Guides
Guides for New Jersey families
Organized by topic, not by date. Every guide includes questions to ask and a clear next step.
Getting Started
First questions, evaluations, diagnosis and what comes after.
Topics: Developmental concerns • Evaluation • Diagnosis • After diagnosis
- After diagnosisMy Child Was Just Diagnosed With Autism in NJ — What Do I Do Next?A calm, step-by-step orientation for New Jersey families in the first weeks after an autism diagnosis.Open
- Developmental concernsI Think My Child May Have Autism — Where Do I Start in NJ?What New Jersey families commonly do first when they have developmental concerns about their child.Open
- After diagnosisHow to Organize Your Child's Providers and ServicesA simple system for keeping track of your child's providers, documents and appointments.Open
- DiagnosisWhere to Start When Your Child Has Multiple DiagnosesHow families approach navigation when a child has more than one diagnosis or need.Open
- Developmental Disability EligibilityDevelopmental Disability Services in New Jersey: DD vs. DDD and How to ApplyA simple guide to understanding developmental disability services for children, teens, and adults in New Jersey.Open
- Special EducationI Think My Child Needs Help at School — Where Do I Start?First steps for New Jersey families when a child is struggling academically, behaviorally, socially or developmentally at school.Open
- EvaluationsHow to Request a Special Education Evaluation in NJHow New Jersey families put a special education evaluation request in writing, including a sample letter and what happens next.Open
NJ Services
How New Jersey's children's service systems are organized.
Topics: PerformCare • Children's System of Care • Care Management • Mobile Response • In-Community Services • Respite • NJ FamilyCare/Medicaid • Developmental Disability Eligibility
- PerformCareUnderstanding PerformCare and NJ Children's System of CareWhat PerformCare is, how it relates to New Jersey's Children's System of Care, what happens when you call, and when to call 911 instead.Open
- Care ManagementWhat Is a Care Management Organization (CMO)?What a New Jersey Care Management Organization (CMO) does, how Child Family Teams and Individual Service Plans work, and how to get started through PerformCare.Open
- Mobile ResponseUnderstanding Mobile Response in New JerseyHow Mobile Response works in New Jersey, when families call PerformCare at 1-877-652-7624, and what happens next.Open
- Developmental Disability EligibilityDevelopmental Disability Services in New Jersey: DD vs. DDD and How to ApplyA simple guide to understanding developmental disability services for children, teens, and adults in New Jersey.Open
- Children's System of CareHow New Jersey's Children's System of Care WorksA simple overview of how PerformCare, Mobile Response, CMO, I/DD services and FSO fit together in New Jersey's Children's System of Care.Open
- NJ FamilyCare/MedicaidNJ FamilyCare and Medicaid: How Coverage Connects to ServicesHow NJ FamilyCare and Medicaid fit together in New Jersey, and what families usually have to do before a covered service can start.Open
- Insurance / Medical Supplies / Special Needs ResourcesHow to Get Diapers, Pull-Ups & Incontinence Supplies Covered by Insurance in New JerseyA practical guide for New Jersey families seeking insurance coverage for medically necessary diapers, pull-ups, briefs and other incontinence supplies.Open
- Mental HealthMental and Behavioral Health Services for NJ ChildrenHow children's mental health and behavioral services are organized in New Jersey, and who to contact at each level of urgency.Open
Therapies
Common therapy types and how families begin looking for them.
Topics: ABA • Speech Therapy • Occupational Therapy • Physical Therapy • Feeding Therapy • Mental Health • Psychiatry • Developmental Pediatrics
- ABAHow to Start Looking for ABA Therapy in NJHow New Jersey families typically begin an ABA search, what to ask, and how to track waitlists.Open
- Speech TherapyHow to Find Speech Therapy in New JerseyPractical steps New Jersey families use when searching for speech therapy, plus questions to ask.Open
- Occupational TherapyHow to Find Occupational Therapy in New JerseyHow to organize an occupational therapy search in New Jersey and what to ask providers.Open
- Mental HealthWhat to Do When Every Provider Has a WaitlistPractical steps for New Jersey families stuck on therapy and provider waitlists.Open
- Developmental PediatricsQuestions to Ask a Potential ProviderA reusable list of questions New Jersey families can ask any potential provider before starting services.Open
- Physical TherapyPhysical Therapy for Children in New JerseyWhat pediatric physical therapy addresses, where New Jersey families find it, and how school therapy differs from medical therapy.Open
- Feeding TherapyFeeding Therapy in New JerseyWhen families look into feeding therapy, what an evaluation involves, and why medical concerns come first.Open
- Mental HealthMental and Behavioral Health Services for NJ ChildrenHow children's mental health and behavioral services are organized in New Jersey, and who to contact at each level of urgency.Open
- Developmental PediatricsWhat Is a Developmental Pediatrician?What developmental pediatricians do, how families get an appointment in New Jersey, and how to prepare for long waits.Open
School & IEP
Special education processes, plans and meetings.
Topics: Evaluations • IEPs • 504 Plans • Child Study Teams • IEP Meetings • Special Education
- IEP MeetingsPreparing for an IEP Meeting in New JerseyHow to prepare for an IEP meeting in New Jersey: what to review, checklists, questions to ask, and what to do afterward.Open
- 504 PlansUnderstanding the Difference Between an IEP and a 504 PlanA plain-language comparison of an IEP and a 504 plan in New Jersey: the laws, eligibility, what each includes, goals and review.Open
- Special EducationI Think My Child Needs Help at School — Where Do I Start?First steps for New Jersey families when a child is struggling academically, behaviorally, socially or developmentally at school.Open
- EvaluationsHow to Request a Special Education Evaluation in NJHow New Jersey families put a special education evaluation request in writing, including a sample letter and what happens next.Open
- IEPsIEP Basics: What Is Actually in an IEP?A plain-language walk through the parts of an IEP and how to read your child's plan without getting lost.Open
- Child Study TeamsWhat Is a Child Study Team?Who is on a New Jersey child study team, what they do, and how to work with your child's case manager.Open
- Special EducationWhat to Do When You Disagree With the SchoolInformal and formal options New Jersey families have when they disagree with a school decision, and where to get free help.Open
- Special EducationBehavior Supports at School in New JerseyHow families ask schools to look at behavior systematically, including functional behavior assessments and behavior intervention plans.Open
Family Support
Respite, parent and sibling support, recreation and community.
Topics: Respite • Parent Support • Sibling Support • Recreation • Summer Programs • Community Resources
- Parent SupportWhat Is a Family Support Organization (FSO) in New Jersey?A simple guide to New Jersey Family Support Organizations (FSOs), how they help parents and caregivers, and how to find your county FSO.Open
- RespiteWhat Is Respite Care in New Jersey?What respite care means for New Jersey caregivers, who to ask, and the questions to bring to PerformCare or your care coordinator.Open
- Insurance / Medical Supplies / Special Needs ResourcesHow to Get Diapers, Pull-Ups & Incontinence Supplies Covered by Insurance in New JerseyA practical guide for New Jersey families seeking insurance coverage for medically necessary diapers, pull-ups, briefs and other incontinence supplies.Open
- Sibling SupportSibling Support in New JerseyWhat brothers and sisters often need, practical steps at home, and where New Jersey families look for sibling programs.Open
- RecreationRecreation, Camps and Summer Programs in NJWhere New Jersey families find inclusive recreation and summer programs, and the questions to ask before registering.Open
Transition to Adulthood
Planning for life after high school and adult systems.
Topics: Transition Planning • DDD • Employment • Education • Housing • Adult Services
- Transition PlanningTransition to Adult Services in New JerseyHow New Jersey families plan the move to adult services: IEP transition planning, DDD, Medicaid, Support Coordination, DVRS and SSI.Open
- Developmental Disability EligibilityDevelopmental Disability Services in New Jersey: DD vs. DDD and How to ApplyA simple guide to understanding developmental disability services for children, teens, and adults in New Jersey.Open
- Transition PlanningNJ Transition Timeline: Ages 14–21A practical, age-by-age planning timeline for New Jersey families preparing for adult systems.Open
- DDDApplying for DDDA short orientation to DDD eligibility and the Full and Short applications, with links to the complete Vicabell guide.Open
- DDDMedicaid & DDD: Why It MattersWhy Medicaid eligibility matters for many adults receiving DDD-funded services in New Jersey.Open
- Adult ServicesSSI at Age 18: What NJ Families Should KnowWhat Supplemental Security Income is, why age 18 matters, and where New Jersey families apply.Open
- Transition PlanningTurning 18: Guardianship, Supported Decision-Making & Other OptionsA neutral overview of decision-making options at age 18 for New Jersey families.Open
- EducationWhat Happens to the IEP at 18–21?What the IEP focuses on between ages 18 and 21 in New Jersey, what to ask the team, and which records to keep before exiting school.Open
- Adult ServicesAdult Services Through DDDHow adult services work through the NJ Division of Developmental Disabilities: eligibility, Medicaid, Support Coordination, the ISP and finding providers.Open
- EmploymentEmployment, Day Programs & Community LifeEmployment, supported employment, day habilitation and community life options for adults with disabilities in New Jersey.Open
- Adult ServicesTransportation for Adults With DisabilitiesTransportation options for adults with disabilities in New Jersey, including NJ TRANSIT Access Link, county programs and DDD-funded transportation.Open
- Transition PlanningTransition Documents ChecklistA master checklist of the identification, medical, school, DDD, Medicaid, employment and legal documents New Jersey families should organize before adulthood.Open