the Murphy Administration appoint members to Developmental Disability Fee-for-Service Transition Oversight Board, distribute the $20 million FY 2018 budget appropriation for Direct Support Professionals, establish a nonprofit resource center, and enact legislation establishing a caregiver task force to determine how best to assist families of individuals with special needs. We are pleased to report that the $20 million budget appropriation for Direct Support Professionals is in the process of being distributed. We look forward to getting updates on the other recommendations and our continued work with the Murphy Administration within the first 100 days and the months and years to come. You can read the full report here.