Since November, we have been actively reaching out to New Jersey State officials to save the Kearsley Group Home where my son Aidan stays and four other Oaks Integrated Care facilities. Through our perseverance and the help of other concerned citizens, these five group homes remain open, providing adults with special needs with the support and care they deserve.

Letter From the DDD and CSOC

Dear Ms. Burke:

This letter is to provide an update regarding Oaks Integrated Care and activities occurring to secure an alternate provider to operate the home in which Aidan resides. The health and safety of each individual continues to be the utmost priority for the Children’s System of Care (CSOC) and Division of Developmental Disabilities (DDD), and we remain committed to the continuation of appropriate supports and services throughout this process.

CSOC and DDD have continued to engage in ongoing communication with Oaks Integrated Care. Identification of, and contact with, potential alternate providers to assume operations at the five affected facilities has occurred. Alternate providers are now reviewing information to determine their ability to submit a proposal in order to assume operation of the involved homes.

A submission deadline of early March 2022 has been provided to alternate providers. Upon receipt of proposal(s), CSOC and DDD will complete an internal review to ensure that any submissions received are appropriate. Appropriate proposal(s) will be provided to individuals/guardians for review and to ask questions of the proposing provider. You can expect this to occur in mid-March 2022.

If more than one appropriate proposal is received, individuals/guardians will be asked to rank them, and the new provider will be selected based on the highest ranked submission as determined by all impacted individuals/guardians. If there is only one appropriate proposal, individuals/guardians will have the opportunity to choose whether to remain in their current home under the management of the new provider. In the event that no appropriate proposal is received, we will communicate next steps.

The assigned CSOC Worker or DDD Transitional Case Manager you have been working with will continue to be available to assist with questions you may have.

guardian and child with special needs laying down on lawn

The Ongoing Battle to Save Quality Group Homes

Ensuring quality group homes in New Jersey keep their doors open is an ongoing battle that we continue to fight to achieve. And we will not stop fighting until quality group homes remain open indefinitely and more group homes are developed that fully accommodate those with special needs.